vue d'ensemble
/vy d‿ɑ̃.sɑ̃bl/
The main French word for overview is vue d'ensemble, and aperçu, résumé and synthèse are also used. If unsure, use vue d'ensemble.
Meaning: brief summary, as of a book or a presentation (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| vue d'ensemble | /vy d‿ɑ̃.sɑ̃bl/ | |
| résumé | /ʁe.zy.me/ | |
| synthèse | /sɛ̃.tɛz/ | |
| aperçu | /a.pɛʁ.sy/ | masculine |
In relaxed speech, a quick overview can be called a Petit tour d'horizon.
What does it mean word for word?
vue d'ensemble is made of vue, view and d'ensemble, of the whole.
Which one should you use?
aperçu suggests a brief or preliminary look at something, while vue d'ensemble means seeing the whole picture. résumé is the usual word when the overview is a condensed version of a longer text or speech. synthèse fits an overview that pulls many elements or data points together into one summary.
How does it change in a sentence?
aperçu is a masculine noun, as in un aperçu.
How do you pronounce it?
In IPA vue d'ensemble is /vy d‿ɑ̃.sɑ̃bl/, with the second word starting on a nasal vowel.
Did you know?
- The word résumé in French is a 'false friend' to English speakers. While in English it often means a CV, in French it simply means a summary or an overview.
- The phrase petit tour d'horizon literally translates to 'a little turn of the horizon'. It evokes the image of a lookout scanning the skyline to see everything in view.
- While vue d'ensemble means 'big picture' in a figurative sense, it is also the technical term used in art and architecture to describe a wide-angle shot or view of a whole site.
Examples in context
- Nous conclurons toutefois notre aperçu par un exemple positif.We will conclude our overview, however, with a positive example.notre aperçu refers to the overview the speakers are giving.Tatoeba #8485701 by Aiji, translation #2972164 by AlanF_US
- Cela faisait longtemps que nous avions perdu la vue d'ensemble.We had lost the overview a long time ago.la vue d'ensemble here means the big picture.Tatoeba #9168790 by Micsmithel, translation #4344131 by EmperorCharlesII
- Avant de commencer, voici un aperçu de ce que nous avons appris la semaine dernière.Before we get started, here's an overview of what we learned last week.un aperçu introduces a short recap of last week.Tatoeba #8915299 by lbdx, translation #8893807 by shekitten
- Pour comprendre le projet dans son ensemble, examinons d'abord une vue d'ensemble .To understand the project as a whole, let's first examine an overview.
- Voici un résumé des principales conclusions de l'étude.Here is an overview of the main findings of the study.
- Cette conférence offrait un panorama complet des dernières avancées technologiques.This conference provided a comprehensive overview of the latest technological advancements.
- Avant de commencer, voici une vue globale de ce que nous allons aborder dans cette réunion.Before we begin, here's an overview of what we will cover in this meeting.
- Faisons un petit tour d'horizon des événements marquants de la semaine passée.Let's have a quick overview of the significant events from last week.
- Jetez un coup d'œil à ces statistiques pour avoir une idée générale de la situation.Take a glance at these statistics to get a general overview of the situation.
- Voici une brève récapitulation des décisions prises lors de la réunion d'hier.Here's a brief overview of the decisions made during yesterday's meeting.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hugo and Manon are discussing a new project at work.
- HugoPeux-tu me donner une vue d'ensemble du projet ?Can you give me an overview of the project?
- ManonOui, je vais t'envoyer un court document.Yes, I will send you a short document.
- HugoC'est parfait pour comprendre les bases.That's perfect for understanding the basics.
- ManonCette vue d'ensemble sera très claire, Hugo.This overview will be very clear, Hugo.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “overview” translations and entries vue d'ensemble, résumé, synthèse, aperçu, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
