sieste
/sjɛst/feminine
The English phrase "siesta" is translated into French as sieste.
The term sieste refers to an afternoon nap. To express the action of taking a nap, the standard idiomatic phrase used in French is faire la sieste.
Meaning: an afternoon nap (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun sieste is feminine. Because of this, you use the feminine indefinite article une when saying "a nap" (une sieste).
How do you pronounce it?
/sjɛst/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using the Spanish word "siesta" when speaking French. Use the French word sieste instead.
Did you know?
- Although the French word sieste is used daily, it is actually a loanword from the Spanish siesta, which originally derived from the Latin word 'sexta' for the sixth hour of the day.
- In French culture, the concept of a sieste is often associated with the Mediterranean south, whereas in northern cities it is more likely to be viewed as a luxury or a sign of laziness.
- In a professional or political setting, a French speaker might use sieste metaphorically to describe a period of total inactivity or a 'slumber' in progress. This describes a lack of movement or progress rather than actual sleep.
Examples in context
- Marie fait la sieste.Mary is having a siesta.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use the form sieste with the verb faire.Tatoeba #2076009 by Amastan, translation #9480020 by sundown
- Il n'a pas fait de sieste.He didn't take a siesta.This sentence shows the use of the form sieste in a negative construction.Tatoeba #2075965 by Amastan, translation #12733089 by rul
- Je vais aller faire une sieste.I'm going to have a siesta.This sentence demonstrates how to use the form sieste with the article une.Tatoeba #4230861 by Scorpionvenin14, translation #455893 by lukaszpp
- Je vais faire une sieste pour me reposer un peu.I am going to take a nap to rest a bit.
- Je vais piquer un roupillon pour me détendre.I am going to have a snooze to relax.
Example conversation
Gabriel and Emma are chatting in the living room on a Sunday.
- GabrielTu as l'air fatiguée, Emma.You look tired, Emma.
- EmmaOui, je n'ai pas fait ma sieste aujourd'hui.Yes, I didn't take my nap today.
- GabrielTu devrais aller dormir un peu.You should go sleep for a bit.
- EmmaC'est vrai, je vais faire une petite sieste.That's true, I'm going to take a short nap.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “siesta” translations and entries sieste, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries sieste, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
