rural
/ʁy.ʁal/
The English word 'rural' is translated into French as rural.
The term is used to describe things pertaining to non-urban areas. While rural is the standard term, you may encounter other words depending on the context: bucolique is used for a rural landscape that has an idyllic or pastoral character and villageois(e) is used specifically to refer to the residents or people living in rural villages.
Meaning: pertaining to non-urban areas (adj)
Which one should you use?
While rural is the standard adjective, campagnard can be used informally to refer to things or people related to the countryside or rural areas.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form of the adjective changes based on the gender and number of the noun it describes: use rural for masculine singular, rurale for feminine singular, ruraux for masculine plural and rurales for feminine plural.
How do you pronounce it?
/ʁy.ʁal/
Did you know?
- French speakers often use the phrase vivre au vert to describe the act of moving to a rural area to live a healthier life.
- The word campagne, used to describe the rural countryside, also means 'campaign' in a military or political sense.
- While rural describes the geography, using the word campagnard to describe a person can sometimes be perceived as an insult, implying they are unsophisticated or 'country bumpkin'.
Examples in context
- Je vis en zone rurale.I live in a rural area.This sentence is useful for expressing where you live using rural.Tatoeba #1869481 by sacredceltic, translation #1866502 by Spamster
- Sami vivait dans un comté très rural.Sami lived in a very rural county.This sentence is useful for describing a location using rural.Tatoeba #6329665 by Scorpionvenin14, translation #6329364 by OsoHombre
- Les villes sont plus densément peuplées que les zones rurales.Cities are more densely populated than rural areas.This sentence is useful for comparing populations using rurales.Tatoeba #5592602 by Scorpionvenin14, translation #5592586 by Hybrid
- La vie rurale est souvent calme et paisible.Rural life is often calm and peaceful.
- Les paysages ruraux sont magnifiques en automne.Rural landscapes are breathtaking in autumn.
- La vie campagnarde est différente de celle en ville.Country life is different from city life.
- On a acheté une vieille maison campagnarde pour nos vacances.We bought an old countryside house for our holidays.
- Il aime le charme campagnard des petits villages.He loves the countryside charm of small villages.
- La région offre des paysages champêtres magnifiques.The region offers beautiful rural landscapes.
- Une escapade champêtre peut être très apaisante pour l'âme.A rural getaway can be very soothing for the soul.
- Les collines bucoliques de cette région sont célèbres pour leur beauté.The bucolic hills of this region are famous for their beauty.
- La vie bucolique est un choix pour ceux qui recherchent la sérénité.Bucolic life is a choice for those seeking serenity.
- 9 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucas and Manon are discussing their dream homes.
- LucasJe préfère le calme d'un environnement rural.I prefer the calm of a rural environment.
- ManonC'est vrai, mais c'est loin des magasins.That's true, but it's far from the shops.
- LucasOn peut faire les courses en ligne.We can do the shopping online.
- ManonD'accord, alors cherchons une maison rurale.Okay, then let's look for a rural house.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “rural” translations and entries rural, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
