un short
In French, the English phrase 'pair of shorts' is translated as un short.
The term refers to a piece of clothing that covers the body from the waist to the upper thighs.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In France, the term Bermuda is used specifically to refer to knee-length shorts.
How does it change in a sentence?
In English, 'shorts' is a plural noun, but in French, the word is a singular masculine noun: un short. If you wish to refer to shorts in the plural, you should use the form des shorts.
Did you know?
- In France, wearing un short in certain formal administrative buildings or high-end restaurants may still be viewed as a breach of etiquette.
- If you use the word court to describe length in French, you are using an adjective. To name the object itself, you must use the English-derived noun short.
- The word short in French is strictly a noun for the garment. In English, 'short' is an adjective, but in French, you cannot say il est short to mean 'he is short'.
Examples in context
- Les athlètes portent souvent des pantalons courts pendant les compétitions.Athletes often wear short pants during competitions.
- J'adore tes shorts, ils sont super stylés !I love your shorts, they're really stylish!
- On devrait aller faire du vélo en short demain.We should go cycling in shorts tomorrow.
- J'ai acheté un bermuda magnifique pour mes vacances en France.I bought a beautiful pair of knee-length shorts for my vacation in France.
- Je vais acheter un short bleu.I am going to buy a pair of blue shorts.
- Il porte un short en coton.He is wearing a pair of cotton shorts.
- Est-ce que tu as un short pour l'été ?Do you have a pair of shorts for the summer?
Example conversation
Lucas and Léa are packing for a beach trip.
- LucasLéa, est-ce que j'ai un short dans mon sac ?Léa, do I have a pair of shorts in my bag?
- LéaOui, Lucas, tu as un short beige.Yes, Lucas, you have a pair of beige shorts.
- LucasC'est parfait pour la plage.That's perfect for the beach.
- LéaOn peut partir maintenant !We can leave now!
