Ways to say it
| French | IPA |
|---|---|
| sauvage | /so.vaʒ/ (France) /sɔ.vaʒ/ (Canada) |
| barbare | /baʁ.baʁ/ |
Both terms are used to describe things that are not civilized, but they carry different nuances. Sauvage is often used to describe something wild, feral or untamed, such as plants or animals. As a noun, sauvage can also refer to an uncivilized or feral person.
Which one should you use?
While both words translate to "savage," they are not interchangeable. Sauvage is the preferred term for describing nature, animals or plants that are in a wild state. In contrast, barbare is used specifically to describe people or behaviors that are perceived as brutal, uncivilized or lacking culture.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective sauvage is invariant for gender, which means it remains the same whether it is describing a masculine or feminine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/so.vaʒ/
Did you know?
- In French, the term sauvage can be used as a gentle way to describe a shy person or a child who avoids others.
- The term barbare has its roots in the historical way ancient people labeled anyone who did not speak Greek, treating the language itself as a sign of being 'unintelligible'.
- If you describe a person as having a caractère sauvage, you are often implying they are fiercely independent or difficult to tame rather than purely violent.
Examples in context
- Il y a encore des tribus sauvages sur cette île.There are still some savage tribes on that island.This sentence is useful for seeing how to describe tribes using sauvage.Tatoeba #11257654 by lbdx, translation #44755 by CM
- La musique a les charmes pour apaiser la bête sauvage.Music has charms to soothe the savage beast.This sentence shows the use of sauvage when referring to a beast.Tatoeba #808303 by sacredceltic, translation #694032 by darinmex
- Le sauvage m'a dérobé mes précieux bijoux et s'est enfui.The savage robbed me of my precious jewels and ran away.This sentence demonstrates sauvage used as a noun to refer to a person.Tatoeba #533234 by sacredceltic, translation #324137 by sacredceltic
- La forêt amazonienne abrite des animaux sauvages.The Amazon rainforest is home to wild animals.
- Cet homme est vraiment barbare, il crie tout le temps !This man is really savage, he always shouts!
- 8 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Léa and Gabriel are discussing a historical movie.
- LéaLe comportement de ce guerrier est vraiment sauvage.This warrior's behavior is truly savage.
- GabrielOui, il n'a aucune notion de civilité.Yes, he has no notion of civility.
- LéaC'est une vision très sauvage de l'histoire.It's a very savage vision of history.
- GabrielC'est peut-être pour cela que le film choque.Maybe that is why the movie is shocking.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “savage” translations and entries sauvage, barbare, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries barbare, sauvage, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
