fidèle
/fi.dɛl/
The English word 'loyal' can be translated into French using fidèle or loyal.
Meaning: firm in allegiance to a person or institution (adj)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA |
|---|---|
| fidèle | /fi.dɛl/ |
| loyal | /lwa.jal/ |
This term describes someone or something that is firm in allegiance to a person or institution.
Which one should you use?
While both can mean loyal, fidèle is the much more common and natural term for describing loyalty to a person, a cause or a pet. The word loyal is often considered an anglicism in French and is less frequently used than fidèle in standard contexts.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective fidèle takes an 's' in its plural form: fidèles.
How do you pronounce it?
/fi.dɛl/ (two syllables)
Did you know?
- The term fidèle is used to describe a 'loyal' reproduction of a painting or a 'loyal' translation of a text, meaning it is an accurate copy.
- The word loyal shares its DNA with the word 'law' through the Latin term lēgālis, meaning 'relating to law'.
- In French, fidèle is the word used for a 'loyal' customer or client, whereas 'loyal' in English can describe both a person's character and their shopping habits.
Examples in context
- Tu dois être loyal.You must be loyal.This sentence illustrates the use of loyal.Tatoeba #8159390 by Ziecken, translation #8167354 by Eccles17
- Les chiens sont fidèles.Dogs are loyal.This sentence shows the plural form fidèles.Tatoeba #3643676 by sacredceltic, translation #12709346 by Adelpa
- Je pense que Tom est loyal.I think Tom is loyal.Tatoeba #5342737 by Aiji, translation #3183885 by CK
- Maître Jean a toujours été très fidèle envers ses clients.Lawyer Jean has always been very loyal to his clients.
- Notre entreprise est fière d'avoir des employés fidèles.Our company takes pride in having loyal employees.
- Les soldats se sont montrés fidèles à leur devoir jusqu'à la fin.The soldiers remained loyal to their duty until the end.
- Je suis toujours loyal(e) en amitié.I am always loyal in friendship.
- Il est vraiment loyal envers son équipe.He is truly loyal to his team.
- 23 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Léa and Lucas are discussing a mutual friend's reliability.
- LéaMarc est un ami très fidèle.Marc is a very loyal friend.
- LucasOui, il est toujours là pour nous.Yes, he is always there for us.
- LéaC'est rare d'être aussi fidèle aujourd'hui.It is rare to be so loyal today.
- LucasC'est vrai, c'est une belle qualité.That's true, it is a beautiful quality.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “loyal” translations and entries fidèle, loyal, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries fidèle, loyal, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
