hockey sur glace
/ɔ.kɛ syʁ ɡlas/masculine
The English phrase "ice hockey" is hockey sur glace in French. Wiktionary also lists hockey.
Meaning: hockey (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| hockey sur glace | /ɔ.kɛ syʁ ɡlas/ | masculine |
| hockey | /ɔ.kɛ/ /ɔ.ke/ |
French, North American, masculine |
hockey sur glace is a masculine noun used to refer to the sport of ice hockey.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase hockey sur glace literally translates to "hockey on ice".
Which one should you use?
Use hockey sur glace to specify that the sport is played on ice, whereas using hockey alone might be ambiguous in a general context.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In North America, such as in Quebec, the term le hockey or le hockey sur glace is widely used and speakers often shorten the term to just hockey when the context is understood. In Switzerland, both hockey sur glace and hockey are commonly used.
How does it change in a sentence?
As a masculine noun, hockey sur glace is preceded by the definite article le when referring to the sport in general.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɔ.kɛ syʁ ɡlas/
Did you know?
- In French, glace can also mean 'ice cream'. A person talking about le hockey sur glace might be using a word that also describes a frozen dessert.
- The French word glace is used for both 'ice' and 'mirror'. This comes from the way a smooth sheet of ice reflects light like a mirror.
- While hockey is borrowed from English, the phrase hockey sur glace is necessary in France to distinguish it from hockey sur gazon, which is field hockey.
Examples in context
- Oui, je joue au hockey sur glace.Yes, I play ice hockey.
- Oui, le hockey sur glace est ma passion.Yes, ice hockey is my passion.
- Le hockey sur glace est très rapide.Ice hockey is very fast.
- Il joue au hockey sur glace le samedi.He plays ice hockey on Saturdays.
- Nous regardons un match de hockey sur glace.We are watching an ice hockey match.
Example conversation
Léa and Nathan are talking about sports at a café.
- LéaEst-ce que tu aimes le hockey sur glace ?Do you like ice hockey?
- NathanOui, j'adore ce sport !Yes, I love this sport!
- LéaNathan, tu veux voir un match avec moi ?Nathan, do you want to see a match with me?
- NathanC'est une excellente idée.That is an excellent idea.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “ice hockey” translations and entries hockey sur glace, hockey, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries glace, hockey, sur, CC BY-SA 4.0.
