roman
/ʁɔ.mɑ̃/masculine
The English phrase 'novel' is translated into French as roman.
In French, roman refers specifically to a work of prose fiction.
Meaning: work of prose fiction (noun)
Which one should you use?
While roman is used for a novel, the term nouvelle is the specific word used to refer to a short story. If you are looking for the adjective meaning 'new' or 'original', you should use nouveau, nouvelle or original instead.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
roman is a masculine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has two syllables and is pronounced /ʁɔ.mɑ̃/.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Be careful not to use roman as an adjective to mean 'new' or 'original'. It is only used as a noun to refer to a book.
Did you know?
- In French literature, the roman-fleuve is a specific subgenre describing a sprawling novel that follows characters over many volumes.
- Because it originates from the term for the 'vernacular' or 'common tongue', the word roman is a distant linguistic relative of the English word 'romance'.
- The French use the term roman à clef to describe a novel where real people appear under fictional names.
Examples in context
- Fabuleux, ce roman !This novel is fabulous!This sentence is useful for expressing enthusiasm about a roman.Tatoeba #9743174 by felix63, translation #10418242 by sundown
- Ce n'est qu'un roman.It's just a novel.This sentence is useful for downplaying the importance of a roman.Tatoeba #6861685 by Micsmithel, translation #4495160 by CK
- Tom a écrit un roman.Tom has written a novel.This sentence is useful for stating that someone has written a roman.Tatoeba #7703585 by Maxence, translation #5261256 by CK
- J'adore lire des romans.I love reading novels.
- Je préfère les livres de fiction aux essaisI prefer novels to essays
- Cet ouvrage de fiction est captivantThis novel is captivating
- Mon ami m'a prêté un bouquin de fiction passionnant.My friend loaned me an exciting novel.
- J'ai lu ce roman en une seule nuit.I read this novel in one night.
- Les livres de fiction me transportent dans un autre monde.Novels transport me to another world.
- 242 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Nathan are at a library.
- EmmaQuel est ton roman préféré ?What is your favorite novel?
- NathanJ'aime beaucoup ce roman policier.I really like this detective novel.
- EmmaEst-ce que ce roman est long ?Is this novel long?
- NathanOui, c'est un roman très épais.Yes, it is a very thick novel.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “novel” translations and entries roman, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries roman, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
