intrigue
/ɛ̃.tʁiɡ/feminine
The English word 'plot' is translated into French as intrigue.
intrigue refers to the course or narrative structure of a story. For a more specific literary context, you can use the phrase l'intrigue romanesque to specify 'the novelistic plot'.
Meaning: course of a story (noun)
Which one should you use?
While l'intrigue describes the narrative structure of a story, it is a more formal or literary term than the common word l'histoire, which can mean both 'the story' and 'the plot'. Additionally, trame is a formal word used to refer specifically to the underlying structure or framework of a plot in literary contexts.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
intrigue is a feminine noun, so you use the feminine article une or the elided article l'.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɛ̃.tʁiɡ/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not use un complot to mean the plot of a story. un complot specifically refers to a political or criminal conspiracy, whereas une intrigue refers to a literary plot.
Did you know?
- In French, une intrigue can refer to a romantic affair or a secret love plot. This usage goes beyond literary analysis to describe real-life scandalous relationships.
- The word trame is used for a story's structure because it literally refers to the 'weft' or crosswise threads in a piece of woven fabric.
- To describe a story with a vast or grand scale, French speakers use the phrase une intrigue de grande ampleur, treating the plot almost like a physical landscape.
Examples in context
- L'intrigue prend vite forme.The plot develops rapidly.This sentence is useful for showing how intrigue develops.Tatoeba #7106585 by Micsmithel, translation #2255691 by _undertoad
- Je n'ai pas aimé l'intrigue du film.I didn't like the plot of the movie.This sentence is useful for expressing an opinion about the intrigue of a film.Tatoeba #12320487 by lbdx, translation #2258740 by _undertoad
- Les péripéties de l'intrigue étaient prévisibles.The plot twists were predictable.This sentence is useful for describing the elements of an intrigue.Tatoeba #1600890 by sacredceltic, translation #1600767 by Spamster
- J'ai adoré l'intrigue de ce livre.I loved the plot of this book.
- Le réalisateur a mis en place une intrigue captivante.The director crafted a captivating plot.
- Le scénario de ce film est bien construit.The plot of this film is well-structured.
- Les acteurs ont réussi à faire ressortir l'émotion du scénario.The actors succeeded in bringing out the emotions of the plot.
- L'auteur a développé une trame complexe pour son roman.The author developed a complex plot for his novel.
- La trame de cette pièce de théâtre est facile à suivre.The plot of this play is easy to follow.
- J'ai adoré l'histoire de ce livre.I loved the plot/story of this book.
- Viens voir ce film, l'histoire est vraiment intéressante.Come watch this film, the plot/story is really interesting.
- 7 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Chloé and Nathan are discussing a novel they both read.
- ChloéL'intrigue de ce livre est fascinante.The plot of this book is fascinating.
- NathanC'est vrai, mais la fin est surprenante.It's true, but the ending is surprising.
- ChloéJe n'ai pas du tout vu venir ce retournement.I didn't see that twist coming at all.
- NathanMoi non plus, c'était très bien écrit.Me neither, it was very well written.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “plot” translations and entries intrigue, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
