Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| sécurité | /se.ky.ʁi.te/ | feminine |
| sûreté | /syʁ.te/ | feminine |
sécurité is the most common and general term for safety, security or protection in physical or technical contexts. For example, it is used in the standard phrase for road safety, sécurité routière. You may also use it in several ways: Portez votre ceinture de sécurité (Wear your seatbelt), Respecter les consignes de sécurité (To follow safety instructions), Vérifier les dispositifs de sécurité (To check safety devices) and Gardez vos objets de valeur en sécurité (Keep your valuables safe). Other useful expressions include Prendre des précautions (To take precautions), Appeler les secours (To call emergency services), Se mettre en lieu sûr (To seek shelter or a safe place), Éloignez-vous des zones dangereuses (Stay away from dangerous areas), Composer le numéro d'urgence (To dial the emergency number), Verrouillez les portes et les fenêtres (Lock doors and windows), Signalez les comportements dangereux (Report dangerous behaviors) and Faites attention à ce qui vous entoure (Pay attention to your surroundings). To say 'safely' or 'in complete safety', use the idiomatic expression en toute sécurité.
Which one should you use?
While sécurité covers general safety, security and protection, sûreté refers specifically to safety measures or precautions taken to prevent accidents or dangers. Additionally, sûreté is often used to refer to the quality of being certain or the reliability of a person or a process.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /se.ky.ʁi.te/ and has 4 syllables.
Did you know?
- In French aviation and rail travel, Sûreté refers to protection against intentional malicious acts, while Sécurité refers to protection against accidental failures.
- If you want to say something is 'safe and sound', you might use the expression sain et sauf, which uses the word 'sain' (healthy) instead of a word for 'safety'.
- The two words for 'safety', sécurité and sûreté, are actually 'doublets', meaning they both evolved from the exact same Latin word, 'secūritātem'.
Examples in context
- La sécurité avant tout.Safety comes first.This sentence is useful for expressing that safety is the priority when using sécurité.Tatoeba #3465015 by Lulantis, translation #4496715 by CK
- La sécurité est primordiale.Safety is paramount.This sentence is useful for emphasizing that safety is paramount when using sécurité.Tatoeba #10130142 by lbdx, translation #8913212 by CK
- La sécurité n'est pas assurée.Safety is not guaranteed.This sentence is useful for stating that safety is not guaranteed when using sécurité.Tatoeba #1664318 by sacredceltic, translation #1664315 by Spamster
- La sécurité est primordialeSafety is paramount
- La sécurité routière est essentielleRoad safety is essential
- Les agents de sûreté sont très vigilantsSecurity agents are very vigilant
- Notre priorité est votre bien-être et votre sécuritéOur priority is your well-being and safety
- Je travaille dur pour assurer le bien-être et la sécurité de ma familleI work hard to ensure the well-being and safety of my family
- 86 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Nathan and Emma are discussing the security of a new apartment.
- NathanQu'est-ce que tu penses de la sécurité ici ?What do you think of the safety here?
- EmmaJe pense que la sécurité est très bonne.I think the safety is very good.
- NathanY a-t-il un code pour la sécurité ?Is there a code for security?
- EmmaOui, Nathan, c'est pour plus de sécurité.Yes, Nathan, it's for added safety.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “safety” translations and entries sécurité, sûreté, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries sécurité, sûreté, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
