épingle
/e.pɛ̃ɡl/feminine
The English word "pin" is translated into French as épingle.
épingle refers to a needle without an eye, typically used for sewing or for fastening things together.
Meaning: needle without an eye, used for fastening (noun)
Which one should you use?
Use épingle for a small sewing pin. Do not use clou, which refers to a nail.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun épingle is feminine.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of épingle is /e.pɛ̃ɡl/. It has 2 syllables.
Did you know?
- While English has a separate word for a 'safety pin', French uses épingle à nourrice, which literally translates to 'nurse's pin'.
- While an English speaker might say 'to pin something down', a French speaker might use the verb épingler to mean 'to tag' or 'to report' someone on social media.
- The word épingle is a linguistic hybrid, descended from a Vulgar Latin word that merged two different Latin terms for small pointed objects, spīnula and spīcula.
Examples in context
- Même voler une épingle est un péché.It is a sin to steal even a pin.This sentence shows the use of épingle to express that even a tiny object is significant.Tatoeba #829713 by U2FS, translation #34446 by Swift
- On pouvait entendre une épingle tomber.You could hear a pin drop.This sentence uses épingle in the common idiom for extreme silence.Tatoeba #2155545 by sacredceltic, translation #2154931 by Hybrid
- Épingle la fleur au revers de ta veste.Pin the flower on your lapel.This sentence demonstrates the verb form of using a pin with épingle.Tatoeba #12468329 by lbdx, translation #2820971 by sharptoothed
- Je cherche une épingle pour fixer ma robe.I'm looking for a pin to secure my dress.
- Est-ce que tu as une épingle à nourrice pour fixer mon écharpe ?Do you have a safety pin to secure my scarf?
- J'ai besoin d'une épingle pour attacher les documents.I need a pin to attach the documents.
- Elle a utilisé une épingle à nourrice pour réparer sa fermeture éclair.She used a safety pin to fix her zipper.
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Manon is fixing a piece of clothing for Hugo.
- ManonJe vais utiliser une épingle pour fixer ça.I'm going to use a pin to fix this.
- HugoFais attention à ne pas me piquer, Manon.Be careful not to prick me, Manon.
- ManonNe t'inquiète pas, l'épingle est bien placée.Don't worry, the pin is well placed.
- HugoD'accord, merci beaucoup Hugo.Okay, thank you very much Hugo.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pin” translations and entries épingle, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries épingle, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
