Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| héritage | /e.ʁi.taʒ/ | masculine |
| legs | /lɛɡ/ /lɛ/ |
masculine |
The term is used to describe something inherited from a predecessor, such as a heritage. To express the action of leaving a legacy or bequeathing something, you can use the verb léguer.
Which one should you use?
While héritage is the general word used for heritage or inheritance, legs is used specifically in a legal or formal context to refer to a specific bequest or gift left in a will.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun héritage is a masculine noun, so you must use masculine articles and adjectives, such as un bel héritage (a beautiful legacy).
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /e.ʁi.taʒ/ and has 3 syllables.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often confuse héritage with patrimoine. While héritage refers to what is received from a predecessor, patrimoine is more commonly used to refer to cultural or national heritage.
Did you know?
- The spelling of legs is a historical accident. It was altered in Middle French to look more like the Latin word lēgātum even though it actually evolved from the Old French word lais.
- The term patrimoine shares a root with 'patriarch' and originally referred to the land or property inherited from one's father.
- While héritage refers to what you receive, patrimoine describes the shared assets of a family or nation. France uses patrimoine specifically for the preservation of historic sites and monuments.
Examples in context
- L'argent est un héritage de ma tante.The money is a legacy from my aunt.This sentence is useful for showing how to describe money as an héritage.Tatoeba #12009421 by Rovo, translation #3403949 by JiMin
- Le gouvernement précédent avait légué un héritage de problèmes.The previous government had bequeathed a legacy of problems.This sentence shows the use of héritage when discussing a legacy of problems.Tatoeba #11816548 by calypsow, translation #2759853 by glassiko
- Aux enfants, il faut laisser un bel héritage de conscience plutôt que d'or.It is better to leave a good lump of conscience as legacy to your children, rather than one of gold.This sentence illustrates how to describe leaving a legacy of conscience using héritage.Tatoeba #6154221 by felix63, translation #13877408 by zogwarg
- Son héritage culturel est d'une grande importance pour lui.His cultural legacy is of great importance to him.
- La fête traditionnelle est un héritage culturel précieux.The traditional festival is a valuable cultural legacy.
- Ma grand-mère m'a légué un héritage précieux.My grandmother left me a precious legacy.
- Le cinéaste a laissé un héritage cinématographique inoubliable.The filmmaker left an unforgettable cinematic legacy.
- La pollution est un héritage néfaste que nous laissons aux générations futures.Pollution is a harmful legacy we leave to future generations.
- Le château est le symbole d'un riche héritage historique.The castle is the symbol of a rich historical legacy.
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Chloé and Nathan are talking about a family museum.
- ChloéCet héritage est très précieux pour nous.This heritage is very precious to us.
- NathanTu as raison, Chloé.You are right, Chloé.
- ChloéOn doit protéger cet héritage culturel.We must protect this cultural legacy.
- NathanJe suis d'accord avec toi.I agree with you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “legacy” translations and entries héritage, legs, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries héritage, legs, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
