rivière
/ʁi.vjɛʁ/feminine
The English word river is translated into French as fleuve or rivière.
Meaning: large stream which drains a landmass (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| rivière | /ʁi.vjɛʁ/ | feminine |
| fleuve | /flœv/ | masculine |
Both terms refer to a large stream of water that drains a landmass, but they are distinguished by where the water eventually flows.
Which one should you use?
The distinction between the two forms depends on the river's destination. Use fleuve specifically for a river that flows into an ocean or a sea. Use rivière for a river that flows into another river or a lake.
How does it change in a sentence?
fleuve is a masculine noun, while rivière is a feminine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
rivière is pronounced /ʁi.vjɛʁ/ and has 2 syllables.
Did you know?
- The term rivière comes from the Early Medieval Latin rīpāria, which originally referred to things belonging to the river bank rather than the water itself.
- The word fleuve is closely related to the English word 'fluency' and the French word fluide, as both stem from the Latin root for 'flowing'.
- In France, the Seine is a fleuve because it flows into the English Channel, but the Marne is a rivière because it flows into the Seine.
Examples in context
- Le fleuve est long.The river is long.This sentence uses fleuve to describe the length of a river.Tatoeba #2186387 by nimfeo, translation #2178173 by DJ_Saidez
- La rivière est belle.The river is beautiful.This sentence uses rivière to describe the beauty of a river.Tatoeba #7417929 by lbdx, translation #10023182 by Cabo
- Où coule la rivière ?Where does the river flow?This sentence uses rivière to ask about the direction a river flows.Tatoeba #11406311 by lbdx, translation #10832025 by ddnktr
- Le fleuve Saint-Laurent est le plus long fleuve du Canada.The Saint Lawrence River is the longest river in Canada.
- Le cours d'eau traverse plusieurs villages pittoresques.The river crosses several picturesque villages.
- 520 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hugo and Chloé are walking in the countryside.
- HugoRegarde cette petite rivière.Look at this small river.
- ChloéElle est très calme.It is very calm.
- HugoOn peut nager dans la rivière ?Can we swim in the river?
- ChloéOui, l'eau est parfaite.Yes, the water is perfect.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “river” translations and entries rivière, fleuve, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries fleuve, rivière, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
