sur
/syʁ/
The French word for 'over' is sur.
sur is used to indicate physical positioning, specifically meaning 'on top of' or 'over' when there is physical contact between objects.
Meaning: physical positioning: on top of, above (prep)
Which one should you use?
While sur is used for 'over' when there is physical contact, use au-dessus de if the object is 'over' or 'above' something in a way that it is suspended without touching it. Additionally, au-delà is a formal expression used to convey the idea of something being on the other side or beyond a border.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
/syʁ/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not use sur to mean 'over' in the sense of 'more than' (for example, 'over 10 people'). Instead, use plus de for that meaning.
Did you know?
- The French word for 'over' is often used in the expression sur le champ, which means 'immediately' rather than physically being on a field.
- The French word sur is a homograph, meaning it can have two completely different meanings depending on its origin. It can mean 'on' or 'over', but it can also mean 'sour' if it comes from a different linguistic root.
- The Latin ancestor of sur, which was 'super', is also the root of many English words like 'supervise' or 'superior', linking the French preposition to a wide web of English vocabulary.
Examples in context
- Tous sur Internet !All over the Internet!This sentence shows how to use sur in a digital context.Tatoeba #1541809 by martin9, translation #7356759 by Eccles17
- Sur quoi ai-je buté ?What did I trip over?This sentence demonstrates using sur to describe tripping over something.Tatoeba #4232973 by sacredceltic, translation #3412996 by CK
- L'avion a survolé l'île.The plane flew over the island.This sentence uses the root of the word to describe flying over an island.Tatoeba #10907900 by lbdx, translation #318096 by CK
- L'avion vole au-dessus des montagnes.The plane is flying over the mountains.
- J'ai aidé à nettoyer la maison et, par-dessus le marché, j'ai cuisiné le dîner.I helped clean the house, and, on top of that, I cooked dinner
- L'avion a survolé la ville.The airplane flew over the city.
- Nous avons fait plus que nécessaire pour préparer la surprise.We went over and above to prepare the surprise.
- 234 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Nathan and Emma are looking for his phone in the living room.
- NathanOù est mon téléphone ?Where is my phone?
- EmmaIl est sur le fauteuil, Nathan.It is on the armchair, Nathan.
- NathanAh, merci Emma !Ah, thanks Emma!
- EmmaDe rien.You're welcome.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “over” translations and entries sur, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries sur, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
