carême
/ka.ʁɛm/masculine
Lent in French is carême.
carême refers to the Christian period of penitence before Easter. When you are referring to this specific liturgical season, the word is capitalized as Carême.
Meaning: Christian period of penitence before Easter (noun)
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Quebec French, the expression Les quarante jours is used colloquially to refer to Lent.
How does it change in a sentence?
carême is a masculine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/ka.ʁɛm/
Did you know?
- The word carême comes from the Latin word for 'fortieth', referring to the forty days of fasting.
- Historically, carême was associated with the prohibition of meat, leading to the creation of specific 'Lenten' recipes in French gastronomy.
- In French, the expression faire le carême can be used metaphorically to describe a period of strict deprivation or dieting.
Examples in context
- Le mercredi des Cendres est le premier jour du Carême.Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent.This sentence is useful for learning about the first day of carême.Tatoeba #8997894 by lbdx, translation #8497677 by dresisto
- Le Carême est une période importante pour les catholiques.Lent is important to Catholics.This sentence is useful for noting the importance of carême to Catholics.Tatoeba #10000000 by Julien_PDC, translation #10000048 by CK
- Pendant le Carême , les chrétiens pratiquent le jeûne et la prière.During Lent, Christians observe fasting and prayer.
- Le Carême est un moment de réflexion.Lent is a time for reflection.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Hugo are discussing their dietary habits.
- EmmaEst-ce que tu observes le carême cette année, Hugo ?Are you observing Lent this year, Hugo?
- HugoOui, je ne mange pas de chocolat.Yes, I am not eating chocolate.
- EmmaC'est courageux, car j'adore le chocolat !That's brave, because I love chocolate!
- HugoC'est un petit sacrifice pour le carême.It's a small sacrifice for Lent.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “lent” translations and entries carême, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries carême, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
