portée
/pɔʁ.te/feminine
The English word 'scope' is translated into French as portée.
The word portée is used to describe the extent, reach or impact of something, such as the scope of an influence or the scope of a law.
Meaning: breadth, depth or reach of a subject, extent of applicability or relevance (noun)
Which one should you use?
While portée refers to general reach or impact, if you specifically mean the 'scope of application' regarding technical specifications, rules or laws, you should use champ d'application instead.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun portée is feminine. Consequently, any accompanying adjectives must agree in gender, such as in the phrase une portée limitée (a limited scope).
How do you pronounce it?
/pɔʁ.te/
Did you know?
- In a biological context, portée is used to describe a 'litter' of animals, such as puppies or kittens, born at the same time.
- In music, portée is the French word for a 'staff' or 'stave', the set of five lines where notes are written. This refers to the visual 'reach' of the musical notation.
- Because portée comes from the verb porter, meaning 'to carry', its literal sense is the distance something can be carried or thrown.
Examples in context
- L'étendue de la mission est énorme.The scope of the mission is enormous.
- La portée de ce projet est internationale.The scope of this project is international.
- Ce problème dépasse le champ de nos compétences.This problem exceeds the scope of our abilities.
- Cette réforme dépasse la portée de la loi.This reform exceeds the scope of the law.
- Nous devons limiter la portée de l'étude.We must limit the scope of the study.
Example conversation
Two colleagues are discussing a new research project in an office.
- HugoQuelle est la portée de votre projet ?What is the scope of your project?
- EmmaElle est assez limitée pour l'instant.It is quite limited for now.
- HugoEst-ce que cela couvre tout le domaine ?Does it cover the whole field?
- EmmaNon, Hugo, nous devons rester précis.No, Hugo, we must remain precise.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “scope” translations and entries portée, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries portée, CC BY-SA 4.0.
