savane
/sa.van/feminine
The English word savanna is translated into French as savane.
The word savane refers to a tropical grassland with scattered trees.
Meaning: tropical grassland with scattered trees (noun)
Is it said differently in some regions?
In parts of West Africa, the term la brousse is used to encompass various types of open landscapes, including savannas.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /sa.van/. It has 2 syllables.
Did you know?
- The word savane originates from the Taíno and Cariban languages of the Caribbean, passing through Spanish before entering French.
- While savane describes the ecosystem, the term brousse often carries a cultural connotation of isolation or living far from the city.
Examples in context
- Les tigres vivent dans la jungle, les lions dans la savane.Tigers live in the jungle, lions in the savanna.This sentence is useful for contrasting where tigers and lions live, using the form savane.Tatoeba #1675591 by Scott, translation #1563736 by shekitten
- La savane est très chaude en été.The savanna is very hot in summer.
- On peut voir des zèbres dans la savane.You can see zebras in the savanna.
Example conversation
Two friends are watching a nature documentary on TV.
- ManonRegarde ce magnifique paysage de savane !Look at this magnificent savanna landscape!
- HugoOui, la savane est vraiment impressionnante.Yes, the savanna is truly impressive.
- ManonHugo, est-ce que tu aimes les animaux sauvages ?Hugo, do you like wild animals?
- HugoAbsolument, je rêve d'y voyager un jour.Absolutely, I dream of traveling there one day.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “savanna” translations and entries savane, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries savane, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
