étang
/e.tɑ̃/masculine
In French, the word for pond is étang. Wiktionary also lists mare.
Meaning: small lake (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| étang | /e.tɑ̃/ | masculine |
| mare | /maʁ/ /mɑʁ/ |
feminine |
The term is used to describe a small lake.
Which one should you use?
mare refers to a smaller, often shallower or more temporary body of water, such as a puddle or a seasonal pond.
How does it change in a sentence?
étang is a masculine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/e.tɑ̃/
Did you know?
- The term mare has surprising Scandinavian roots, descending from the Old Norse word marr, which means 'lake' or 'sea'.
- While étang refers to a pond, the word étanchéité describes 'waterproofing', as both come from the same root meaning to stop water.
- In English, 'mare' refers to a female horse, but in French, mare describes a small, shallow body of water.
Examples in context
- Éloignez-vous de cet étang.Keep away from that pond, please.This sentence is useful for learning how to give a command regarding an étang.Tatoeba #10525 by dominiko, translation #67946 by CK
- La mare est pleine de têtards.The pond is full of tadpoles.This sentence illustrates a situation where a mare contains tadpoles.Tatoeba #8700624 by Julien_PDC, translation #9763992 by AlanF_US
- Le ruisseau coule dans l'étang.The stream flows into the pond.This sentence shows how a stream might flow into an étang.Tatoeba #1351774 by sacredceltic, translation #495618 by CK
- Le parc est agrémenté d'un joli étang.The park is embellished with a lovely pond.
- Allons pêcher au plan d'eau cet après-midi !Let's go fishing at the pond this afternoon!
- Les enfants adorent nourrir les canards au bassin.Children love feeding the ducks at the pond.
- 78 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Nathan and Manon are walking in a park.
- NathanRegarde cet étang, Manon.Look at this pond, Manon.
- ManonIl est magnifique, cet étang.This pond is beautiful.
- NathanEst-ce qu'on peut s'asseoir ici ?Can we sit here?
- ManonOui, profitons du calme.Yes, let's enjoy the calm.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pond” translations and entries étang, mare, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries mare, étang, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
