littératie
To say literacy in French, use littératie. alphabétisme is used for the basic ability to read and write. If unsure, use littératie. Wiktionary also lists littérisme.
Meaning: ability to read and write (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| littératie | ||
| littérisme | ||
| alphabétisme | /al.fa.be.tism/ /al.fa.be.tizm/ |
masculine |
littératie is the ability to read and write, seen as a set of skills.
Which one should you use?
littératie refers to the modern idea of literacy as a set of skills, as in digital or media literacy. alphabétisme refers to the basic ability to read and write or the literacy rate of a population. littérisme is a less common alternative.
How does it change in a sentence?
alphabétisme is masculine. littératie forms compound terms like littératie numérique for digital literacy.
Did you know?
- In French, the term illettrisme describes adults who have been schooled but lost the ability to read and write, which is distinct from analphabétisme, the state of never having learned.
- While littératie is common in Canada, speakers in France often prefer the term alphabétisation when discussing the process of teaching someone to read and write.
- The term littératie is a relatively recent addition to the French language, specifically adopted to translate modern educational concepts that go beyond simple reading and writing.
Examples in context
- Cette organisation fait la promotion de la littératie dans les régions rurales.This organisation promotes literacy in rural areas.Here littératie is the thing the organization promotes in rural areas.Tatoeba #686775 by Scott, translation #674133 by AlanF_US
- La littératie est essentielle pour la réussite éducative de nos enfants.Literacy is essential for the educational success of our children.
- Il est primordial de savoir lire et écrire pour accéder à l'information.It is essential to know how to read and write to access information.
- L'alphabétisation est un enjeu majeur de notre société.Literacy is a major challenge in our society.
- La littératie numérique est essentielle aujourd'hui.Digital literacy is essential today.
Example conversation
Chloé and Hugo are discussing a community project.
- ChloéLe projet se concentre sur la littératie des adultes.The project focuses on adult literacy.
- HugoC'est une excellente initiative, Chloé.That is an excellent initiative, Chloé.
- ChloéBeaucoup de gens ont besoin d'aide pour lire.Many people need help reading.
- HugoJe veux aider Hugo à organiser cela.I want to help Hugo organize that.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “literacy” translations and entries littératie, alphabétisme, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
