évier
/e.vje/masculine
The French phrase for kitchen sink is évier.
évier is a masculine noun used specifically to refer to the sink found in a kitchen.
Meaning: sink in a kitchen (noun)
Which one should you use?
It is important to distinguish between different types of sinks. While évier refers to a kitchen sink, the word lavabo is used specifically for a bathroom washbasin.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun is masculine.
How do you pronounce it?
/e.vje/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use lavabo when referring to a kitchen sink, but you should use évier instead.
Did you know?
- The English idiom 'everything but the kitchen sink' has no direct equivalent in French that uses the word évier.
- The word évier shares an ancestral root with the English word 'aquarium', as both stem from the Latin 'aquarium' meaning a place for water.
- While évier is the standard term, some older French speakers might use plonge to refer specifically to the part of the sink used for washing dishes.
Examples in context
- L'évier de la cuisine de Mennad est toujours bouché.Mennad's kitchen sink is still clogged.This sentence shows the use of évier when describing a clogged sink.Tatoeba #13350343 by genes1s, translation #8054728 by OsoHombre
- L'évier de la cuisine était rempli de vaisselle sale.The kitchen sink was full of dirty dishes.This sentence shows how évier is used when the sink is full of dirty dishes.Tatoeba #12454403 by lbdx, translation #2425983 by CK
- Je n'ai pas eu le temps de faire la vaisselle ces deux derniers jours, elle est empilée dans l'évier de la cuisine.I haven't had time to do the dishes for two days, they are in a pile in the kitchen sink.This sentence demonstrates using évier to describe dishes piled in the sink.Tatoeba #181647 by Romira, translation #61396 by shekitten
- Je vais remplir le lavabo de cuisine pour laver les ustensiles.I'm going to fill the kitchen sink to wash the utensils.
- Peux-tu remplir l'évier ? Je dois laver la vaisselle.Can you fill the sink? I need to wash the dishes.
Example conversation
Gabriel and Chloé are in their new apartment.
- GabrielL'évier est dans la cuisine.The sink is in the kitchen.
- ChloéEst-ce que l'évier est blanc ?Is the sink white?
- GabrielOui, il est tout neuf.Yes, it is brand new.
- ChloéIl est très joli.It is very pretty.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “kitchen sink” translations and entries évier, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries évier, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
