voilier
/vwa.lje/masculine
In French, sailboat is voilier. Wiktionary also lists cotre.
Meaning: a boat propelled by a sail (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| voilier | /vwa.lje/ | masculine |
| cotre | /kɔtʁ/ | masculine |
The term refers to a boat propelled by a sail.
What does it mean word for word?
The word voilier is derived from voile, which means 'sail'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word is a masculine noun. To form the plural, add an 's' to the end of the word to get voiliers.
How do you pronounce it?
/vwa.lje/
Did you know?
- In French, the word voile means both 'sail' and 'veil'.
- The word voilure is used by French pilots to describe the 'wing surface' of an airplane, treating the aircraft's wings as if they were the sails of a boat.
- The suffix -ier in voilier is the same one used in boulanger for 'baker' or pommier for 'apple tree', designating an object or person defined by its primary characteristic.
Examples in context
- Thomas rêvait d'avoir un voilier.Thomas dreamed of having a sailboat.This sentence shows how to express a dream of owning a voilier.Tatoeba #6096463 by Blabla, translation #6098904 by carlosalberto
- Un voilier isolé navigue contre le vent.A lone sailboat is sailing against the wind.This sentence describes a voilier navigating against the wind.Tatoeba #929997 by sacredceltic, translation #929988 by zipangu
- Un jour, j'aimerais posséder un voilier.Someday, I would like to possess a sailboat.This sentence expresses a desire to possess a voilier in the future.Tatoeba #9766005 by lbdx, translation #681763 by Source_VOA
- Je suis un passionné de voile et j'adore naviguer à bord de mon voilier.I am a sailing enthusiast and I love sailing aboard my sailboat.
- Le bateau à voiles est un moyen agréable de profiter de la mer et du vent.The sailboat is a pleasant way to enjoy the sea and the wind.
- La dernière fois, nous avons navigué sur un voilier pendant toute la journée. C'était incroyable !Last time, we sailed on a sailboat all day. It was incredible!
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Manon and Gabriel are standing on a pier looking at the harbor.
- ManonEst-ce que tu vois ce voilier là-bas ?Do you see that sailboat over there?
- GabrielOui, il est très impressionnant, ce voilier.Yes, that sailboat is very impressive.
- ManonGabriel, est-ce que tu aimerais l'emprunter ?Gabriel, would you like to borrow it?
- GabrielAvec plaisir, c'est un rêve pour moi.With pleasure, it's a dream for me.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sailboat” translations and entries voilier, cotre, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
