Père Noël
/pɛʁ nɔ.ɛl/
In French, Santa is called Père Noël.
Père Noël is the standard and most natural term for the legendary figure who brings gifts to children on Christmas Eve. While the English name Santa Claus is sometimes understood because of American influence, Père Noël is what French speakers actually use.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of Père, meaning father and Noël, meaning Christmas.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In certain regions of France, particularly in the east, Saint Nicolas is celebrated as the gift-giving figure.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using the verb croire (to believe) to express belief in the existence of Santa, you must use the contraction au (which is à + le) before Père Noël, as in au Père Noël.
How do you pronounce it?
/pɛʁ nɔ.ɛl/
Did you know?
- The French word for 'Christmas' is an abbreviation of the Latin phrase nātālis diēs Dominī, which means 'the birthday of the Lord'.
- The word Noël is a linguistic relative of the English word 'natal'. Both come from the Latin nātālis, which refers to a birthday.
- While Père Noël is the global standard, French children in some eastern regions traditionally receive gifts from Saint Nicolas on December 6th instead.
Examples in context
- Il croit au Père Noël.He believes in Santa Claus.This sentence is useful for expressing belief in Père Noël.Tatoeba #130913 by dominiko, translation #290054 by CK
- Je crois au Père Noël.I believe in Santa Claus.Tatoeba #8823975 by Aiji, translation #5817290 by mailohilohi
- Le père Noël est mort.Santa Claus is dead.This sentence is useful for stating that Père Noël is dead.Tatoeba #10661988 by AutoBot, translation #10661990 by AutoBot
- J'attends avec impatience la visite du Père Noël.I am eagerly awaiting the visit of Santa Claus.
- Mes enfants croient encore au Bonhomme Noël.My children still believe in Santa Claus.
- Tu veux que Papa Noël t'apporte quoi cette année?What do you want Santa Claus to bring you this year?
- 90 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two children are talking about Christmas decorations in a living room.
- HugoRegarde, il y a une photo du Père Noël !Look, there is a photo of Santa Claus!
- EmmaEst-ce que le Père Noël va venir nous voir ?Is Santa Claus going to come see us?
- HugoOui, il apporte toujours de beaux cadeaux.Yes, he always brings beautiful gifts.
- EmmaJ'espère qu'il n'oubliera pas ma lettre.I hope he won't forget my letter.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry Père Noël, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Noël, noël, père, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
