classe de terminale
The English phrase "senior class" is translated into French as classe de terminale.
The term refers to the final year of study in a high school. When you want to refer specifically to a person in this class, you should use élève de terminale rather than attempting a direct translation of the word "senior".
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase classe de terminale literally translates to "class of the final year", where terminale denotes the final level of secondary education.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Quebec, Canada, you may use the term la dernière année du secondaire. Additionally, the phrase la promotion des finissants is sometimes used in Quebec instead of la promo des terminales.
How does it change in a sentence?
In casual conversation, it is common for students to drop the word classe and simply refer to the year as la terminale.
Did you know?
- The word classe is a learned borrowing from the Latin word classis, which originally referred to a division of the Roman fleet.
- While English speakers use 'senior' to denote the oldest students, French students in la terminale are often called les bacheliers because the year is defined by the 'baccalauréat' exam.
- The word terminale shares its root with the English word 'terminal', as both come from the Latin 'terminus' meaning 'boundary' or 'end'.
Examples in context
- Les élèves de terminale doivent choisir une filière pour l'université.The students in their final year need to choose a major for university.
- J'ai passé toute l'année avec la promo des terminales, c'était génial !I spent the whole year with the senior class, it was awesome!
- J'entame ma dernière année au lycée, j'ai hâte de passer à l'université !I'm starting my last year of high school, I can't wait to go to university!
- Je suis en classe de terminale cette année.I am in my senior class this year.
- Les élèves de la classe de terminale partent en voyage.The senior class students are going on a trip.
- C'est une année difficile pour la classe de terminale.It is a difficult year for the senior class.
Example conversation
Two students are talking about their school year.
- LucasTu es en quelle classe, Léa ?What grade are you in, Léa?
- LéaJe suis en classe de terminale maintenant.I am in senior year now.
- LucasC'est super, tu vas bientôt finir le lycée !That's great, you'll be finishing high school soon!
- LéaOui, mais j'ai beaucoup de stress pour le bac.Yes, but I have a lot of stress for the final exams.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries classe, de, CC BY-SA 4.0.
