élève de terminale
The English phrase 'senior in high school' is translated into French as élève de terminale.
This phrase is used to describe a student who is in their final year of high school. While élève de terminale is the standard way to describe the student, you can also use lycéen en terminale if you want to specifically emphasize that they are a high school student.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase élève de terminale literally means 'student of the final year', where terminale refers to the final grade of high school.
Which one should you use?
It is important to distinguish between the person and the school year: la terminale refers to the final year of high school itself, whereas élève de terminale refers to the student.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Terminology varies by region: in Belgium, a senior in high school is an élève de rhéto and in Quebec, the equivalent is étudiant de cinquième secondaire.
How does it change in a sentence?
If you want to describe someone's status rather than using a noun phrase, use the preposition en. For example, to say someone is 'a senior', you say Il est en terminale.
Did you know?
- In Belgium, a senior is called an élève de rhéto, which is a shortened version of rhétorique. This is a remnant of the old system where students studied rhetoric in their final year.
- While élève is the standard term for high schoolers, the term étudiant is generally reserved for university students in France. Using étudiant for a senior in high school may sound incorrectly formal or advanced.
- While 'senior' in English often implies an older person, the French terminale focuses strictly on the grade level, meaning the word 'terminal' is used in a positive sense of reaching the end of a cycle.
Examples in context
- Une élève de terminale est très studieuse.A senior in high school is very diligent.
- Mon frère est élève de terminale.My brother is a senior in high school.
- Elle est élève de terminale cette année.She is a senior in high school this year.
- Je suis enfin élève de terminale !I am finally a senior in high school!
Example conversation
Gabriel and Emma are talking about their school levels.
- GabrielTu es en quelle classe, Emma ?What grade are you in, Emma?
- EmmaJe suis élève de terminale maintenant.I am a senior in high school now.
- GabrielC'est super, tu passes le bac bientôt !That's great, you're taking the baccalaureate soon!
- EmmaOui, je suis un peu stressée.Yes, I am a bit stressed.
