phoque
/fɔk/masculine
The French word for seal is phoque.
phoque is a masculine noun used to refer to the pinniped animal.
Meaning: pinniped (noun)
Which one should you use?
While phoque refers to a seal, the specific term used for a sea lion is otarie.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
/fɔk/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers should be aware that phoque is a homophone for a common French profanity, though the pronunciation in standard French is slightly different.
Did you know?
- While English uses 'seal' for both the animal and a wax stamp, French uses two entirely different words: phoque for the animal and 'sceau' for the stamp.
- The spelling of phoque preserves the 'ph' from its Ancient Greek ancestor φώκη, a trait common in words derived from Greek.
- Because phoque is a homophone for a vulgar term, French speakers sometimes use a playful or cautious tone when discussing these animals in public.
Examples in context
- Le phoque est un mammifère marin.A seal is a marine mammal.This sentence is useful for stating that a phoque is a marine mammal.Tatoeba #4468592 by Mutusen, translation #13052513 by araneo
- Peux-tu faire la différence entre un phoque et une otarie ?Can you tell the difference between a seal and a sea lion?This sentence is useful for asking about the difference between a phoque and a sea lion.Tatoeba #8925744 by lbdx, translation #8926338 by carlosalberto
- Je suis allé récemment au zoo et j'ai vu un phoque.I recently went to the zoo and saw a seal.
- Regarde, il y a une otarie qui se repose sur le rocher!Look, there's a seal resting on the rock!
- J'ai vu un phoque sur la plage.I saw a seal on the beach.
Example conversation
At the aquarium, looking at the marine life.
- GabrielRegarde ce joli phoque, Léa !Look at this pretty seal, Léa!
- LéaIl est vraiment mignon, Gabriel.He is really cute, Gabriel.
- GabrielEst-ce qu'il nage vite ?Does he swim fast?
- LéaOui, les phoques sont très rapides.Yes, seals are very fast.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “seal” translations and entries phoque, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries phoque, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
