berceuse
/bɛʁ.søz/feminine
The English phrase 'lullaby' translates to French as berceuse.
A berceuse is a soothing song to lull children to sleep.
Meaning: a soothing song to lull children to sleep (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun berceuse is feminine, so it is preceded by the feminine indefinite article une in the phrase une berceuse.
How do you pronounce it?
/bɛʁ.søz/ (2 syllables)
Did you know?
- French parents often use the word dodo instead of berceuse when talking to infants, which is a baby-talk term for both 'sleep' and 'bed'.
- In classical music, a berceuse is a specific musical genre characterized by a rocking rhythm, famously utilized by composers like Chopin and Brahms.
- In French slang, bercer can be used metaphorically to describe someone who is being misled or 'lulled' into a false sense of security.
Examples in context
- Tu veux que je te chante une berceuse ?Do you want me to sing you a lullaby?Tatoeba #9870060 by lbdx, translation #8861927 by moxy
- Anne chanta une berceuse pour sa petite sœur.Ann sang a lullaby for her little sister.Tatoeba #13927842 by zogwarg, translation #66833 by CN
- Marie a essayé d'apaiser Tom en lui chantant une berceuse.Mary tried to mollify Tom by singing him a lullaby.Tatoeba #9192122 by Micsmithel, translation #7996229 by soliloquist
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Léa is trying to soothe her baby while Nathan watches.
- NathanLe bébé ne veut pas dormir, Léa.The baby won't sleep, Léa.
- LéaJe vais lui chanter une berceuse.I am going to sing him a lullaby.
- NathanC'est une excellente idée pour l'apaiser.That is an excellent idea to soothe him.
- LéaRegarde, il s'endort doucement.Look, he is falling asleep gently.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “lullaby” translations and entries berceuse, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
