salon
/sa.lɔ̃/masculine
The English phrase lounge translates to French as salon.
In a domestic context, salon is the standard word for a living room or lounge. It usually refers to a more formal and well-furnished sitting room. While salon can also mean a showroom or a professional exhibition, it is used to describe the living area of a home. You can also use the verb se prélasser or se détendre to convey the idea of the verb to lounge.
Meaning: living room (noun)
Which one should you use?
The term séjour is a common synonym for salon used to refer to the living area of a home. For a sitting area, you might use the informal term le coin salon.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Canadian French, la salle de séjour may be used more frequently than le salon.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /sa.lɔ̃/ and has 2 syllables.
Did you know?
- The word salon has a surprising relative in Lithuanian: the word sala, which actually means 'island'.
- The word salon gave rise to the historical 'salons' of 17th and 18th century France, which were intellectual gatherings where philosophers and artists met to discuss literature and politics.
- If you are 'lounging' in a way that implies laziness, a French speaker might describe you as being en mode farniente, borrowing from the Italian phrase for 'doing nothing'.
Examples in context
- J'étais assis dans le salon.I was sitting in the lounge.This sentence is useful for practicing the use of salon.Tatoeba #13711971 by menaud, translation #13711974 by menaud
- Je me prélassais dans le salonI was lounging in the lounge.
- Le salon est très lumineux.The living room is very bright.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Léa and Hugo are at home discussing where to sit.
- LéaHugo, est-ce que tu es dans le salon ?Hugo, are you in the living room?
- HugoOui, je t'attends dans le salon.Yes, I am waiting for you in the living room.
- LéaD'accord, j'arrive tout de suite.Okay, I'm coming right now.
- HugoSuper, installe-toi confortablement.Great, make yourself comfortable.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “lounge” translations and entries salon, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries salon, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
