humide
/y.mid/
The English word moist is translated into French as humide. Wiktionary also lists moite.
Meaning: characterized by the presence of moisture, slightly wet (adj)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA |
|---|---|
| humide | /y.mid/ |
| moite | /mwat/ |
The term humide is the standard, neutral way to describe something characterized by the presence of moisture or being slightly wet. It is used for weather, objects or various environments.
Which one should you use?
While humide is a neutral term for moisture, moite often carries a negative connotation. Use moite to describe something that is unpleasantly sweaty or clammy, such as skin or palms.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective humide is the same in both its masculine and feminine forms.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has two syllables and is pronounced /y.mid/.
Did you know?
- The word moite is a linguistic hybrid, born from a cross between the Latin word for 'moldy' and the word for 'unfermented grape juice'.
- Describing a cake as moite instead of humide would make the dessert sound unpleasantly sweaty and repulsive to a French speaker.
- The word humide is a direct ancestor of the English word 'humid', but in French it is used far more broadly to describe anything from a damp towel to a rainy climate.
Examples in context
- Le climat est chaud et humide.The climate is moist and warm.This sentence is useful for describing the climate.Tatoeba #1921916 by sacredceltic, translation #1920678 by Spamster
- Apporte-moi une serviette humide.Bring me a moist towel.This sentence is useful for requesting a moist towel.Tatoeba #1430407 by Julien_PDC, translation #35847 by CK
- Je n'oublierai jamais la peau douce et humide de ma maîtresse en cette nuit d'été.I'll never forget the soft and moist skin of my lover on that summer night.This sentence is useful for describing skin.Tatoeba #1424355 by sacredceltic, translation #2266476 by MethodGT
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Gabriel and Chloé are checking the soil of their indoor plants.
- GabrielLa terre est encore un peu humide.The soil is still a little moist.
- ChloéD'accord, ne l'arrose pas aujourd'hui.Okay, don't water it today.
- GabrielTu as raison, Chloé.You are right, Chloé.
- ChloéIl ne faut pas trop l'arroser.We shouldn't water it too much.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “moist” translations and entries humide, moite, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries humide, moite, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
