fer
/fɛʁ/
The English word 'iron' translates to French as fer.
In French, fer primarily refers to the chemical element iron (Fe) or the metal itself. It is not used as a verb to describe the action of smoothing clothes.
Meaning: to pass an iron over clothing (verb)
Which one should you use?
The word fer is a noun used for the metal. If you want to describe something as being made of iron, you use the phrase de fer. To refer specifically to the household appliance used to smooth clothing, you should use un fer à repasser.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Quebec and other French-speaking areas, the term un fer à vapeur is commonly used to refer specifically to a steam iron.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
/fɛʁ/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use the noun fer when they intend to use the verb 'to iron'. To express the action of passing an iron over clothing, you must use the verb repasser instead.
Did you know?
- While fer means iron, the word for a 'railway' is chemin de fer, which literally translates to 'iron road'.
- In French, the expression une main de fer dans un gant de velours describes a person who is firm but appears gentle, translating to 'an iron hand in a velvet glove'.
- The French word fer is a direct descendant of the Latin word ferrum, which is also the source of the chemical symbol Fe.
Examples in context
- Ce vase est en fer.This vase is made of iron.This sentence shows how to use fer to indicate what an object is made of.Tatoeba #136166 by Aiji, translation #60046 by CS
- Un aimant attire le fer.A magnet attracts iron.This sentence demonstrates fer as the metal attracted by a magnet.Tatoeba #128162 by Julien_PDC, translation #264384 by CM
- La rouille ronge le fer.The rust is eating away the iron.This sentence illustrates the effect of rust on fer.Tatoeba #11172327 by lbdx, translation #5914826 by astru
- Le fer est un élément essentiel pour la production d'acier.Iron is an essential element for steel production.
- J'ai besoin d'un nouveau fer à lisser pour mes cheveux.I need a new hair straightener for my hair.
- Le repassage est souvent considéré comme une tâche ménagère.Ironing is often seen as a household chore.
- N'oublie pas d'ajouter de l'eau dans le fer à vapeur avant de commencer à repasser.Don't forget to add water to the steam iron before you start ironing.
- 70 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucas and Emma are doing laundry together.
- LucasJe dois fer this chemise pour demain.I have to iron this shirt for tomorrow.
- EmmaJe peux t'aider à fer tes vêtements.I can help you iron your clothes.
- LucasMerci, Emma, c'est très gentil.Thanks, Emma, that's very kind.
- EmmaPas de problème, on va fer ça vite.No problem, we'll iron that quickly.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry fer, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries fer, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
