Québec
/ke.bɛk/masculine
Québec is the French name for the province of Quebec.
In most contexts, it is treated as a masculine noun and is preceded by the masculine article le to form le Québec.
Meaning: province (name)
Which one should you use?
When referring to the province as a political entity, you use the definite article to say le Québec. To distinguish the province from the city, you may see the specific formal term La Ville de Québec used to refer strictly to the city of Quebec.
How does it change in a sentence?
The name Québec is a masculine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /ke.bɛk/ and it consists of 2 syllables.
Did you know?
- The name Québec actually describes a physical feature of the landscape. It comes from the Algonquin word kepék, meaning '(it) narrows', referring to the point where the Saint Lawrence River constricts.
- In the region, Québec is frequently transformed into the adjective québécoise to describe a specific cultural identity rather than just a location.
- French speakers often omit the article entirely when referring to the city, but almost always include le when referring to the province.
Examples in context
- Vive le Québec libre !Long live free Quebec!This sentence is useful for seeing Québec used in a celebratory context.Tatoeba #10499856 by pkill, translation #11758735 by Fenrir
- Au Québec, on parle français.They speak French in Quebec.This sentence shows how to use Québec when describing the language spoken in the region.Tatoeba #1634360 by Micsmithel, translation #2860195 by CN
- Le Québec parviendra-t-il à faire sécession ?Will Quebec succeed in seceding?This sentence shows Québec being used in a political context regarding secession.Tatoeba #858952 by sacredceltic, translation #853226 by darinmex
- J'adore l'architecture de la vieille ville de Québec .I love the architecture of Quebec City's old town.
- La province de Québec est réputée pour sa beauté naturelle.Quebec province is renowned for its natural beauty.
- Nous avons réservé des billets pour le festival de Québec .We have tickets booked for the Quebec City festival.
- 18 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Nathan are discussing their travel plans.
- EmmaTu veux aller au Québec cet été ?Do you want to go to Quebec this summer?
- NathanOui, j'adore le Québec.Yes, I love Quebec.
- EmmaC'est une grande province.It is a large province.
- NathanC'est vrai, il y a beaucoup à voir.That's true, there is a lot to see.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “quebec” translations and entries Québec, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Québec, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
