New York
/nju jɔʁk/feminine
New York City in French is New York. Wiktionary also lists Ville de New York and Nouvelle-York.
Meaning: largest city in the United States (name)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| New York | /nju jɔʁk/ /nu jɔʁk/ |
feminine |
| Ville de New York | feminine | |
| Nouvelle-York | feminine, obsolete |
The phrase refers to the largest city in the United States. In standard French, it is most common to simply use the name New York to refer to the city itself.
Which one should you use?
In standard French, New York is the most common way to refer to the city. In contrast, Ville de New York is used to specify the municipality and is more formal or used in official contexts. The form Nouvelle-York is obsolete.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
New York is the standard, common way to name the city. Ville de New York is used in formal, administrative or legal contexts.
How does it change in a sentence?
When expressing that you are in or going to New York, use the preposition à before the name, such as in à New York. All forms of this name are feminine.
Did you know?
- Although New York is a foreign name, it is treated as a feminine noun in French, meaning adjectives describing the city will take the feminine form.
- The word ville in the formal term Ville de New York shares the same Latin ancestor as the English word 'villa'. It is a historical irony that it originally meant a 'country house' or 'farmstead'.
- An old-fashioned way to say the name was Nouvelle-York. This was part of an outdated practice where French speakers translated the English word 'New' into Nouvelle for foreign place names.
Examples in context
- Mon oncle vit à New York.My uncle lives in New York City.This sentence uses New York to show where someone lives.Tatoeba #2172552 by Aiji, translation #3631399 by Lindoula
- Pouvez-vous l'envoyer à New York ?Can you ship it to New York City?This sentence uses New York to indicate a shipping destination.Tatoeba #463541 by sacredceltic, translation #434428 by lukaszpp
- En parlant de voyages, avez-vous déjà visité New York ?Speaking of travel, have you ever visited New York City?This sentence uses New York to ask about a travel experience.Tatoeba #3074777 by nimfeo, translation #325536 by shekitten
- Mon rêve est de visiter New YorkMy dream is to visit New York
- New York, la ville qui ne dort jamaisNew York, the city that never sleeps
- J'ai toujours rêvé de visiter La Grosse PommeI have always dreamed of visiting The Big Apple
- Je suis tombé amoureux de NYCI fell in love with NYC
- Je meurs d'envie de visiter La Grosse PommeI am dying to visit The Big Apple
- 7 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about their travel plans over coffee.
- ManonEst-ce que tu veux aller à New York cet été ?Do you want to go to New York this summer?
- HugoJ'adorerais, mais c'est un peu cher.I would love to, but it is a bit expensive.
- ManonC'est vrai, mais New York est une ville incroyable.It's true, but New York is an incredible city.
- HugoTu as raison, Manon.You are right, Manon.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “new york city” translations and entries New York, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries New York, Ville, de, ville, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
