Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| chambre | /ʃɑ̃bʁ/ | feminine |
| pièce | /pjɛs/ | feminine |
| salle | /sal/ | feminine |
The word you choose depends on whether you are talking about a general division of a house, a large functional space or a sleeping area. Use chambre specifically for a bedroom, such as in a chambre d'hôtel (hotel room). For specific types of hotel accommodations, you might use chambre simple (single room), chambre double (double room) or chambre luxueuse (luxurious room).
Which one should you use?
pièce is a general term for any single room or division within a house. In contrast, salle refers to large rooms or those dedicated to a specific function, such as a salle à manger (dining room) or a salle de classe (classroom). chambre is strictly reserved for a bedroom.
How does it change in a sentence?
When counting the number of rooms in an apartment or house, use pièce. For example, un trois-pièces refers to a three-room apartment. All three forms, pièce, salle and chambre, are feminine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/ʃɑ̃bʁ/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use chambre to mean any room.
Did you know?
- While chambre means a bedroom in a home, it can also refer to a legislative body, such as the Chambre des députés.
- The word chambre comes from the Ancient Greek kamára, which described anything with an arched cover, including covered boats and wagons.
- The word salle is the root for the English word 'salon', which evolved from a large reception hall into a specialized beauty or art space.
Examples in context
- Il a vu la salle.He saw the room.This sentence is useful for seeing salle used to mean a room.Tatoeba #11964037 by Amastan, translation #8679832 by Amastan
- Voici ma chambre !Here's my room.This sentence is useful for seeing chambre used to mean a room.Tatoeba #2384892 by sacredceltic, translation #2377094 by NotApplicable
- La pièce est vide.The room is empty.This sentence is useful for seeing pièce used to mean a room.Tatoeba #5816582 by Aiji, translation #1898196 by CK
- Je voudrais réserver une chambre pour deux nuits, s'il vous plaît.I would like to book a room for two nights, please.
- Puis-je visiter la pièce et vérifier les commodités ?Can I visit the room and check the amenities?
- On se retrouve dans ma chambre ?Shall we meet in my room?
- Viens voir ma nouvelle piaule, elle est super cool !Come see my new room, it's really cool!
- Excusez-moi, pourriez-vous me recommander une bonne chambre d'hôtel?Excuse me, could you recommend a good hotel room?
- Est-ce qu'il y a une chambre de libre pour ce soir ?Is there a vacant room for tonight?
- 1865 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Chloé and Lucas are arriving at a hotel.
- ChloéEst-ce que la chambre est prête ?Is the room ready?
- LucasOui, Lucas, elle est au premier étage.Yes, Lucas, it is on the first floor.
- ChloéC'est une grande chambre ?Is it a large room?
- LucasOui, elle a un lit double.Yes, it has a double bed.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “room” translations and entries chambre, pièce, salle, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries chambre, pièce, salle, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
