alpinisme
Mountain climbing in French is alpinisme.
alpinisme refers to mountaineering or alpinism. A person who practices this sport is called un alpiniste (masculine) or une alpiniste (feminine).
Which one should you use?
While alpinisme refers to high-altitude mountaineering, the term escalade is used specifically for rock climbing.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Quebec, Canada, it is common to use the English term le mountain climbing in informal French settings.
How does it change in a sentence?
The activity is commonly expressed using the verb faire with the partitive article, such as in the phrase faire de l'alpinisme to mean to go mountain climbing.
Did you know?
- While alpinisme is the sport, the French use the term cordée to describe the rope team, which also serves as a metaphor for a strong bond of trust between people.
- The term alpinisme originates from the Alps, the mountain range where the modern sport was first systematized.
- A French speaker might use the verb gravir specifically for 'climbing' or 'ascending' a mountain, which carries a more poetic or epic connotation than the standard verb monter.
Examples in context
- Il s'est blessé en faisant de l'alpinisme.He injured himself mountain climbing.This sentence shows how someone might be injured while practicing alpinisme.Tatoeba #10746897 by lbdx, translation #8536371 by CH
- Nous faisons de l'alpinisme presque chaque week-end.We go mountain climbing almost every weekend.This sentence illustrates the common way to say one goes mountain climbing using alpinisme.Tatoeba #4049490 by Scorpionvenin14, translation #4049486 by patgfisher
- Nous pouvons soit aller à la plage soit aller faire de l'alpinisme. Nous ne pouvons pas faire les deux.We can either go to the beach or go mountain climbing. We can't do both.This sentence uses alpinisme to present a choice between two different activities.Tatoeba #5894691 by Aiji, translation #4496600 by CK
- L'escalade en montagne est une discipline exigeante qui requiert une bonne condition physique et une expertise technique.Mountain climbing is a demanding discipline that requires good physical fitness and technical expertise.
- J'ai fait de l'alpinisme dans les Alpes françaises l'été dernier. C'était une expérience inoubliable !I went mountaineering in the French Alps last summer. It was an unforgettable experience!
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Léa and Lucas are discussing their plans for the upcoming holidays.
- LéaTu veux faire de l'alpinisme cet été ?Do you want to go mountain climbing this summer?
- LucasOui, j'adore l'alpinisme et les grands espaces.Yes, I love mountain climbing and the great outdoors.
- LéaLucas, as-tu déjà acheté ton équipement ?Lucas, have you already bought your equipment?
- LucasPas encore, je dois tout préparer.Not yet, I have to prepare everything.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries alpinisme, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
