prince
/pʁɛ̃s/masculine
The English word 'prince' is translated into French as prince.
The term prince refers to the son or male-line grandson of a reigning monarch. When using the word as a formal title, it does not require an article.
Meaning: son or male-line grandson of a reigning monarch (noun)
Which one should you use?
The masculine form is prince, while the feminine form for a princess is princesse. To refer specifically to a crown prince, the phrase le prince héritier is used.
How does it change in a sentence?
To construct the term for 'crown prince', the word héritier (meaning 'heir') is placed after prince to form le prince héritier.
How do you pronounce it?
/pʁɛ̃s/
Did you know?
- The word prince shares an ancestor with the English word 'principal', both stemming from the Latin 'princeps' meaning 'first' or 'foremost'.
- The phrase prince charmant is the standard French translation for 'Prince Charming' and is frequently used ironically to describe an idealized but nonexistent partner.
- In a formal French address, you would call a prince Monseigneur rather than using the word prince as a direct greeting.
Examples in context
- Tom est un prince.Tom is a prince.This sentence is useful for identifying a person as a prince.Tatoeba #10282520 by Micsmithel, translation #2272851 by CK
- Le prince est beau.The prince is handsome.This sentence is useful for describing the physical appearance of a prince.Tatoeba #10282522 by Micsmithel, translation #2449375 by Hybrid
- Ils aiment le prince.They love the prince.This sentence is useful for expressing affection for a prince.Tatoeba #10692706 by AutoBot, translation #13400762 by rul
- Le prince William est le fils aîné du prince Charles.Prince William is the eldest son of Prince Charles.
- Le prince héritier Mohammed bin Salman est le fils aîné du roi Salman d'Arabie Saoudite.Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is the eldest son of King Salman of Saudi Arabia.
- Je cherche toujours mon prince charmant.I'm still looking for my Prince Charming.
- "Toutes les grandes personnes ont d'abord été des enfants, mais peu d'entre elles s'en souviennent."All grown-ups were once children, but few of them remember it.
- 67 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Léa and Gabriel are talking about a historical biography.
- GabrielLe prince est dans ce livre.The prince is in this book.
- LéaEst-ce un prince français ?Is he a French prince?
- GabrielOui, c'est un jeune prince.Yes, he is a young prince.
- LéaL'histoire de ce prince est intéressante.The story of this prince is interesting.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “prince” translations and entries prince, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries prince, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
