la moitié
In French, one half is la moitié.
la moitié is used to refer to one equal part of something that has been divided into two pieces.
What does it mean word for word?
The noun moitié literally means 'half'.
Which one should you use?
la moitié is a noun used to mean 'the half', whereas the prefix demi- is used to form compound adjectives, such as un demi-litre (half a liter).
How does it change in a sentence?
When expressing 'half of' something, you must use the preposition de after la moitié. The plural form of la moitié is les moitiés.
Did you know?
- While la moitié describes a portion, the word demi is used for specific measurements, and in French cafés, ordering un demi without any other word is a common shorthand for a glass of draft beer.
- In French, ma moitié is a common romantic term of endearment meaning 'my other half' or 'my soulmate'.
- The English legal term 'moiety', used to describe a portion or share of an estate, is a direct linguistic relative of the French moitié.
Examples in context
- J'ai mangé la moitié du gâteauI ate half of the cake
- Ils ont partagé la moitié de leur héritageThey shared half of their inheritance
- Je veux seulement la moitié du sandwichI only want half of the sandwich
- Elle a dû attendre une demi-heure avant de pouvoir sortirShe had to wait for half an hour before being able to leave
- Nous avons regardé seulement la moitié du filmWe only watched half of the movie
- Elle a mangé la moitié de la pomme.She ate half of the apple.
- Je voudrais la moitié de ce gâteau, s'il vous plaît.I would like half of this cake, please.
Example conversation
Hugo and Léa are sharing a pizza in the kitchen.
- HugoEst-ce que tu veux la moitié de ma pizza ?Do you want half of my pizza?
- LéaNon merci, je n'ai plus faim.No thanks, I am not hungry anymore.
- HugoTu es sûre, Léa ?Are you sure, Léa?
- LéaOui, je suis rassasiée.Yes, I am full.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries la, moitié, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
