un
/œ̃/
The French word for the number one is un.
un is the cardinal number one. It can also function as an indefinite article meaning 'a' or 'an', or as an impersonal pronoun referring to one thing or person.
Meaning: cardinal number 1 (num)
Which one should you use?
The form used depends on the gender of the noun being referenced: use un for masculine nouns and une for feminine nouns. While un and une mean 'a' or 'an', the plural form des is used to mean 'some'.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When referring to a feminine noun, the form changes to une. As an indefinite article, un and une denote a single unspecified thing, whereas des is the plural form used for 'some'.
How do you pronounce it?
/œ̃/
Did you know?
- While English uses 'one' to mean 'a' in formal settings like 'one must do one's duty', French uses on for this impersonal sense rather than the number un.
- The French word un is a direct relative of the English word 'one', sharing the same Proto-Indo-European root *h₁óynos.
- When counting objects aloud in French, it is common to say un instead of premier for the first item in a sequence, even though premier is the ordinal word for 'first'.
Examples in context
- J'en ai un !I got one!This sentence shows how to express having one of something using un.Tatoeba #1711381 by sacredceltic, translation #1690026 by Spamster
- Un de plus ?One more?This sentence uses un to ask if there is one more.Tatoeba #7801745 by theachaean, translation #6587892 by Eccles17
- En as-tu un ?Do you have one?This sentence uses un to ask if someone possesses one of something.Tatoeba #474096 by sacredceltic, translation #16547 by CK
- J'ai un livreI have one book
- J'ai un chatI have one cat
- C'est le seul endroit où on peut trouver cette pâtisserieIt's the only place where you can find this pastry
- Elle est ma seule et unique amieShe is my one and only friend
- 3549 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucas and Léa are in a bakery.
- LucasJe voudrais un croissant, s'il vous plaît.I would like one croissant, please.
- LéaVoulez-vous un café aussi ?Do you want one coffee too?
- LucasNon, un seul suffit.No, just one is enough.
- LéaD'accord, voici votre commande.Okay, here is your order.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “one” translations and entries un, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries un, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
