How to Say "Sleeping Beauty" in French

La Belle au bois dormant

feminine

In French, sleeping beauty is expressed as La Belle au bois dormant.

La Belle au bois dormant is used as the name for the specific fairy tale of Sleeping Beauty.

Meaning: fairy tale (name)

What does it mean word for word?

The phrase literally translates to 'The Beauty in the sleeping wood'.

The phrase utilizes the feminine article La and the feminine noun Belle because the protagonist is female.

While English speakers call her 'Sleeping Beauty', the French title La Belle au bois dormant attributes the sleep to the 'wood' or 'forest' rather than the girl.
Charles Perrault's 1697 version of the tale was originally titled La Belle endormie dans le bois, meaning 'The Beauty asleep in the wood'. The current title La Belle au bois dormant became the standard convention later.
The word bois shares an ancestral root with the English word 'bush'. Both come from the Proto-Germanic word *buskaz, which originally described vegetation or shrubbery.

Je vais relire le conte de La Belle au bois dormant ce soir.
I'm going to reread the tale of Sleeping Beauty tonight.
Tu as vu La Belle qui dort au cinéma ?
Did you see Sleeping Beauty at the cinema?
La Belle au bois dormant est une princesse magnifique.
Sleeping Beauty is a magnificent princess.
J'adore l'histoire de La Belle au bois dormant.
I love the story of Sleeping Beauty.
Elle a lu La Belle au bois dormant hier.
She read Sleeping Beauty yesterday.
La Belle au bois dormant est un conte classique.
Sleeping Beauty is a classic tale.

Two friends are discussing their favorite childhood stories.

Chloé

Quel est ton conte préféré ?
What is your favorite tale?
Nathan

Moi, c'est La Belle au bois dormant.
For me, it is Sleeping Beauty.
Chloé

C'est un très beau choix, Nathan.
That is a very beautiful choice, Nathan.
Nathan

Oui, l'histoire est magique.
Yes, the story is magical.

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