belle voiture
The phrase "nice car" in French is translated as belle voiture.
This phrase is used to express that a vehicle is visually appealing or of high quality. You may encounter the slang term caisse to refer to a car.
Which one should you use?
There is a distinction between the aesthetic and functional quality of a vehicle. belle voiture focuses on the aesthetic beauty of the car, whereas bonne voiture would imply that the car is mechanically reliable or a good purchase. Additionally, if you choose to use the masculine noun véhicule instead of voiture, the adjective changes from belle to beau to form beau véhicule.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase belle voiture, the adjective belle (meaning beautiful or nice) precedes the noun voiture (meaning car) in a standard way.
Did you know?
- The slang term caisse for a car originally referred to a wooden crate or a cash box. It evolved into a term for vehicles because early carriages looked like large boxes on wheels.
- In France, the phrase belle voiture can be used ironically to describe a car that is an ancient, rattling wreck. The sarcasm is conveyed through a specific exaggerated tone of voice.
- While belle voiture describes the car, a French person might call a very high-end or luxurious car a beauté. In this context, the word for 'beauty' replaces the noun 'car' entirely.
Examples in context
- Tom a une belle voiture.Tom has a nice car.This sentence is useful for showing how to use belle voiture in a simple statement about possession.Tatoeba #7723607 by Katastrauff, translation #3089482 by Hybrid
- Votre voiture est vraiment magnifique.Your car is truly magnificent.
- Ta bagnole est vraiment canon!Your ride is really awesome!
- C'est une belle voiture.It is a nice car.
- Tu as acheté une belle voiture.You bought a nice car.
Example conversation
Gabriel and Léa are standing in a parking lot.
- GabrielOh, quelle belle voiture !Oh, what a nice car!
- LéaMerci Gabriel, elle est neuve.Thank you Gabriel, it is new.
- GabrielElle est vraiment élégante.It is truly elegant.
- LéaJe suis très contente de l'avoir.I am very happy to have it.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
