plongée sous-marine
/plɔ̃.ʒe su.ma.ʁin/feminine
Scuba diving in French is plongée sous-marine.
plongée sous-marine is the noun used to describe the activity of underwater swimming. When talking about the activity, you will often see it used with the verbs faire de la plongée (to do scuba diving) or pratiquer la plongée (to practice scuba diving). Useful equipment terms include masque (mask), tuba (snorkel) and combinaison de plongée (wetsuit).
Meaning: underwater swimming (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of plongée (diving) and sous-marine (underwater/submarine).
How does it change in a sentence?
As a noun referring to the activity, plongée sous-marine is a feminine noun. It is typically preceded by the definite article la or the partitive article de la when used with verbs like faire.
How do you pronounce it?
/plɔ̃.ʒe su.ma.ʁin/
Did you know?
- Jacques Cousteau, the father of modern scuba diving, developed the 'Aqua-Lung' in France, which is why plongée sous-marine is deeply tied to French national pride and scientific history.
- The French word plongée is used not only for diving but also to describe 'plunging' into things like a deep conversation or a financial crisis.
- In France, the word plongée can refer to scuba diving, but it also describes the specific 'dive' motion a swimmer makes into a pool. Context is key to knowing if someone is heading to the ocean or just starting a lap.
Examples in context
- As-tu déjà essayé la plongée sous-marine ?Have you ever tried scuba diving?This sentence is useful for asking if someone has experienced the activity with plongée sous-marine.Tatoeba #10166562 by Micsmithel, translation #52292 by CK
- J'ai vu beaucoup de poissons en faisant de la plongée sous-marine.I saw a lot of fish while scuba diving.This sentence is useful for describing what one saw while performing plongée sous-marine.Tatoeba #10289594 by carlosalberto, translation #10289560 by carlosalberto
- Hier, j'ai fait une plongée incroyable dans les eaux tropicales.Yesterday, I had an incredible scuba diving experience in tropical waters.
- J'adore plonger pendant mes vacances à la mer.I love diving during my vacations by the sea.
- Hier, j'ai fait de la plongée dans les profondeurs de l'océan à l'aide de ma bouteille d'air.Yesterday, I went scuba diving in the depths of the ocean with my air tank.
- La plongée sous-marine est passionnante.Scuba diving is exciting.
Example conversation
Léa and Nathan are discussing their vacation plans.
- LéaTu veux faire de la plongée sous-marine ?Do you want to go scuba diving?
- NathanOui, j'adore la plongée sous-marine.Yes, I love scuba diving.
- LéaOn réserve un cours demain ?Shall we book a lesson tomorrow?
- NathanC'est une excellente idée, Léa.That is an excellent idea, Léa.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “scuba diving” translations and entries plongée sous-marine, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
