Rois mages
masculine
The English phrase 'magi' is translated into French as Rois mages.
Rois mages refers to the wise men who visited and gave gifts to the baby Jesus.
Meaning: wise men who visited and gave gifts to the baby Jesus (name)
How does it change in a sentence?
When referring to the biblical figures, the phrase is almost always used with the definite article les, forming les Rois mages to mean 'the Magi'.
When do people say it?
The term Rois mages is most commonly encountered in the context of the Épiphanie (Epiphany) holiday in France.
Did you know?
- The word fève originally meant 'bean', but today it is usually a plastic figure, often representing one of les Rois mages.
- While English uses 'Magi' as a collective noun, French frequently uses the word Rois meaning 'Kings', emphasizing their royal status over their scholarly one.
- While hiding inside a galette des rois, a small porcelain figurine called a fève is placed to determine who becomes the 'king' for the day.
Examples in context
- L'histoire des Mages est merveilleuse.The story of the Magi is wonderful.
- On parle souvent des mages dans les contes de Noël.We often talk about the Magi in Christmas tales.
- Les Rois mages ont apporté de l'or.The Magi brought gold.
- Elle adore la légende des Rois mages.She loves the legend of the Magi.
Example conversation
Manon and Lucas are decorating a nativity scene.
- ManonLucas, où as-tu mis les Rois mages ?Lucas, where did you put the Three Wise Men?
- LucasIls sont encore dans la boîte, Manon.They are still in the box, Manon.
- ManonPeux-tu les sortir pour m'aider ?Can you take them out to help me?
- LucasOui, je m'en occupe tout de suite.Yes, I'll take care of it right away.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “magi” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
