phoque
/fɔk/masculine
The English word seal is translated into French as phoque.
The term phoque refers to the marine mammal known as a seal.
Meaning: pinniped (noun)
Which one should you use?
In French, a distinction is often made between a phoque (seal) and an otarie (sea lion).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Quebec, Canada, the term phoque is commonly used without the same offensive undertone found in France.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
/fɔk/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers should be aware that the pronunciation of phoque is identical to a common French profanity.
Did you know?
- Because of the phonetic similarity to a vulgarity, some French speakers may prefer to refer to the animal by its scientific family name to remain polite in formal settings.
- The spelling of phoque preserves the Ancient Greek root φώκη, which used the letter phi for the 'f' sound. French kept this Greek-style spelling while English adapted 'seal' from Germanic roots.
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 distinction between a phoque and an otarie.Tatoeba #8925744 by lbdx, translation #8926338 by carlosalberto
- On a vu un phoque sur la glace.We saw a seal on the ice.
Example conversation
Gabriel and Chloé are visiting a zoo.
- GabrielChloé, regarde le phoque là-bas !Chloé, look at the seal over there!
- ChloéOh, il est vraiment mignon.Oh, it is really cute.
- GabrielJe pense qu'il adore le poisson.I think it loves fish.
- ChloéC'est vrai, il a l'air affamé.That's true, it looks hungry.
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.
