Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| parking | /paʁ.kiŋ/ (France) /paʁ.kiɲ/ (Quebec) |
masculine |
| stationnement | /sta.sjɔn.mɑ̃/ | masculine |
The word parking is a common way to refer to a parking lot or a physical parking area. If you want to refer to a specific single parking spot or space, use place de parking. You can also use the formal expression l'aire de stationnement to describe a parking area or lot.
Which one should you use?
parking is a loanword commonly used to refer to the physical area or lot where cars are parked. In contrast, stationnement is a more technical term that can describe the act of parking or the designated space for it.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Canada, stationnement is often used in official documents and on signage.
How does it change in a sentence?
Both parking and stationnement are masculine nouns. When referring to a single spot, use the phrase place de parking.
How do you pronounce it?
The word parking has two syllables and is pronounced /paʁ.kiŋ/.
Did you know?
- While parking is common in France, the official language authority in Quebec actively promotes stationnement to protect the French language from English influence.
- In French, the root word for stationnement is station, which is used for everything from train stations to weather stations.
- The French word stationnement is closely related to the English word 'stationary', as both describe the state of remaining in one fixed place.
Examples in context
- Le parking est vide.The parking lot is empty.This sentence uses parking to describe the state of a parking lot.Tatoeba #1704163 by sacredceltic, translation #1699321 by Spamster
- Y a-t-il un parking ?Is there a parking lot?This sentence uses parking to ask about the existence of a parking lot.Tatoeba #1291943 by sacredceltic, translation #277695 by CK
- Tom a couru jusqu'au parking.Tom ran to the parking lot.This sentence uses parking to indicate a destination at a parking lot.Tatoeba #9011774 by Micsmithel, translation #6110410 by CK
- Il y a un parking juste en face du musée.There is a parking lot right in front of the museum.
- Où puis-je trouver une place de stationnement gratuite dans cette rue?Where can I find free parking in this street?
- Il y a des places de stationnement gratuites un peu plus loin.There are some free parking spots a little further away.
- 45 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Chloé and Gabriel are trying to find a place to leave their car near a restaurant.
- ChloéTu as trouvé un parking, Gabriel ?Did you find a parking space, Gabriel?
- GabrielOui, il y a un parking juste derrière ce bâtiment.Yes, there is a parking lot right behind this building.
- ChloéC'est parfait, garons-nous là-bas.That's perfect, let's park there.
- GabrielD'accord, je conduis jusqu'au parking.Okay, I'm driving to the parking lot.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “parking” translations and entries parking, stationnement, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
