photo
/fɔ.to/
In French, the word for photo is photo.
The word photo is a common shortened form of the full noun photographie. To express the action of taking a photograph, the standard phrase used is prendre une photo.
Meaning: to take a photograph (verb)
Which one should you use?
For more specific or formal contexts, image or instantané can be used to describe a photograph.
How does it change in a sentence?
Photo is a feminine noun, so it is used with the feminine indefinite article une (e.g., une photo).
How do you pronounce it?
/fɔ.to/
Did you know?
- In the context of digital files, you might hear the term cliché, which can mean a photograph but also refers to a photographic plate or a cliché in speech.
- In French, a photo d'identité is a highly regulated document photo that must follow strict government rules regarding facial expression and background.
- When talking about the quality of a photo, a French person might use the word piqué to describe the sharpness of the image.
Examples in context
- Il prend une photo.He's taking a photo.This sentence shows how to use the verb with the noun photo.Tatoeba #10719653 by lbdx, translation #9510381 by sundown
- Quelle jolie photo !What a beautiful photo!This sentence shows how to use an adjective to describe a photo.Tatoeba #886551 by U2FS, translation #13570914 by menaud
- J'ai pris cette photo.I took this photo.This sentence shows the past tense of the action using photo.Tatoeba #5803214 by Toynop, translation #5858570 by CK
- J'ai acheté cet instantané lors de ma visite au musée.I bought this photo during my visit to the museum.
- Regarde cette photo de nos vacances à la plage!Look at this photo of our beach vacation!
- Je vais t'envoyer les photos de la soirée dès que je les aurai triées.I'll send you the photos from the party as soon as I sort them.
- Ces clichés que tu as pris pendant le concert sont géniaux!Those snapshots you took during the concert are awesome!
- 164 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Chloé and Nathan are visiting a museum.
- ChloéJe peux te photo ?Can I take a photo of you?
- NathanOui, mais attends une seconde.Yes, but wait one second.
- ChloéParfait, ne bouge plus !Perfect, don't move!
- NathanC'est bon, tu as fait la photo ?Is it okay, did you take the photo?
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry photo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
