sauter
/so.te/
To leap in French is sauter. Wiktionary also lists bondir.
Meaning: to jump (verb)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA |
|---|---|
| sauter | /so.te/ |
| bondir | /bɔ̃.diʁ/ |
The verb sauter is the general term for jumping, but it is also used to describe skipping, such as skipping a rope or skipping a stone across water. If you want to describe a sudden, forceful leap or a spring forward, often used when describing the movement of animals, you should use bondir.
Which one should you use?
While sauter is the most common and general way to say jump, bondir is specifically used for a sudden, forceful spring. For the noun forms, use saut to refer to a jump, but use bond to refer to a physical leap or a bound.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
sauter is a regular -er verb, meaning it follows the standard conjugation patterns for the first group of French verbs.
How do you pronounce it?
sauter is pronounced /so.te/ and consists of 2 syllables.
Did you know?
- In a culinary context, if you 'sauter' an ingredient, you are not making it leap, but rather sautéing it in a pan. This comes from the same root as the word 'sauté' used in English.
- The word bondir comes from the Latin word bombus, which describes a booming or humming sound, suggesting the original leap was associated with a loud noise.
- In casual French, sauter can be used as a slang term for having sex, similar to how English speakers might use 'jump' in very specific, though different, contexts.
Examples in context
- Regarde avant de sauter.Look before you leap.This sentence uses sauter to provide a common proverbial warning.Tatoeba #1134728 by sacredceltic, translation #272230 by CK
- Elle a sauté par-dessus le ruisseau.She leaped over the stream.
- Le chat a bondi sur la souris.The cat leaped onto the mouse.
- Le coureur s'est élancé dès le coup de pistolet.The runner leaped forward as soon as the starting gun fired.
- Je me suis jeté droit dans l'inconnu.I leaped straight into the unknown.
- Le chien a fait un bond pour attraper la balle.The dog leaped to catch the ball.
- Je sauteI leap
- Elle a sautéShe leaped
- Il a sauté haut pour attraper la pommeHe leaped high to catch the apple
- Le danseur a effectué un saut gracieuxThe dancer performed a graceful leap
- Il ne faut pas sauter sur le lit.You must not jump on the bed.
- Le chat veut sauter sur la table.The cat wants to jump on the table.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Chloé and Gabriel are at a park.
- ChloéEst-ce que tu peux sauter aussi haut ?Can you jump as high?
- GabrielOui, regarde Gabriel sauter !Yes, look at Gabriel jump!
- ChloéC'est impressionnant, Chloé !That's impressive, Chloé!
- GabrielJe vais sauter encore une fois.I am going to jump one more time.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “leap” translations and entries sauter, bondir, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bondir, sauter, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
