colibri
/kɔ.li.bʁi/masculine
The English phrase hummingbird is translated into French as colibri. Wiktionary also lists oiseau-mouche and oiseau de fleurs.
Meaning: any of various small American birds in the family Trochilidae (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| colibri | /kɔ.li.bʁi/ | masculine |
| oiseau-mouche | /wa.zo.muʃ/ | masculine |
| oiseau de fleurs | Louisiana, masculine | |
| suce-fleur | /sys.flœʁ/ | masculine |
The term refers to any of the various small American birds belonging to the family Trochilidae.
What does it mean word for word?
The term oiseau-mouche is a compound noun that literally means fly bird.
Which one should you use?
While oiseau-mouche is a descriptive term, colibri is the standard, most common name used in modern French for the bird.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Louisiana French, the specific regional term oiseau de fleurs is used.
How does it change in a sentence?
All forms of the word provided are masculine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
The word colibri is pronounced /kɔ.li.bʁi/ and consists of 3 syllables.
Did you know?
- The word colibri is a linguistic mystery, as its origins are traced back to an unknown language from the Cariban family.
- One less common way to name the bird is suce-fleur, which literally means 'suck-flower' in English.
- French uses four different names for the hummingbird, ranging from a borrowed indigenous word to poetic descriptions of its behavior.
Examples in context
- Tu vois le colibri, non ?You see the hummingbird, don't you?This sentence is useful for checking if someone sees the colibri.Tatoeba #12831959 by Rovo, translation #12833660 by rul
- Vous voyez le colibri, non ?You can see the hummingbird, can't you?This sentence is useful for checking if someone can see the colibri.Tatoeba #12831958 by Rovo, translation #12833661 by rul
- Le colibri n'est pas plus gros qu'un papillon.A hummingbird is no larger than a butterfly.This sentence is useful for comparing the size of a colibri to a butterfly.Tatoeba #1537693 by martin9, translation #35187 by CM
- Regardez le magnifique colibri!Look at the magnificent hummingbird!
- Les oiseaux-mouches jouent un rôle crucial dans la pollinisationHummingbirds play a crucial role in pollination
- J'ai observé un magnifique colibri dans le parc.I observed a magnificent hummingbird in the park.
- Les oiseaux-mouches sont les seuls oiseaux capables de voler en arrière.Hummingbirds are the only birds capable of flying backward.
- 11 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucas and Manon are sitting in a garden observing nature.
- LucasRegarde ce petit colibri près de la fleur.Look at this little hummingbird near the flower.
- ManonIl est magnifique, Lucas.He is magnificent, Lucas.
- LucasLe colibri vole très vite.The hummingbird flies very fast.
- ManonC'est vrai, il est impressionnant.It is true, he is impressive.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hummingbird” translations and entries colibri, oiseau-mouche, suce-fleur, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries colibri, de, oiseau, oiseau-mouche, suce-fleur, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
