coccinelle
The French word for ladybug is coccinelle.
The term refers to a small beetle with red or orange wing covers that often have black spots.
How does it change in a sentence?
coccinelle is a feminine noun. For example, you would say une coccinelle to mean "a ladybug". To form the plural, simply add an s to the end: coccinelles.
Did you know?
- In many French-speaking regions, the ladybug is actually called la bête à bon Dieu, which translates to 'the beast of the good God'.
- In French, the term coccinelle is also used to describe a specific style of small, rounded vintage cars that resemble the insect's shape.
- The word coccinelle is derived from the Latin coccum, which refers to a small insect used to produce a highly prized red dye.
Examples in context
- Une coccinelle rouge et brillante se posa sur le bout de mon doigt.A bright red ladybug landed on my fingertip.Tatoeba #814030 by sacredceltic, translation #638265 by darinmex
- Il y avait une coccinelle sur la table.There was a ladybug on the table.Tatoeba #10459569 by koala, translation #9358514 by MarijnKp
- La coccinelle est un insecte souvent considéré comme bénéfique pour les jardins.The ladybug is an insect often considered beneficial for gardens.
- Regarde cette petite coccinelle sur la feuille.Look at this little ladybug on the leaf.
Example conversation
A young boy and girl are playing in a garden.
- NathanManon, regarde cette coccinelle !Manon, look at this ladybug!
- ManonElle est vraiment mignonne, Nathan.She is really cute, Nathan.
- NathanEst-ce qu'elle va s'envoler ?Is it going to fly away?
- ManonJe pense qu'elle va rester un moment.I think it's going to stay for a while.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries coccinelle, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
