Pierre
/pjɛʁ/masculine
The English name Peter is translated into French as Pierre.
Pierre is a masculine given name.
Meaning: male given name (name)
Which one should you use?
Pierrot is an informal nickname derived from Pierre.
How do you pronounce it?
/pjɛʁ/
Did you know?
- The name Pierre is not just a personal name, but also the literal French word for 'stone' or 'rock'.
- While 'Pierre' is the standard form, the diminutive nickname Pierrot is famously associated with the 'Pierrot lunaire' character, a sad clown figure in French pantomime.
- The word pierre is used in the French phrase avoir un coeur de pierre to describe someone who is cold or emotionless.
Examples in context
- Je sors avec Pierre.I'm going out with Peter.This sentence shows how to use Pierre when talking about going out with someone.Tatoeba #1082100 by nimfeo, translation #2423840 by AlanF_US
- Pierre paraît très jeune.Peter looks very young.This sentence illustrates using Pierre to describe how someone looks.Tatoeba #13142 by sacredceltic, translation #34886 by CN
- Pierre voudrait être policier.Peter wanted to become a policeman.This sentence demonstrates using Pierre when expressing someone's career ambitions.Tatoeba #9177983 by Julien_PDC, translation #13540377 by rul
- 14 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about a mutual acquaintance at a cafe.
- HugoEst-ce que tu as vu Pierre ?Have you seen Pierre?
- ManonNon, je n'ai pas vu Pierre aujourd'hui.No, I haven't seen Pierre today.
- HugoPierre m'a envoyé un message ce matin.Pierre sent me a message this morning.
- ManonAh bon ? Qu'est-ce qu'il a dit ?Really? What did he say?
Sources
- Wiktionary, “peter” translations and entries Pierre, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Pierre, pierre, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
