Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| hôte | /ot/ | |
| maître de maison | /mɛ.tʁə d(ə) mɛ.zɔ̃/ /me.tʁə d(ə) me.zɔ̃/ |
masculine |
| amphitryon | /ɑ̃.fi.tʁi.jɔ̃/ | masculine |
In French, a host is a person who receives or entertains guests. In the broadcasting world, présentateur is used for a male host and présentatrice is used for a female host. In Quebec, Canada, animateur is used to refer to a male host, especially for radio or TV shows.
Which one should you use?
The phrase maître de maison is a more formal way to refer to the host of a household. The term amphitryon is a highly literary and rare term for a host, derived from classical mythology.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Maître de maison is used in more formal settings. In formal ceremonies, maîtresse de cérémonie can be used for a female host. The term amphitryon is reserved for literary contexts.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The feminine form of hôte is hôtesse.
How do you pronounce it?
/ot/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers should be aware that in French, the word hôte can refer to both the host and the guest, depending on the context.
Did you know?
- The French word for host, hôte, shares the same ancient root as the English word 'hostile'. This is because the Proto-Indo-European root *gʰóstis originally described a stranger who could be either a guest or an enemy.
Examples in context
- Il remercia l'hôte pour la très divertissante fête.He thanked the host for the very enjoyable party.This sentence is useful for thanking an hôte for a party.Tatoeba #1316659 by sacredceltic, translation #1316482 by CK
- Après un copieux déjeuner, Guillaume remercia l'hôte.After a hearty dinner, Willie thanked the host.This sentence is useful for thanking an hôte after a meal.Tatoeba #988815 by sacredceltic, translation #51371 by CP
- J'ai expliqué à l'hôte que j'ai été retardé par un embouteillage.I explained to the host that I had been delayed by a traffic jam.This sentence is useful for explaining a delay to an hôte.Tatoeba #6559 by Cocorico, translation #257349 by CK
- Les hôtes ont accueilli les invités avec élégance.The hosts welcomed the guests with elegance.
- La maîtresse de cérémonie a annoncé les différentes parties du programme.The hostess announced the different parts of the program.
- Nous avons reçu nos amis à dîner chez nous.We hosted our friends for dinner at our place.
- Ils nous ont accueillis chaleureusement chez eux.They warmly welcomed us into their home.
- L'animateur du talk-show a su captiver son public.The host of the talk-show successfully captivated his audience.
- La présentatrice de l'émission a interviewé plusieurs invités intéressants.The female host of the show interviewed several interesting guests.
Example conversation
Emma and Lucas are discussing a dinner party they attended.
- EmmaL'hôte était vraiment charmant ce soir.The host was really charming tonight.
- LucasOui, il a été un hôte exceptionnel.Yes, he was an exceptional host.
- EmmaIl a préparé un repas délicieux.He prepared a delicious meal.
- LucasC'est vrai, tout était parfait.It's true, everything was perfect.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “host” translations and entries hôte, maître de maison, amphitryon, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries de, hôte, maison, maître, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
