vie
/vi/feminine
The English word "life" translates to the French noun vie.
vie refers to the state of being alive. Various French expressions use this word to describe different aspects of existence, such as La belle vie (the good life), La vie est belle (life is beautiful), La vie en rose (life in pink), La vie est une aventure (life is an adventure) and La douceur de vivre (the sweetness of life).
Meaning: the state of being alive (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
As a feminine noun, vie is preceded by the feminine definite article la when referring to "the life" (la vie).
How do you pronounce it?
/vi/
Did you know?
- In French, you can say vie de château to describe a very luxurious, carefree lifestyle, which translates literally to 'life of a castle'.
- In French legal and formal contexts, the term vie is used in vie privée, which translates to 'private life'. This is the standard term used for 'privacy' in a way that emphasizes the person's existence.
- The phrase la belle vie can sometimes be used ironically in France to describe someone who is perceived as being lazy or overly indulgent.
Examples in context
- Vis ta vie !Live your life!This example is useful for the imperative phrase.Tatoeba #11716561 by Aiji, translation #6008236 by CannedBread
- C'est la vie !This is life!This example is useful for the common expression.Tatoeba #486231 by sacredceltic, translation #271727 by CK
- C'est ma vie !It's my life!Tatoeba #3424666 by mrr, translation #3424663 by _undertoad
- La vie est un cadeau précieux.Life is a precious gift.
- Comment se passe ta vie quotidienne?How's your daily life going?
- 2099 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Gabriel are discussing their new lifestyle in the countryside.
- EmmaLa vie à la campagne est calme.Life in the countryside is calm.
- GabrielOui, c'est une belle vie pour nous.Yes, it is a beautiful life for us.
- EmmaTu aimes ta nouvelle vie ?Do you like your new life?
- GabrielJ'adore chaque moment de ma vie ici.I love every moment of my life here.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “life” translations and entries vie, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
