prison
/pʁi.zɔ̃/feminine
The French word for prison is prison. Wiktionary also lists cabane and geôle.
Meaning: place of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| prison | /pʁi.zɔ̃/ | feminine |
| cabane | /ka.ban/ | feminine, slang |
| geôle | /ʒol/ | feminine |
| pénitencier | /pe.ni.tɑ̃.sje/ | masculine |
prison refers to a place of long-term confinement for those convicted of serious crimes.
Which one should you use?
While prison is the common term, pénitencier is a more formal or administrative term used for a large correctional institution. cabane is a slang term used to refer to a prison.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
pénitencier is a formal or administrative term, while cabane is informal slang.
How does it change in a sentence?
When expressing that someone is 'in prison', use the preposition en without an article, forming the phrase en prison, rather than using dans la prison.
How do you pronounce it?
/pʁi.zɔ̃/ (2 syllables)
Did you know?
- The word prison is a linguistic sibling of the English word 'prehension' meaning the act of grasping.
- In French, cabane is also used for a 'treehouse' or a 'shack', depending on the context.
Examples in context
- Il est en prison.He's in prison.This sentence shows how to say someone is currently in prison using prison.Tatoeba #1700865 by sacredceltic, translation #1699597 by CK
- Je vais en prison.I'm going to prison.This sentence shows the expression for going to prison using prison.Tatoeba #2025316 by sacredceltic, translation #1890991 by CK
- Tom est en prison.Tom is in prison.This sentence shows how to state that someone is in prison using prison.Tatoeba #2354940 by Amastan, translation #1024988 by CK
- 220 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing a true crime documentary.
- EmmaLe coupable a été envoyé en prison.The culprit was sent to prison.
- NathanEst-ce qu'il va rester longtemps en prison ?Is he going to stay in prison for a long time?
- EmmaOui, la prison est très sécurisée.Yes, the prison is very secure.
- NathanC'est une prison très célèbre.It is a very famous prison.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “prison” translations and entries prison, cabane, geôle, pénitencier, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cabane, geôle, prison, pénitencier, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
