rare
/ʁaʁ/
The English phrase 'rare' can be translated into French using rare or peu commun.
Meaning: very uncommon (adj)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA |
|---|---|
| rare | /ʁaʁ/ /ʁɑʁ/ |
| peu commun |
The word rare is the direct equivalent of its English counterpart, meaning very uncommon. You can also use the phrase peu commun to mean 'uncommon' or 'unusual'.
Which one should you use?
While rare implies that something is very hard to find, peu commun is a slightly more neutral way to say that something is 'uncommon' or 'not common'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective rare is invariable in gender, meaning it remains spelled the same for both masculine and feminine nouns. To form the plural, simply add an 's' to the end: rares.
How do you pronounce it?
/ʁaʁ/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not use rare in French to describe meat that is 'undercooked'. In French, rare means 'uncommon'. If you want to describe meat that is undercooked, use saignant instead.
Did you know?
- In a culinary context, asking for meat bleu is even more 'rare' than saignant, as it means the meat is barely seared.
- French speakers might use the expression rare oiseau to describe a person who is one of a kind or very eccentric.
- French has a specific term for 'medium-rare' meat, à point, which actually suggests the meat is cooked 'exactly right'.
Examples in context
- J'ai une maladie rare.I have a rare disease.This sentence is useful for showing how to use rare to describe a disease.Tatoeba #6000938 by sicerabibax, translation #5916882 by CK
- Tom a une maladie rare.Tom has a rare disease.Tatoeba #3043401 by nimfeo, translation #2546431 by CK
- Les plaintes sont rares.Complaints are rare.This sentence is useful for showing how to use rare in a plural context.Tatoeba #8755881 by Aiji, translation #5000894 by CK
- La collection de timbres de mon grand-père est très rare.My grandfather's stamp collection is very rare.
- Cette maladie est très peu commune chez les enfants.This disease is very uncommon among children.
- Je ne vois pas souvent ce genre de voiture dans la rue, c'est pas courant.I don't often see this kind of car on the street, it's not common.
- Ce film est vraiment pas banal, il faut absolument le voir.This movie is really unusual, you absolutely have to see it.
- 62 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Léa and Hugo are looking at an old book.
- LéaCe livre est très rare.This book is very rare.
- HugoOù as-tu trouvé cet ouvrage ?Where did you find this work?
- LéaC'est un exemplaire rare de collection.It is a rare collector's copy.
- HugoIl a beaucoup de valeur alors.It has a lot of value then.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “rare” translations and entries rare, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
