chaussure
/ʃo.syʁ/feminine
The English word shoe is translated into French as chaussure. Wiktionary also lists soulier.
Meaning: protective covering for the foot (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| chaussure | /ʃo.syʁ/ | feminine |
| soulier | /su.lje/ | masculine |
The term refers to a protective covering for the foot. When you are speaking about a pair of shoes in a general sense, it is almost always used in the plural form, chaussures.
Which one should you use?
Chaussure is the standard, everyday word for shoe used in most contexts. In contrast, soulier is a more formal or literary term, often found in older literature or specifically within the fashion industry.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Martinique, the word pompe is used to mean shoe. In Canada, soulier is a common formal choice.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
Chaussure is a feminine noun. Its plural is chaussures. Soulier is a masculine noun. Its plural is souliers.
How do you pronounce it?
/ʃo.syʁ/
When do people say it?
In Morocco, the term babouche is used to refer to a specific type of traditional footwear.
Did you know?
- In France, you can use the verb chausser to state your shoe size, effectively saying you 'shoe' a certain number.
- The French word soulier is derived from the Late Latin subtelāris, which refers to something worn under the sole of the foot.
- While chaussure is the most common term, the word pompe is used colloquially in Martinique to mean shoe, which might confuse an English speaker who associates the word with a water pump.
Examples in context
- J'ai perdu ma chaussure.I lost my shoe.This sentence is useful for stating that you have lost a single chaussure.Tatoeba #12029222 by Rovo, translation #11588049 by shekitten
- Cette chaussure me va bien.This shoe fits me well.This sentence demonstrates how to say a chaussure fits well.Tatoeba #1593673 by Petrus, translation #464204 by lukaszpp
- Noue ton lacet de chaussure.Tie your shoe.This sentence shows how to instruct someone to tie a lace on a chaussure.Tatoeba #879173 by sacredceltic, translation #843584 by odiernod
- Je porte de belles chaussures.I am wearing nice shoes.
- Elle achète de nouveaux souliers pour la soirée.She is buying new shoes for the evening.
- Mes baskets sont très confortables.My sneakers are very comfortable.
- J'adore mes nouvelles godasses, elles sont à la mode.I love my new kicks, they are fashionable.
- En Martinique, ils utilisent souvent le mot 'pompe' pour dire 'chaussure'.In Martinique, they often use the word 'pompe' to mean 'shoe.'
- Au Maroc, les babouches sont des chaussures traditionnelles.In Morocco, babouches are traditional shoes.
- 38 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Gabriel and Léa are getting ready to go outside.
- GabrielOù est ma chaussure gauche ?Where is my left shoe?
- LéaElle est sous le canapé, Gabriel.It is under the sofa, Gabriel.
- GabrielMerci, j'ai enfin trouvé ma chaussure.Thanks, I finally found my shoe.
- LéaC'est parti, on peut y aller !Let's go, we can leave now!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “shoe” translations and entries chaussure, soulier, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries chaussure, soulier, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
