Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| vidéoclip | /vi.de.ɔ.klip/ | masculine |
| clip | /klip/ | masculine |
| vidéo musicale | feminine |
All forms refer to a motion picture that accompanies a song.
Which one should you use?
clip is the most common way to refer to a music video in everyday spoken French, whereas vidéoclip is more formal and is often used in professional media or official contexts. vidéo musicale is also a formal way to express this term.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Quebec, the term vidéoclip is used for music video.
How does it change in a sentence?
clip and vidéoclip are masculine nouns. For example, you must use the masculine article un or le when referring to un clip. vidéo musicale is feminine, so any accompanying adjectives must also be feminine.
How do you pronounce it?
/vi.de.ɔ.klip/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers may mistakenly use clip to mean a short video clip of any kind, but in French, clip specifically refers to a music video.
Did you know?
- The word clip is a 'pseudo-anglicism', meaning it was adopted from English but its usage has become specialized in a way that differs from the original English meaning.
- While clip is the default in France, speakers in Quebec prefer vidéoclip, reflecting a regional tendency to avoid some short-form anglicisms common in Europe.
Examples in context
- Le dernier clip vidéo de cet artiste est vraiment créatif.The latest music video of this artist is truly creative.
- J'ai regardé un super clip ce matin sur YouTube.I watched a great music video this morning on YouTube.
- Les vidéoclips de cette artiste québécoise sont vraiment populaires.The music videos of this Quebec artist are really popular.
- Ce vidéoclip est magnifique.This music video is magnificent.
- J'ai regardé son nouveau vidéoclip hier.I watched her new music video yesterday.
- Quel est ton vidéoclip préféré ?What is your favorite music video?
Example conversation
Lucas and Léa are sitting in a living room watching YouTube.
- LucasTu as vu le nouveau vidéoclip de ce groupe ?Have you seen this band's new music video?
- LéaNon, je vais le regarder maintenant.No, I am going to watch it now.
- LucasLe vidéoclip est vraiment très coloré.The music video is really very colorful.
- LéaIl a l'air génial, Lucas.It looks great, Lucas.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “music video” translations and entries vidéoclip, clip, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries clip, vidéo, vidéoclip, CC BY-SA 4.0.
