principal
/pʁɛ̃.si.pal/
The English word 'main' is translated into French as principal.
The word principal is an adjective used to describe something that is chief, most important or principal in extent.
Meaning: chief, most important, or principal in extent, etc. (adj)
Which one should you use?
While English uses 'main' and 'principal' somewhat interchangeably, in French, principal is the standard adjective for 'chief' or 'most important'. Note that the French word 'main' is a noun meaning 'hand', not an adjective.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective principal must agree with the noun it modifies. Use principale for a feminine singular noun, principaux for a masculine plural noun and principales for a feminine plural noun.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has three syllables and is pronounced /pʁɛ̃.si.pal/.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using the French word 'main' to mean 'chief' or 'most important', as 'main' in French actually means 'hand'. Use principal instead.
Did you know?
- In French legal and financial contexts, le principal refers to the original sum of money lent, excluding the interest.
- In a theatre or opera, the 'main' or lead performers are referred to as les premiers rôles rather than using principal.
- The Latin root of principal, 'prīncipālis', is tied to the word 'prince'. This reveals that the concept of being 'main' or 'chief' is linguistically linked to royalty and leadership.
Examples in context
- Qui a le rôle principal ?Who has the main role?This sentence is useful for asking about the person with the main role using principal.Tatoeba #2812835 by Rockaround, translation #6322894 by sundown
- C'est la porte principale.That's the main gate.This sentence is useful for identifying the main gate using principale.Tatoeba #1264433 by sacredceltic, translation #1264224 by CK
- Quel est le thème principal ?What is the main theme?This sentence is useful for asking about the main theme using principal.Tatoeba #8736994 by Julien_PDC, translation #11614028 by tieguy
- Pendant sa présentation, il tenait fermement le microphone dans sa main droite.During his presentation, he firmly held the microphone in his right hand.
- Mon chat aime jouer avec ma main lorsqu'il est d'humeur joueuse.My cat likes to play with my hand when he's in a playful mood.
- 88 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Hugo are discussing the main characters of a new play.
- EmmaQui est le personnage principal ?Who is the principal character?
- HugoHugo, c'est ce jeune homme sur l'affiche.Hugo, it is that young man on the poster.
- EmmaEst-ce qu'il a un rôle principal ?Does he have a principal role?
- HugoOui, c'est l'acteur principal de la pièce.Yes, he is the principal actor of the play.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “main” translations and entries principal, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries principal, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
