pelle
/pɛl/feminine
The English word 'shovel' is translated into French as pelle. Wiktionary also lists bêche.
Meaning: tool for moving portions of material (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| pelle | /pɛl/ | feminine |
| bêche | /bɛʃ/ |
A pelle is a tool used for moving portions of material. You can use specific phrases to identify different types of shovels, such as pelle à neige for a snow shovel, pelle mécanique for a mechanical shovel or pelle de chantier for a construction shovel. The related verb peller means to move materials with a shovel.
Which one should you use?
While both can be translated as shovel, pelle refers to a shovel used for moving material, whereas bêche refers to a spade used for digging.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun pelle is feminine, so it is used with feminine articles like la or une.
How do you pronounce it?
/pɛl/
Did you know?
- In a kitchen setting, the word pelle is used to describe a 'peel', the long-handled tool used to slide bread or pizza into an oven.
- While pelle comes from Latin, the word bêche traces its roots back to the Frankish word bikkju, linking it to the Germanic history of France.
- In certain contexts, pelle can refer to a dustpan, known as a pelle à poussière, where the 'shovel' is used for waste rather than earth.
Examples in context
- Où est la pelle ?Where's the shovel?Tatoeba #7007301 by Aiji, translation #3820849 by CK
- Apporte une pelle !Bring a shovel.Tatoeba #4626040 by sacredceltic, translation #3374154 by CK
- As-tu une pelle à neige ?Do you have a snow shovel?Tatoeba #5927192 by Aiji, translation #5683017 by Hybrid
- La pelle est un outil indispensable pour creuser dans le jardin.The shovel is an essential tool for digging in the garden.
- Il creuse un trou avec une pelleHe is digging a hole with a shovel
- 13 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Léa and Lucas are working in the garden.
- LéaLucas, peux-tu me donner la pelle ?Lucas, can you give me the shovel?
- LucasTiens, la voilà.Here, there it is.
- LéaMerci, cette pelle est très lourde.Thanks, this shovel is very heavy.
- LucasJe vais t'aider avec ça.I am going to help you with that.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “shovel” translations and entries pelle, bêche, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bêche, pelle, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
