marais
/ma.ʁɛ/
marais is the French word for marsh.
The word refers to a low area of land that is permanently saturated with water.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun is masculine, so it is used with the definite article le to form le marais (the marsh).
How do you pronounce it?
The word has two syllables and is pronounced /ma.ʁɛ/.
Did you know?
- In Paris, Le Marais is the name of a historic district known for its architecture and galleries rather than actual wetlands. It was named for the marshy land that existed there during the Middle Ages.
- In French, the word marais is used to describe the 'marais poitevin', often called the 'green Venice' because of its extensive network of canals used for transport.
- The word marais shares an ancient ancestor with the English word 'marsh', both stemming from the Frankish word *marisk.
Examples in context
- Il y a un grand marais près de la forêt.There is a large marsh near the forest.
- Le marais est rempli d'oiseaux migrateurs.The marsh is full of migratory birds.
- Attention, le sol est très mou dans ce marais.Watch out, the ground is very soft in this marsh.
Example conversation
Léa and Nathan are hiking in the countryside.
- LéaRegarde, il y a un marais juste devant nous.Look, there is a marsh right in front of us.
- NathanC'est magnifique, mais restons sur le sentier.It is beautiful, but let's stay on the path.
- LéaTu as raison, Nathan, c'est dangereux.You are right, Nathan, it is dangerous.
- NathanOn ne veut pas s'enfoncer dans la boue.We don't want to sink into the mud.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry marais, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries marais, CC BY-SA 4.0.
