nouvelle
/nu.vɛl/
nouvelle is the French word for short story.
The term nouvelle refers specifically to a short work of fictional narrative prose.
Which one should you use?
In French, nouvelle is used to distinguish a short story from a roman, which refers to a novel.
How does it change in a sentence?
nouvelle is a feminine noun, so it is used with the feminine indefinite article une to say une nouvelle (a short story). The plural form is nouvelles.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /nu.vɛl/. It has 2 syllables.
Did you know?
- The word nouvelle is a homonym in French. Depending on the context, it can mean a 'short story' or simply 'news'.
- In the mid-20th century, the nouvelle vague or 'New Wave' movement revolutionized French cinema by breaking traditional storytelling rules.
- The word nouvelle shares an ancestor with the English word 'novel', both descending from the Latin term for 'new'.
Examples in context
- As-tu entendu la nouvelle sur la grève étudiante?Did you hear the news about the student strike?
- J'ai lu une nouvelle ce matin.I read a short story this morning.
- Cette nouvelle est très courte.This short story is very short.
- Il écrit une nouvelle pour son cours.He is writing a short story for his class.
Example conversation
Hugo and Emma are talking about their reading habits in a library.
- HugoTu lis quoi en ce moment, Emma ?What are you reading right now, Emma?
- EmmaJe lis une nouvelle très étrange.I am reading a very strange short story.
- HugoC'est une nouvelle d'un auteur connu ?Is it a short story by a famous author?
- EmmaNon, c'est un jeune écrivain local.No, it is a young local writer.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry nouvelle, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries nouvelle, CC BY-SA 4.0.
