terrain
/tɛ.ʁɛ̃/
The English word pitch can be translated into French as terrain.
Meaning: perceived frequency of a sound or note (noun)
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
/tɛ.ʁɛ̃/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not use terrain to refer to musical pitch (the perceived frequency of a sound). Instead, use the word hauteur.
Did you know?
- In a medical context, a French doctor might discuss a patient's terrain, referring to their genetic predisposition or overall constitution.
- The French word for musical pitch, hauteur, literally translates to 'height', treating sound as if it were a vertical distance.
- If a French speaker mentions le terrain in a political context, they are likely referring to the grassroots level of an organization or campaign.
Examples in context
- Il a été expulsé du terrain.He has been sent off the pitch.This sentence is useful for describing someone being sent off the terrain.Tatoeba #10777093 by lbdx, translation #8888181 by sundown
- Il dit que le joueur était en dehors du terrain.He says the player was off the pitch.This sentence is useful for discussing a player being off the terrain.Tatoeba #10777095 by lbdx, translation #8888173 by sundown
- Le match a été annulé pour cause de terrain détrempé.The match was called off because of a waterlogged pitch.This sentence is useful for describing a match being cancelled due to the state of the terrain.Tatoeba #10777098 by lbdx, translation #10636952 by sundown
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Gabriel and Léa are talking about a music lesson.
- GabrielJe n'arrive pas à garder le bon terrain.I can't manage to keep the right pitch.
- LéaTu dois écouter la note plus attentivement.You need to listen to the note more carefully.
- GabrielLe terrain est trop haut pour moi.The pitch is too high for me.
- LéaOn peut essayer de baisser la tonalité.We can try to lower the key.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry terrain, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
