tapis
/ta.pi/
The French word for rug is tapis.
tapis refers to a partial floor covering such as a rug.
Meaning: partial floor covering (noun)
Which one should you use?
While tapis can mean both rug and carpet, it is often used for smaller, movable floor coverings, whereas moquette refers to wall-to-wall carpeting.
How do you pronounce it?
/ta.pi/
Did you know?
- A tapis roulant is the French term for a treadmill or a moving walkway found in airports.
- In the game of cards, tapis refers to going 'all in' or betting everything one has on the table.
- If someone says être sur le tapis, they are not talking about standing on a rug but are instead in trouble and facing a reprimand.
Examples in context
- Je déteste ce tapis.I hate this rug.This sentence is useful for expressing a dislike for a particular tapis.Tatoeba #2334544 by sacredceltic, translation #3508212 by CK
- Ce tapis est fait main.This rug is handmade.This sentence is useful for describing a tapis that is handmade.Tatoeba #10954435 by Aiji, translation #2731702 by sharptoothed
- Ce tapis a un joli motif.This rug has a nice pattern.This sentence is useful for noting a nice pattern on a tapis.Tatoeba #8641378 by lbdx, translation #2820979 by sharptoothed
- 19 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucas and Chloé are decorating a living room.
- LucasOn doit acheter un nouveau tapis.We need to buy a new rug.
- ChloéOui, celui-ci est trop petit.Yes, this one is too small.
- LucasJe préfère un tapis bleu.I prefer a blue rug.
- ChloéD'accord, cherchons ensemble.Okay, let's look together.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “rug” translations and entries tapis, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
