liberté
/li.bɛʁ.te/feminine
Liberty in French is liberté.
liberté refers to the condition of being free. You may also encounter the idiomatic phrase prendre la liberté de, which means to take the liberty of doing something. This expression is often used when someone takes the initiative to act, frequently as a way of apologizing for an action that might seem intrusive.
Meaning: condition of being free (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun liberté is feminine, so it is used with the feminine article la to form la liberté (the liberty).
How do you pronounce it?
/li.bɛʁ.te/. The word has 3 syllables.
Did you know?
- In France, the statue La Liberté is not just a symbol but often personified as a woman wearing a Phrygian cap, a symbol of freed slaves in antiquity.
- The French expression liberté surveillée refers to a specific legal status of 'supervised release' or parole for prisoners.
- In French political history, la liberté is often contrasted with la licence, where the former is seen as freedom within law and the latter as lawless chaos.
Examples in context
- J'ai pris la liberté de l'appeler.I took the liberty of calling her.This sentence shows how to use the phrase liberté in the context of taking the initiative.Tatoeba #949297 by sacredceltic, translation #265004 by Tximist
- Nous nous battons pour la liberté.We stand for liberty.This sentence uses liberté to express standing up for a principle.Tatoeba #12716381 by lbdx, translation #22927 by ToxicFriu
- Donne-moi la liberté ou bien la mort.Give me liberty or give me death.This sentence demonstrates the use of liberté in a dramatic declaration.Tatoeba #12707811 by frankizz, translation #28910 by CK
- La liberté est un droit fondamental de tout individu.Liberty is a fundamental right of every individual.
- Les droits et libertés fondamentaux sont garantis par la Constitution.Fundamental rights and freedoms are guaranteed by the Constitution.
- Vive la liberté chérie !Long live cherished liberty!
- Je crois en la liberté à tout prix, même s'il faut se battre pour elle.I believe in liberty at all costs, even if it requires fighting for it.
- 46 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Nathan and Chloé are discussing a philosophical book at a cafe.
- NathanCe livre parle de la liberté.This book talks about liberty.
- ChloéLa liberté est un concept complexe.Liberty is a complex concept.
- NathanChloé, tu es d'accord avec ça ?Chloé, do you agree with that?
- ChloéOui, c'est très important.Yes, it is very important.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “liberty” translations and entries liberté, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
