échelle
/e.ʃɛl/feminine
In French, the word for scale (size or scope) is échelle.
échelle is used to refer to the scope, size or ratio of something. It is also the standard word for a physical ladder. The phrase à grande échelle is the standard way to express that something is being done on a large scale or in large quantities.
Meaning: size or scope (noun)
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
échelle is a feminine noun, meaning it is preceded by feminine articles like la or une.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has two syllables: /e.ʃɛl/.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use échelle to mean a musical scale. However, the correct word for a musical scale is gamme.
Did you know?
- The expression monter les échelons, which literally means 'to climb the rungs of the ladder', is the standard French idiom for getting promoted in a professional career.
- In French, the word for a musical scale, gamme, comes from the word gamma, the third letter of the Greek alphabet.
- The word échelle is a doublet of the French word escale, which means a 'stopover' or 'port of call'. Both words originate from the same Latin root scāla.
Examples in context
- Les usines produisent à grande échelle.The factories are producing on a large scale.This sentence shows how to use échelle to express that something is being produced on a large scale.Tatoeba #11934382 by lbdx, translation #2268118 by _undertoad
- Je veux une carte du Texas à l'échelle 1/250000e.I want a map of Texas on a scale of 1 to 250000.This sentence demonstrates how to use échelle when referring to the scale of a map.Tatoeba #12680 by dominiko, translation #39574 by AlanF_US
- L'échelle de Planck est incompréhensive dans son infinitésimalité.The Planck scale is incomprehensible in its minuteness.This sentence shows the use of échelle in a scientific context regarding the Planck scale.Tatoeba #8762336 by marioo, translation #8762338 by marioo
- Pouvez-vous me dire combien je pèse sur la balance ?Can you tell me how much I weigh on the scale?
- Je pense que je dois me peser pour surveiller mon poids.I think I need to weigh myself to monitor my weight.
- Jouons la gamme de Do majeur.Let's play the C major scale.
- 14 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucas and Léa are discussing a new business project.
- LucasC'est un projet à quelle échelle ?What is the scale of this project?
- LéaOn commence à petite échelle pour l'instant.We are starting on a small scale for now.
- LucasTu penses pouvoir changer l'échelle rapidement ?Do you think you can change the scale quickly?
- LéaOui, c'est prévu pour l'année prochaine.Yes, it is planned for next year.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “scale” translations and entries échelle, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries échelle, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
