Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| pirate | /pi.ʁat/ | masculine |
| corsaire | /kɔʁ.sɛʁ/ | masculine |
| boucanier (buccaneer) | masculine | |
| flibustier | /fli.bys.tje/ | masculine |
The term pirate refers to one who plunders at sea. In modern contexts, the related verb pirater is used to describe hacking or the illegal downloading/distribution of digital content. Additionally, the past participle piraté functions as an adjective to describe illegal copies of software, music or films.
Which one should you use?
While pirate refers to an outlaw, corsaire specifically refers to a privateer who has government authorization to attack enemy ships. Flibustier is a specific historical term for the buccaneers of the Caribbean, whereas boucanier refers to a buccaneer, a pirate associated with the 17th-century Caribbean.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The word pirate is used for both masculine and feminine references in French.
How do you pronounce it?
/pi.ʁat/
Did you know?
- While we think of them as sea thieves, the term boucanier actually started with people hunting wild game to smoke its meat and sell its fur.
- The word pirate is epicene, meaning it remains the same whether referring to a man or a woman.
Examples in context
- Tom est un pirate.Tom is a pirate.This sentence is useful for identifying a person as a pirate.Tatoeba #6066592 by sicerabibax, translation #6066353 by Hybrid
- Le pirate pille le trésor.The pirate plunders the treasure trove.This sentence shows the action of a pirate plundering a trésor.Tatoeba #9722659 by lbdx, translation #6393214 by npvojtik
- C'est la reine des pirates.She's the pirate queen.This sentence uses pirate to describe a queen.Tatoeba #1966330 by sacredceltic, translation #1963047 by Spamster
- Le pirate s'est emparé du trésor.The pirate seized the treasure.
- Les boucaniers étaient redoutés dans les Caraïbes.The buccaneers were feared in the Caribbean.
- Regardez, les enfants se déguisent en pirates !Look, the kids are dressing up as pirates!
- Les flibustiers naviguaient à la recherche de trésors légendaires.The pirates sailed in search of legendary treasures.
- 22 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Hugo are visiting a museum of maritime history.
- EmmaRegarde ce vieux chapeau de pirate !Look at that old pirate hat!
- HugoOui, c'est vraiment impressionnant, Emma.Yes, it is really impressive, Emma.
- EmmaEst-ce qu'un vrai pirate le portait ?Did a real pirate wear it?
- HugoProbablement, Hugo pense que oui.Probably, Hugo thinks so.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pirate” translations and entries pirate, corsaire, flibustier, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries boucanier, corsaire, flibustier, pirate, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
