oasis
/ɔ.a.zis/
To say oasis in French, including in the sense of a quiet or peaceful place, use oasis.
oasis means both a green spot in the desert and, figuratively, a quiet or peaceful place.
Meaning: quiet or peaceful place (noun)
Which one should you use?
To describe a peaceful spot more poetically, French also uses HAVRE DE VERDURE (green haven) or the informal COIN DE PARADIS (corner of paradise).
How does it change in a sentence?
oasis is feminine, as in une oasis. Because it starts with a vowel, the article la shortens, giving l'oasis.
How do you pronounce it?
oasis is pronounced /ɔ.a.zis/, in three syllables, with the final s sounded.
Did you know?
- French speakers use the term oasis to describe a specific brand of popular fruit juice, which has made the word strongly associated with refreshment in a commercial sense.
- Although oasis ends in an 's', which is usually silent in French, it is pronounced here because the word was borrowed from Greek and Latin where the 's' was audible.
- While oasis denotes peace, French speakers often use the expression un havre de paix to describe a sanctuary that is not necessarily green or natural.
Examples in context
- Il y a une oasis dans le désert.There is an oasis in the desert.Here une oasis is a place in the desert.Tatoeba #12656025 by lbdx, translation #9401944 by BobbyLee
- La Terre est notre oasis dans l'espace.Earth is our oasis in space.notre oasis uses the word figuratively for Earth.Tatoeba #12656023 by lbdx, translation #6293983 by Hybrid
- Nous vîmes quelque chose qui semblait comme une oasis dans le désert.We saw what looked like an oasis in the desert.une oasis appears again in the desert sense.Tatoeba #1077092 by sacredceltic, translation #248722 by CK
Example conversation
Nathan and Chloé are visiting a quiet park in the city.
- NathanCe parc est une vraie oasis de calme.This park is a real oasis of calm.
- ChloéOui, on oublie vite le bruit de la ville.Yes, you quickly forget the noise of the city.
- NathanC'est l'oasis parfaite pour lire un livre.It is the perfect oasis for reading a book.
- ChloéJe suis d'accord, Nathan, c'est très relaxant.I agree, Nathan, it is very relaxing.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry oasis, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
