How to Say "Rust" in French - How To Say Guide

rouille

/ʁuj/feminine

The English word 'rust' is translated into French as rouille.

The noun rouille refers to the result of oxidation.

Meaning: result of oxidation (noun)

Which one should you use?

It is important to distinguish between the noun rouille, which means 'rust' and the verb rouiller, which means 'to rust'.

The noun rouille is feminine, so any accompanying adjectives must also be in the feminine form.

/ʁuj/

In French, the noun rouille can also refer to a specific type of thick, grainy sauce made with breadcrumbs and garlic used in cooking.
The Latin ancestor of rouille includes a suffix used to denote diseased conditions, treating 'rust' as a sickness of the metal.
The term rouille is used in botany to describe a specific stage of the life cycle of certain fungi that cause rust diseases in plants.

L'or ne rouille pas.
Gold doesn't rust.
This example shows how to use the verb form of rouille.
Tatoeba #4580440 by sacredceltic, translation #997043 by Vulgaris
La rouille ronge le fer.
The rust is eating away the iron.
This sentence uses the noun rouille.
Tatoeba #11172327 by lbdx, translation #5914826 by astru
Pourquoi le fer rouille-t-il ?
Why does iron rust?
This sentence uses the verb form of rouille.
Tatoeba #11172324 by lbdx, translation #10209371 by sundown
La rouille est un problème courant pour les véhicules anciens
Rust is a common problem for old vehicles
La vieille clôture est pleine de crasse et de rouille
The old fence is full of dirt and rust
Cette vieille clé est rouillée et inutilisable
This old key is rusty and unusable
La rouille a endommagé mon vélo
Rust has damaged my bike
J'ai remarqué de la rouille sur ma voiture après l'hiver
I noticed rust on my car after winter
Les barres métalliques du pont sont couvertes de crasse et de rouille
The metal bars of the bridge are covered in dirt and rust
Malgré son apparence rouillée, cette ancienne poupée a une grande valeur sentimentale
Despite its rusty appearance, this old doll holds great sentimental value
8 more sentences on Tatoeba

Léa and Hugo are looking at an old bicycle in the garage.

Léa

Regarde tout ce métal couvert de rouille.
Look at all this metal covered in rust.
Hugo

C'est vrai, elle est très vieille.
It's true, it is very old.
Léa

On peut enlever la rouille facilement ?
Can we remove the rust easily?
Hugo

Oui, avec un produit spécial.
Yes, with a special product.

Sources

Wiktionary, “rust” translations and entries rouille, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
Word origins: Wiktionary entries rouille, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.

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