phoque
/fɔk/masculine
The French word for seal is phoque.
phoque is a masculine noun used to refer to the pinniped animal.
Meaning: pinniped (noun)
Which one should you use?
While phoque refers to a seal, the specific term used for a sea lion is otarie.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
/fɔk/
Did you know?
- Because phoque is a homophone for a vulgar French slang word for 'intercourse', it is frequently used in puns and wordplay in informal settings.
- French uses the word phoque exclusively for the animal, whereas English uses 'seal' for both the animal and the wax closure on a letter.
- In French, the word phoque comes from the Ancient Greek phṓkē via Latin, making it a cognate with the Spanish and Italian word foca.
Examples in context
- Le phoque est un mammifère marin.A seal is a marine mammal.This example shows the use of phoque in a sentence about marine mammals.Tatoeba #4468592 by Mutusen, translation #13052513 by araneo
- Peux-tu faire la différence entre un phoque et une otarie ?Can you tell the difference between a seal and a sea lion?This example illustrates how to use phoque when distinguishing it from a sea lion.Tatoeba #8925744 by lbdx, translation #8926338 by carlosalberto
- Le phoque est un animal marin qui vit dans les régions polaires.The seal is a marine animal that lives in polar regions.
- J'ai vu un phoque sur la plage.I saw a seal on the beach.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about their trip to the coast.
- EmmaEst-ce que tu as vu un phoque ?Did you see a seal?
- HugoOui, il y en avait un sur les rochers.Yes, there was one on the rocks.
- EmmaIl était vraiment mignon, ce phoque.That seal was really cute.
- HugoC'est vrai, il était très calme.It's true, it was very calm.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “seal” translations and entries phoque, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries phoque, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
