soirée pyjama
/swa.ʁe pi.ʒa.ma/feminine
The English phrase "sleepover" is translated into French as soirée pyjama.
soirée pyjama refers to the act of spending the night as a guest in another's house. It is a popular phrase among the younger generation that literally translates to pajama party.
Meaning: the act of spending the night as a guest in another's house (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of soirée (evening/party) and pyjama (pajamas).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Quebec, the informal phrase un dodo entre chums translates to a sleepover between friends.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word pyjama is typically invariable in this phrase, so only soirée takes the plural 's' to indicate multiple sleepovers: soirées pyjama.
Did you know?
- The Persian root of pyjama literally means 'leg garment', which is why the word focuses on the trousers rather than the whole outfit.
- The term chums in the Quebecois phrase un dodo entre chums is a direct loanword from English, used specifically to mean 'friends' in an informal way.
- In the Quebecois expression un dodo entre chums, the word dodo is a piece of 'baby talk' used to describe sleep.
Examples in context
- Ce week-end, on fait une soirée pyjama chez moi!This weekend, we're having a sleepover at my place!
- Elle organise une soirée pyjama.She is organizing a sleepover.
- On a fait une soirée pyjama hier.We had a sleepover yesterday.
- Ma soirée pyjama était super.My sleepover was great.
Example conversation
Emma and Gabriel are talking about their plans for the weekend.
- EmmaTu viens à ma soirée pyjama ?Are you coming to my sleepover?
- GabrielOui, je serais ravi de venir.Yes, I would be delighted to come.
- EmmaOn va regarder des films.We are going to watch movies.
- GabrielÇa va être génial, Emma !It's going to be great, Emma!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sleepover” translations and entries soirée pyjama, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries pyjama, soirée, CC BY-SA 4.0.
