Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| procédure | /pʁɔ.se.dyʁ/ | feminine |
| procédé | /pʁɔ.se.de/ | masculine |
The term procédure is used to describe a series of steps, a formal way of doing something or an official protocol. In legal or administrative contexts, it is the standard term for 'legal proceedings' or 'due process'. When describing the order of steps within a procedure, you can use transitional phrases such as Premièrement, Deuxièmement and Troisièmement to emphasize the sequence.
Which one should you use?
There is a distinction between procédure and procédé. While procédure refers to a sequence of actions or an official protocol, the masculine noun procédé refers to a specific technique, a technical process or the means used to achieve a particular result.
How does it change in a sentence?
Procédure is a feminine noun, while procédé is a masculine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /pʁɔ.se.dyʁ/ and has three syllables.
Did you know?
- In French, using the word procédé to describe a person's behavior can imply they are being manipulative or devious. It is often used to suggest someone is using a 'trick' rather than a standard method.
- In a medical context, a French speaker might use intervention instead of procédure when referring to a surgical procedure.
- The word procédure is a feminine noun, but its masculine counterpart procédé is actually a substantivized past participle of the verb procéder.
Examples in context
- Je connais la procédure.I know the procedure.This sentence demonstrates knowledge of a specific procédure.Tatoeba #7705246 by Rockaround, translation #2376149 by CK
- La procédure est indolore.The procedure is painless.This sentence describes the physical sensation of a procédure.Tatoeba #8376504 by Bafy78, translation #5739548 by CM
- C'est une procédure illégale.This is an illegal procedure.This sentence characterizes a procédure as being illegal.Tatoeba #7698375 by Maxence, translation #1295010 by CK
- Suivez la procédure pour obtenir votre visaFollow the procedure to obtain your visa
- Le processus d'embauche est long et détailléThe hiring process is long and detailed
- La méthode de traitement des données est rigoureusement suivieThe data processing procedure is rigorously followed
- Nous vous expliquerons la démarche à suivre pour obtenir un remboursementWe will explain the procedure to follow to obtain a refund
- Voici la marche à suivre pour monter cette étagèreHere's the procedure to assemble this shelf
- Le mode d'emploi détaille la procédure de configuration de l'appareilThe user guide outlines the device setup procedure
- Je vais t'expliquer la démarche à suivre pour organiser cette fêteI will explain the procedure to follow to organize this party
- 16 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hugo and Emma are at a government office.
- HugoQuelle est la procédure pour le passeport ?What is the procedure for the passport?
- EmmaIl faut remplir ce formulaire d'abord.You have to fill out this form first.
- HugoC'est une procédure très longue, Hugo ?Is it a very long procedure, Hugo?
- EmmaOui, mais c'est nécessaire pour le dossier.Yes, but it is necessary for the file.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “procedure” translations and entries procédure, procédé, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries procédure, procédé, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
