corbeau
/kɔʁ.bo/masculine
The English word raven is translated into French as corbeau. Wiktionary also lists grand corbeau.
Meaning: any of several, generally large, species of birds in the genus Corvus with lustrous black plumage (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| corbeau | /kɔʁ.bo/ | masculine |
| grand corbeau | masculine |
The word corbeau refers to any of several large species of birds in the genus Corvus characterized by lustrous black plumage. You may also encounter the related adjective noir corbeau, which describes a color that is the jet-black and often glossy shade of a raven's feathers.
Which one should you use?
In everyday French, corbeau is often used as a general term for both crows and ravens, whereas corneille specifically refers to a crow.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Quebec, some speakers may use the term grand corbeau to emphasize size.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine singular form is corbeau and its plural form is corbeaux.
How do you pronounce it?
/kɔʁ.bo/. It has 2 syllables.
Did you know?
- In French, a corbeau can refer to an anonymous letter writer who sends malicious or revealing information to others.
- In French architecture, a corbeau is also a structural bracket or stone projection used to support a cornice or balcony.
- Medieval French legends often linked the corbeau to prophecy and death, reflecting a folklore shared with many other European cultures.
Examples in context
- Ce n'est pas une corneille. C'est un corbeau.It's not a crow. It's a raven.This sentence is useful for distinguishing a raven from a crow using corbeau.Tatoeba #10714460 by lbdx, translation #2684381 by Hybrid
- Ce n'est ni une corneille, ni un corbeau. C'est une pie.It's not a crow, nor a raven. It's a magpie.Tatoeba #12439155 by lbdx, translation #2695731 by Hybrid
- Ce n'est ni un corbeau, ni une corneille, ni une pie. C'est un freux.It's not a raven, a crow, nor a magpie. It's a rook.Tatoeba #11257680 by lbdx, translation #2703204 by Hybrid
- J'ai récemment observé un magnifique corbeau dans le jardin.I recently observed a magnificent raven in the garden.
- Regarde ce gros corbeau! Il est énorme!Look at that big raven! It's huge!
- Les corneilles sont souvent confondues avec les corbeaux.Crows are often mistaken for ravens.
- 11 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Léa and Hugo are walking in a park near a forest.
- LéaRegarde, il y a un corbeau sur la branche.Look, there is a raven on the branch.
- HugoOui, il est très grand et tout noir.Yes, it is very large and completely black.
- LéaC'est un corbeau impressionnant.It is an impressive raven.
- HugoIl est vraiment magnifique, Léa.It is truly magnificent, Léa.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “raven” translations and entries corbeau, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
