lac
/lak/masculine
The English word 'lake' is translated into French as lac.
lac is a masculine noun used to refer to a body of water.
Meaning: body of water (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of lac is les lacs, meaning 'the lakes'.
How do you pronounce it?
/lak/
Did you know?
- The modern word lac actually replaced an older French word, lai, which meant a 'pit', 'trench', or even a 'grave'.
- While lac is the standard word, the phrase miroir d'eau is frequently used in French literature and tourism to describe a lake's perfectly still surface.
- French lacks a single word for 'lakefront', usually requiring a phrase like les bords du lac meaning 'the edges of the lake'.
Examples in context
- Le lac est gelé.The lake is frozen.This sentence is useful for describing the state of a lac.Tatoeba #6568195 by GB3, translation #6568043 by Hybrid
- Le lac est grand.The lake is big.This sentence is useful for describing the size of a lac.Tatoeba #1121078 by sacredceltic, translation #1120810 by cntrational
- Le lac était gelé.The lake was frozen.This sentence is useful for describing what a lac was like in the past.Tatoeba #341842 by TRANG, translation #239985 by CK
- Le Lac d'Annecy est connu pour sa beauté exceptionnelle.Lake Annecy is known for its exceptional beauty.
- Allons-nous baigner dans l'étang cet après-midi ?Are we going to swim in the lake this afternoon?
- Le plan d'eau de Champagnole est idéal pour les sports nautiques.The lake of Champagnole is ideal for water sports.
- 244 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Léa and Hugo are looking at a map during a hike.
- LéaEst-ce qu'on peut se baigner dans ce lac ?Can we swim in this lake?
- HugoOui, le lac est très propre.Yes, the lake is very clean.
- LéaC'est parfait pour un pique-nique.It is perfect for a picnic.
- HugoD'accord, on s'installe près du lac.Okay, let's set up near the lake.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “lake” translations and entries lac, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries lac, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
