puzzle
/pœ.zœl/Europe, masculine
In French, jigsaw puzzle is translated as puzzle or casse-tête.
Meaning: type of puzzle (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| puzzle | /pœ.zœl/ /pœzl/ |
Europe, masculine |
| casse-tête | /kas.tɛt/ /kɑs.tɛt/ |
Canada, Louisiana, New England, masculine |
To say you are doing a jigsaw puzzle, use the verb faire with either puzzle or casse-tête.
Which one should you use?
In France, the word puzzle specifically refers to a jigsaw puzzle, whereas the English word 'puzzle' can refer to any type of brain teaser.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Canadian province of Québec, as well as in Louisiana and New England, the term casse-tête is used to refer to jigsaw puzzles.
How does it change in a sentence?
Both puzzle and casse-tête are masculine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/pœ.zœl/
Did you know?
- The term casse-tête literally translates to 'break-head', describing the physical sensation of an intense mental effort.
- In France, if you ask for a casse-tête, you are more likely to be given a 3D mechanical puzzle rather than a flat jigsaw puzzle.
- The word casse-tête can also be used figuratively to describe a very difficult problem or a complex situation that is hard to resolve.
Examples in context
- J'ai acheté un nouveau puzzle.I bought a new jigsaw puzzle.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use the word puzzle in a sentence.Tatoeba #7705162 by lbdx, translation #6616506 by Eccles17
- Je me détends en faisant un puzzle de patienceI relax by doing a jigsaw puzzle
- Viens, on fait un puzzle ensembleCome, let's do a jigsaw puzzle together
- Ce puzzle est très difficile.This jigsaw puzzle is very difficult.
- Nous finissons ce puzzle ensemble.We are finishing this jigsaw puzzle together.
Example conversation
Gabriel and Chloé are sitting at a table in their living room.
- GabrielTu veux faire un puzzle ?Do you want to do a jigsaw puzzle?
- ChloéOui, j'adore ce puzzle.Yes, I love this jigsaw puzzle.
- GabrielIl est beau, ton puzzle.Your jigsaw puzzle is beautiful.
- ChloéMerci, Gabriel.Thanks, Gabriel.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “jigsaw puzzle” translations and entries puzzle, casse-tête, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
