sobre
/sɔbʁ/
The English word sober is translated into French as sobre.
The adjective sobre is used to describe the state of not being intoxicated. The phrase être sobre (to be sober) can be used to describe this physical state, but it is also used metaphorically to describe a person who is moderate or temperate in their lifestyle.
Meaning: not drunk (adj)
Which one should you use?
While sobre primarily means not intoxicated, it can also be used in a stylistic sense to mean 'restrained' or 'simple' when referring to things like clothing or decor.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective sobre is invariable in gender, which means it remains the same whether the subject is masculine or feminine.
How do you pronounce it?
/sɔbʁ/
Did you know?
- If someone is 'sobering up' after a night of drinking, the French often use the verb décuver, which literally means 'to get out of the vat'.
- While 'sober' in English often implies someone recovering from addiction, in French, describing a piece of architecture as sobre is a high compliment meaning it is elegantly minimalist.
- If you describe a person's speech as sobre, you are not saying they are not drunk, but rather that they are concise and avoid unnecessary words.
Examples in context
- Tom est sobre depuis dix ans.Tom has been sober for ten years.This sentence is useful for showing how to express a long period of being sobre.Tatoeba #8749453 by marioo, translation #3625134 by Hybrid
- Je suis sobre depuis trois ans.I've been sober for three years.This sentence is useful for expressing how many years you have been sobre.Tatoeba #5290989 by Aiji, translation #5286041 by CK
- Personne ne danse en étant sobre.No one dances sober.This sentence is useful for describing an action performed while being sobre.Tatoeba #7839602 by sacredceltic, translation #5216412 by CarpeLanam
- J'aime rester sobre lors des soirées d'affaires.I like to stay sober during business parties.
- Le test a démontré qu'il était en état de sobriété.The test showed that he was sober.
- 8 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucas and Léa are talking at a party.
- LucasTu veux un verre de vin, Léa ?Do you want a glass of wine, Léa?
- LéaNon merci, je préfère rester sobre.No thanks, I prefer to stay sober.
- LucasC'est courageux d'être sobre ici.It's brave to be sober here.
- LéaC'est important pour moi.It's important to me.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sober” translations and entries sobre, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
