commerçant
/kɔ.mɛʁ.sɑ̃/masculine
The English phrase shopkeeper is translated into French as commerçant. Wiktionary also lists magasinier and boutiquier.
Meaning: trader who sells goods in a shop (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| commerçant | /kɔ.mɛʁ.sɑ̃/ | masculine |
| magasinier | /ma.ɡa.zi.nje/ | masculine |
| boutiquier | /bu.ti.kje/ | masculine |
The term refers to a trader who sells goods in a shop.
Which one should you use?
While commerçant is the most general and professional term for a shopkeeper or merchant, magasinier is a technical term that does not usually mean a retail shopkeeper. Instead, it refers to a person who manages stock in a warehouse or a storeroom.
How does it change in a sentence?
The feminine form of commerçant is commerçante. The feminine form of boutiquier is boutiquière, and the feminine form of magasinier is magasinière.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /kɔ.mɛʁ.sɑ̃/ and has 3 syllables.
Did you know?
- In France, the commerçant is often a central figure in village social life, acting as an unofficial news hub and community connector.
- French law has a specific legal status for a commerçant that involves registration in a special trade register called the Registre du Commerce et des Sociétés.
- Using the term boutiquier to describe someone today might accidentally insult them by implying their business is tiny or unimportant.
Examples in context
- Le commerçant m'a fait une belle remise.The shopkeeper gave me a nice discount.This sentence is useful for describing a discount given by a commerçant.Tatoeba #12731146 by lbdx, translation #9288991 by CK
- La commerçante s'est mise en quatre pour nous aider.The shopkeeper went out of her way to help us.This sentence shows the helpfulness of a commerçant.Tatoeba #3424590 by sacredceltic, translation #3346759 by patgfisher
- Le commerçant a laissé partir ce tissu pour presque rien.The shopkeeper let this cloth go for almost nothing.This sentence illustrates a commerçant selling an item for a very low price.Tatoeba #11557419 by Aiji, translation #2254739 by _undertoad
- Je cherche un commerçant pour m'aider.I'm looking for a shopkeeper to assist me.
- J'ai rencontré un marchand sympa aujourd'hui.I met a friendly shopkeeper today.
- L'épicier du coin est très aimable.The shopkeeper at the corner store is very friendly.
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Nathan and Emma are walking through a local market.
- NathanCe commerçant vend des fruits délicieux.This shopkeeper sells delicious fruits.
- EmmaOui, il a l'air très sympathique.Yes, he seems very friendly.
- NathanJe vais demander le prix au commerçant.I am going to ask the shopkeeper for the price.
- EmmaD'accord, je t'attends ici.Okay, I will wait for you here.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “shopkeeper” translations and entries commerçant, magasinier, boutiquier, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
