épaule
/e.pol/feminine
The English word shoulder is épaule in French.
épaule refers to the joint between the arm and the torso. In technical or medical contexts, you may also see the phrase la partie supérieure du bras used to describe this area.
Meaning: joint between arm and torso (noun)
Which one should you use?
The plural form of the word is épaules.
How does it change in a sentence?
épaule is a feminine noun. Because it starts with a vowel, the definite article la elides to l' when placed before the word, resulting in l'épaule. To express that your shoulder hurts, use the construction avoir mal à followed by the article and the noun, such as in avoir mal à l'épaule.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has two syllables and is pronounced /e.pol/.
Did you know?
- The word épaule is a distant relative of the English word 'spatula', as both share an ancestor meaning a flat, broad piece.
- When referring to the 'shoulder' of a road in French, you do not use épaule but rather accotement.
- In a military context, an 'épaulette' (the decorative piece on a uniform) is a direct linguistic relative of épaule, as it is a piece designed to sit upon the shoulder.
Examples in context
- J'ai mal à l'épaule.My shoulder hurts.This sentence is useful for saying that your épaule hurts.Tatoeba #899475 by U2FS, translation #899477 by U2FS
- Il toucha mon épaule.He touched my shoulder.This sentence is useful for describing someone touching an épaule.Tatoeba #1924486 by sacredceltic, translation #1923245 by Spamster
- Tom a mal à l'épaule.Tom has a pain in the shoulder.This sentence is useful for stating that Tom has a pain in his épaule.Tatoeba #7206521 by Micsmithel, translation #1025464 by CK
- Le médecin a examiné mon épaule et a prescrit des médicaments.The doctor examined my shoulder and prescribed medication.
- J'ai mal à l'épaule depuis hier, je pense que j'ai mal dormi.I've had shoulder pain since yesterday, I think I slept in an awkward position.
- 96 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Gabriel and Emma are stretching before a workout.
- GabrielTu as mal à l'épaule ?Does your shoulder hurt?
- EmmaNon, mon épaule va très bien.No, my shoulder is doing very well.
- GabrielD'accord, échauffe bien ton épaule droite.Okay, warm up your right shoulder well.
- EmmaC'est fait, Gabriel.It is done, Gabriel.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “shoulder” translations and entries épaule, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries épaule, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
