bleu clair
The English phrase "light blue" is translated into French as bleu clair.
bleu clair is used to describe a pale blue colour, such as the color of the sky.
Meaning: a pale blue colour: sky blue or similar (noun)
Which one should you use?
bleu clair is the direct opposite of bleu foncé, which means "dark blue".
How does it change in a sentence?
When used as a color adjective, bleu clair is invariable, meaning it does not change to match the gender or number of the noun it describes.
Did you know?
- The word clair comes from the Latin clārus, which originally traced back to an ancient root meaning 'to shout' or 'to call'.
- The word bleu can be used as a noun to describe a bruise on the skin, making the phrase un bleu a common medical term.
- In traditional French heraldry, the color bleu is often associated with the French monarchy and the 'fleur-de-lis'.
Examples in context
- Le ciel est bleu clair.The sky is light blue.This sentence is useful for describing the color of the sky.Tatoeba #11288177 by ghoza, translation #10540377 by sundown
- J'ai peint le toit en bleu clair.I painted the roof light blue.This sentence shows how to describe a surface painted in the color bleu clair.Tatoeba #1011114 by U2FS, translation #256314 by CK
- Il portait une cravate bleu clair.He wore a light blue tie.This sentence demonstrates how to use bleu clair to describe an item of clothing like a tie.Tatoeba #130783 by Archibald, translation #289333 by CK
- Les murs sont bleu pâleThe walls are light blue
- J'adore ce pull bleu cielI love this light blue sweater
- Le bébé a les yeux bleu cielThe baby has light blue eyes
- Le vase est de couleur bleu clairThe vase is light blue
- Ce t-shirt est d'un joli bleu pâleThis t-shirt is a pretty light blue
- La chambre est peinte en bleu pâleThe room is painted in light blue
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Manon and Hugo are looking at paint samples in a store.
- ManonHugo, regarde ce bleu clair sur le papier.Hugo, look at this light blue on the paper.
- HugoIl est très beau, Manon.It is very beautiful, Manon.
- ManonTu penses qu'il irait bien dans la chambre ?Do you think it would go well in the bedroom?
- HugoOui, c'est une excellente idée.Yes, it is an excellent idea.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “light blue” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bleu, clair, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
