beaucoup
/bo.ku/
To say much in French, meaning a large amount of something, use beaucoup.
beaucoup means much or a lot. It works on its own after a verb, as in liking something very much and before a noun with de to mean a lot of.
Meaning: a large amount of (det)
Which one should you use?
Use beaucoup alone as an adverb, for example to say you like something a lot. Use beaucoup de before a noun, for example for a lot of water. For too much, meaning an excess, use trop instead.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
Before a noun, beaucoup must be followed by de, which becomes d' before a vowel, to mean much or a lot of.
How do you pronounce it?
beaucoup is pronounced /bo.ku/, in two syllables.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often put beaucoup straight in front of a noun. Always add de between beaucoup and the noun.
Did you know?
- The word beaucoup traces back to the Old French phrase biau cop, literally meaning a 'beautiful hit' or 'nice strike'.
- The word beaucoup is an adverb that always remains unchanged, regardless of whether the noun it describes is singular or plural.
Examples in context
- Ça m'a beaucoup plu.I enjoyed it very much.Here beaucoup follows the verb to mean very much.Tatoeba #1809043 by sacredceltic, translation #1808170 by Spamster
- Tu as beaucoup changé.You've changed much.beaucoup after the verb means a lot, translated here as much.Tatoeba #4324 by TRANG, translation #674376 by yessoos
- Je veux beaucoup plus.I want much more.beaucoup plus means much more.Tatoeba #1110570 by sysko, translation #1183491 by Cherubian
- Il a beaucoup d'argent.He has a lot of money.
- Tu parles beaucoup.You talk a lot.
- Cette nouvelle m'a énormément surpris.This news surprised me a lot.
- Il travaille énormément.He works a lot.
- J'apprécie énormément ton aide.I greatly appreciate your help.
- Il est vachement riche.He is very rich.
- Tu parles vachement bien.You speak really well.
- Ça me plaît vachement.I really like that.
- Elle est grave sympa.She is really nice.
- 861 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing a recent trip to a market.
- ManonIl y avait beaucoup de monde au marché ?Was there a lot of people at the market?
- HugoOui, il y avait beaucoup de clients.Yes, there were many customers.
- ManonTu as acheté beaucoup de fruits ?Did you buy a lot of fruit?
- HugoNon, je n'ai pas acheté beaucoup de choses.No, I didn't buy many things.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “much” translations and entries beaucoup, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries beaucoup, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
