mélanger
/me.lɑ̃.ʒe/
To shuffle is mélanger in French. Wiktionary also lists battre.
Meaning: to put in a random order (verb)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA |
|---|---|
| mélanger | /me.lɑ̃.ʒe/ |
| battre | /batʁ/ |
The verb mélanger means to put things in a random order. In a standard context, the most common way to say 'to shuffle the cards' is mélanger les cartes.
Which one should you use?
mélanger is more general than battre and can refer to mixing ingredients in cooking as well as shuffling cards.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
mélanger is pronounced /me.lɑ̃.ʒe/ and has 3 syllables.
Did you know?
- Using battre for cards comes from the historical way players would physically strike or slap the cards against a table to mix them.
- The word battre shares its roots with the English word 'batter', such as in a cake batter or a baseball batter.
- A mélange can refer to a social blend of people or cultures, making mélanger a word that can describe both a deck of cards and a multicultural society.
Examples in context
- À toi de mélanger.It's your turn to shuffle.This sentence is useful for saying it is your turn to shuffle using mélanger.Tatoeba #8009330 by Yemana, translation #3820838 by CK
- Veuillez mélanger les cartes avec soin.Please shuffle the cards carefully.This sentence is useful for a polite request to shuffle the cards with care using mélanger.Tatoeba #464792 by sacredceltic, translation #36910 by CK
- J'ai besoin de mélanger ces feuilles avant de les classer.I need to shuffle these papers before organizing them.
- Nous allons brasser les cartes avant de commencer la partie.We will shuffle the cards before starting the game.
- Il faut bien mélanger les jetons.You need to mix the chips well.
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Hugo are playing a board game.
- EmmaTu peux mélanger les cartes ?Can you shuffle the cards?
- HugoOui, je vais les mélanger.Yes, I will shuffle them.
- EmmaMerci, Hugo.Thanks, Hugo.
- HugoDe rien, Emma.You're welcome, Emma.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “shuffle” translations and entries mélanger, battre, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries battre, mélanger, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
