métal
/me.tal/masculine
Metal in French is métal.
The word métal refers to an atomic element or a material made of such atoms.
Meaning: atomic element or material made of such atoms (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of métal is irrégulier, taking the form métaux. When describing an object's material composition, the preposition 'en' is used with métal (e.g., une table en métal).
How do you pronounce it?
/me.tal/
Did you know?
- In French, the phrase nerfs d'acier (nerves of steel) is the standard way to describe someone who stays calm under pressure, rather than using the general word for métal.
- The Latin root for métal originally referred to a mine or a quarry rather than the substance itself.
- While 'métal' refers to the element, the word 'métallique' is used as an adjective to describe both physical materials and sounds that have a 'tinny' quality.
Examples in context
- L'acide attaque le métal.Acid eats into metal.This sentence shows how acid affects métal.Tatoeba #8225 by sacredceltic, translation #245181 by CM
- Cette boîte est en métal.This box is made of metal.This sentence demonstrates how to say an object is made of métal.Tatoeba #1752096 by Petrus, translation #10281862 by sundown
- L'étain est un métal mou.Tin is a soft metal.This sentence describes a specific type of métal.Tatoeba #7967358 by Aiji, translation #7924214 by AlanF_US
- Ce bijou est en métalThis piece of jewelry is made of metal
- La porte est peinte en gris métalliqueThe door is painted in metallic gray
- C'est une structure en acierIt's a steel structure
- Ils ont construit une clôture en barres de ferThey built a fence with iron bars
- Il a fabriqué cette étagère avec des barres de ferHe built this shelf with iron bars
- Ce bâtiment est construit en acierThis building is constructed with steel
- 44 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hugo and Manon are looking at an old sculpture in a park.
- ManonRegarde cette sculpture, Hugo.Look at this sculpture, Hugo.
- HugoElle est faite de quel métal ?What kind of metal is it made of?
- ManonJe crois que c'est du métal rouillé.I think it is rusty metal.
- HugoC'est vrai, elle a l'air très vieille.It's true, it looks very old.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “metal” translations and entries métal, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries métal, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
