ralenti
masculine
In French, slow motion is translated as ralenti.
ralenti is a masculine noun used to describe a film stretched in time. The phrase au ralenti can also be used figuratively to describe a situation that feels like it is happening very slowly, such as a boring lecture or a long wait.
Meaning: film stretched in time (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
When describing how an action or a film is being played, use the prepositional phrase au ralenti instead of just the noun.
Did you know?
- While au ralenti describes speed, French speakers use the phrase à pleines balles to describe the opposite extreme of doing something at full speed.
- In French sports broadcasting, the word ralenti has evolved beyond a technical term to become a synonym for the 'replay' itself.
- While ralenti describes the effect of slow motion, French uses the phrase en accéléré to describe time-lapse or fast-forward footage, mirroring the grammatical structure of the slow-motion phrase.
Examples in context
- Je veux voir la scène au ralenti.I want to see the scene in slow motion.This sentence shows how to use ralenti to express a desire to see a scene in slow motion.Tatoeba #6623695 by nimfeo, translation #46190 by CK
- Tout semblait se dérouler au ralenti.Everything seemed to be happening in slow motion.This sentence demonstrates using ralenti to describe an entire situation happening slowly.Tatoeba #6331232 by Scorpionvenin14, translation #6331228 by OsoHombre
- C'était comme si nous voyions un film au ralenti.It was as if we were watching a slow-motion film.This sentence shows how to use ralenti to compare an experience to a slow-motion film.Tatoeba #1198631 by sacredceltic, translation #8957622 by sundown
- La vidéo se déroule au ralentiThe video plays in slow motion
- L'acteur marche au ralentiThe actor walks in slow motion
- La scène est à vitesse réduiteThe scene is in slow motion
- Le danseur tourne au ralenti, créant une magnifique illusion.The dancer turns in slow motion, creating a beautiful illusion.
- Nous avons enregistré cette séquence en slow motion pour capturer chaque détail.We recorded this sequence in slow motion to capture every detail.
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Chloé and Lucas are discussing a sports video.
- ChloéRegarde ce ralenti, c'est incroyable !Look at this slow motion, it's incredible!
- LucasOui, on voit bien le mouvement.Yes, we can see the movement clearly.
- ChloéLe ralenti rend l'action plus dramatique.The slow motion makes the action more dramatic.
- LucasC'est vrai, Lucas a raison.That's true, Lucas is right.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “slow motion” translations and entries ralenti, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
