violet
/vjɔ.lɛ/
Purple in French is violet. Wiktionary also lists pourpre.
Meaning: colour (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA |
|---|---|
| violet | /vjɔ.lɛ/ |
| pourpre | /puʁpʁ/ |
Both violet and pourpre can be used as nouns to refer to the colour, and they also function as adjectives to describe things of that colour.
Which one should you use?
While both mean purple, violet is the standard word for the colour, whereas pourpre is more specific to a deep, reddish-purple or 'crimson' shade.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When used as an adjective, violet changes its form to match the noun it describes. It takes the feminine form violette for feminine nouns, the masculine plural form violets and the feminine plural form violettes.
How do you pronounce it?
{'ipa': '/vjɔ.lɛ/', 'syllables': 2}
Did you know?
- The word pourpre shares its root with the Ancient Greek word for the 'Murex' sea snail, which was used to create the rare dye.
- In French, pourpre is historically associated with royalty and high clergy, mirroring the 'royal purple' of the Roman Empire.
- The word violet is also used in French to describe a specific type of scent or a floral perfume, not just a visual color.
Examples in context
- J'aime cette chemise violette.I like that purple shirt.This sentence shows how to use the adjective violet.Tatoeba #5945466 by Aiji, translation #3170733 by CK
- Je préfère le pull gris au violet.I like the grey jumper more than the purple one.This sentence uses the noun form of violet.Tatoeba #12455389 by lbdx, translation #12455388 by sundown
- Il prend la pilule violette pour ne pas s'ennuyer.He takes the purple pill so he doesn't feel bored.This sentence uses the feminine form of violet.Tatoeba #11113951 by Aiji, translation #1468026 by nonong
- J'adore ce t-shirt mauve, il est vraiment cool !I love this purple t-shirt, it's really cool!
- 13 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Hugo are looking at flowers in a garden.
- EmmaRegarde cette fleur, elle est d'un beau violet.Look at this flower, it is a beautiful purple.
- HugoOui, le violet me plaît beaucoup.Yes, I like purple a lot.
- EmmaTu préfères le bleu ou le violet ?Do you prefer blue or purple?
- HugoJe choisis le violet pour mon jardin.I choose purple for my garden.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “purple” translations and entries violet, pourpre, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries pourpre, violet, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
