geai
/ʒɛ/masculine
The French word for the English bird 'jay' is geai. Wiktionary also lists geai des chênes.
Meaning: bird (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| geai | /ʒɛ/ | masculine |
| geai des chênes | /ʒɛ de ʃɛn/ | masculine |
The term refers to the bird known as a jay.
Which one should you use?
geai is the general term for a jay, while geai des chênes specifically refers to the Eurasian jay (the oak jay).
How does it change in a sentence?
geai is a masculine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/ʒɛ/
Did you know?
- The word geai is a homophone for the French word for the letter 'J'.
- In French folklore, the geai was sometimes believed to be a mimic of human speech, leading to its association with talkative or gossiping people.
- While geai refers to the bird, the related French word gai means 'cheerful' or 'happy'.
Examples in context
- Je vois un geai bleu.I see a blue jay.
- Le geai s'est envolé.The jay flew away.
- Quel beau geai !What a beautiful jay!
Example conversation
Emma and Hugo are walking in a park.
- EmmaRegarde ce geai là-haut !Look at that jay up there!
- HugoOù est-il, Emma ?Where is it, Emma?
- EmmaSur la branche de l'arbre.On the tree branch.
- HugoAh oui, je le vois.Ah yes, I see him.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “jay” translations and entries geai, geai des chênes, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
