tuyau
/tɥi.jo/masculine
In French, 'pipe' can be translated as tuyau or conduit.
Meaning: rigid tube (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| tuyau | /tɥi.jo/ | masculine |
| conduit | /kɔ̃.dɥi/ | masculine |
Both terms refer to a rigid tube. tuyau is used for a general-purpose pipe and can also refer to a flexible hose. conduit is used for a pipe that acts as a channel or carries a specific substance.
Which one should you use?
tuyau is the most common word for a general pipe or hose. conduit is more technical and is used in engineering contexts to describe a pipe that serves as a channel for a specific substance.
How does it change in a sentence?
Both tuyau and conduit are masculine nouns. The plural form of tuyau is tuyaux.
How do you pronounce it?
/tɥi.jo/
Did you know?
- In French slang, donner un tuyau means to give someone a 'hot tip' or a secret piece of information.
- While tuyau means pipe, the French word for a smoking pipe is pipe, which is a direct loanword from English.
- The origin of tuyau can be traced back to a Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'bird-cry' or 'shriek'.
Examples in context
- Ce tuyau est bouché.This pipe is blocked.This sentence is useful for describing a blocked tuyau.Tatoeba #3271931 by Micsmithel, translation #3271930 by sundown
- Le tuyau d'eau fuit.That water pipe leaks.This sentence is useful for describing a leaking tuyau.Tatoeba #3657868 by sacredceltic, translation #2267903 by _undertoad
- La conduite d'égout est bouchée.The sewage pipe is obstructed.This sentence is useful for describing an obstructed conduit.Tatoeba #460786 by sacredceltic, translation #1229347 by Scott
- J'ai besoin d'un tuyauI need a pipe
- 16 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Léa and Nathan are looking at the garden irrigation system.
- LéaLe tuyau est trop court pour le jardin.The pipe is too short for the garden.
- NathanJe peux acheter un nouveau tuyau demain.I can buy a new pipe tomorrow.
- LéaEst-ce que ce tuyau est en plastique ?Is this pipe made of plastic?
- NathanOui, c'est un tuyau très robuste.Yes, it is a very sturdy pipe.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pipe” translations and entries tuyau, conduit, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries conduit, tuyau, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
