menteur
/mɑ̃.tœʁ/masculine
The French word for liar is menteur.
The word refers to someone who tells lies. You may encounter the phrase bon menteur to describe a person who is a skilled liar or someone who can maintain a straight face while lying.
Meaning: one who tells lies (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The noun menteur is derived from the verb mentir, which means to lie.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word changes based on the gender and number of the people you are describing: menteuse is the feminine singular, menteuses is the feminine plural, menteurs is the masculine plural and menteur is the masculine singular.
How do you pronounce it?
/mɑ̃.tœʁ/. The word has 2 syllables.
Did you know?
- The term petit menteur is often used by parents to children, turning a word that is usually an accusation into a term of endearment for a child's imaginative stories.
- While menteur is the standard noun, you can also use the term faussaire to describe a liar specifically in the context of forging documents or art.
- Historically, the spelling of the word has shifted through several forms like menteur and menterre before settling into the modern menteur we use today.
Examples in context
- Tu es un menteur.You're a liar.This sentence shows how to address someone directly as a menteur.Tatoeba #4223877 by michelnialon, translation #1895634 by CK
- Tu es bon menteur.You're a good liar.This sentence describes someone as being a skilled menteur.Tatoeba #1674560 by sacredceltic, translation #1671926 by Spamster
- Il est bon menteur.He's a good liar.This sentence describes a male subject as being a skilled menteur.Tatoeba #1674567 by sacredceltic, translation #1671924 by Spamster
- Je ne peux pas te croire. Tu es un menteur.I can't believe you. You are a liar.
- Tu m'as encore menti, tu es un vrai mytho!You lied to me again, you're such a big liar!
- 108 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hugo and Manon are discussing a boy who cheated on a test.
- HugoCe garçon est un menteur.That boy is a liar.
- ManonTu penses qu'il a triché ?Do you think he cheated?
- HugoOui, c'est un menteur.Yes, he is a liar.
- ManonC'est vraiment triste, Hugo.That is really sad, Hugo.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “liar” translations and entries menteur, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries menteur, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
