rap
/ʁap/masculine
The English phrase "rap music" is translated into French as rap.
rap is a noun used to refer to the music genre. When you want to refer specifically to the genre within France, you use the phrase le rap français.
Meaning: music form (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
rap is a masculine noun and is typically used with the definite article le, as in le rap.
How do you pronounce it?
/ʁap/
Did you know?
- French rap lyricists often use 'verlan', a form of slang where syllables are inverted, making the genre a unique linguistic playground within the language.
- While rap is the standard term, you will often hear the word le kickage to describe the act of rapping with high technical skill and aggression.
- French rappers often use le rap to create a specific linguistic style called le parler banlieue, which blends standard French with Arabic and Romani words.
Examples in context
- Je suis fan de la musique hip-hop québécoise!I'm a fan of Quebecois hip-hop music!
- J'aime beaucoup le rap.I really like rap.
- Il écoute du rap toute la journée.He listens to rap all day long.
- Le rap est très populaire ici.Rap is very popular here.
Example conversation
Hugo and Emma are discussing their music preferences at a café.
- HugoTu aimes quel style de musique ?What style of music do you like?
- EmmaMoi, j'écoute surtout du rap.Me, I mainly listen to rap.
- HugoAh bon ? Moi, je préfère le jazz.Oh really? I prefer jazz.
- EmmaC'est vrai, nous avons des goûts différents !True, we have different tastes!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “rap music” translations and entries rap, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
