Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| présentation | /pʁe.zɑ̃.ta.sjɔ̃/ | feminine |
| exposé | /ɛk.spo.ze/ | masculine |
| conférence | /kɔ̃.fe.ʁɑ̃s/ | feminine |
The term présentation is the most versatile option. It can refer to a slideshow, the act of presenting or the way something is displayed. To specify that the presentation is spoken, you can use présentation orale.
Which one should you use?
While présentation is a general term, exposé refers specifically to a structured oral report or a detailed explanation of a specific subject. Conférence is used when the presentation is a formal lecture or a speech given to an audience, typically by an expert or a speaker at an event.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Quebec, Canada, the term conférence may be used to refer to a presentation.
How does it change in a sentence?
Exposé is a masculine noun, while both présentation and conférence are feminine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
The word présentation has 4 syllables and is pronounced /pʁe.zɑ̃.ta.sjɔ̃/.
Did you know?
- In English, an 'exposé' is usually a journalistic reveal of a scandal, but in French, an exposé is simply a standard school presentation or a descriptive report.
- Because exposé comes from the verb 'exposer', the word literally carries the weight of 'laying something out' to be seen, much like an exhibit in a museum.
- The French word conférence is used for both a single presentation and a multi-day convention, whereas English uses two different words.
Examples in context
- Michael a fini sa présentation.Michael finished his presentation.This sentence shows the use of présentation regarding completion.Tatoeba #12184860 by always, translation #11591938 by Amastan
- Carlos prépare une présentation.Carlos is preparing a presentation.This sentence shows the use of présentation regarding preparation.Tatoeba #12184899 by always, translation #11747070 by Amastan
- Ziri a fait une bonne présentation.Ziri gave a good presentation.This sentence shows the use of présentation regarding quality.Tatoeba #12184892 by always, translation #10822083 by Amastan
- J'ai préparé une présentation pour la réunion de demain.I've prepared a presentation for tomorrow's meeting.
- Notre professeur nous a demandé de faire un exposé sur la culture française.Our teacher asked us to do a presentation on French culture.
- La communication que j'ai préparée met en avant les résultats de notre étude.The presentation I've prepared highlights the results of our study.
- J'ai préparé un petit exposé sur les bienfaits du sport.I've prepared a short presentation on the benefits of sports.
- J'ai une présentation orale à faire demain en classe.I have an oral presentation to do in class tomorrow.
- 29 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hugo and Manon are discussing a group project at school.
- HugoEst-ce que tu as commencé la présentation ?Have you started the presentation?
- ManonOui, j'ai déjà créé les diapositives.Yes, I already created the slides.
- HugoSuper, on peut répéter la présentation demain.Great, we can practice the presentation tomorrow.
- ManonD'accord, on se voit à midi, Hugo.Okay, I'll see you at noon, Hugo.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “presentation” translations and entries présentation, exposé, conférence, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries conférence, exposé, présentation, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
