sociable
/sɔ.sjabl/
The English word 'sociable' is translated into French as sociable.
sociable is used to describe a person who is friendly, congenial or has a tendency to socialize with others. It describes a personality trait of being inviting and pleasant in social settings.
Meaning: tending to socialize or be social, friendly, inviting, congenial (adj)
Which one should you use?
It is important to distinguish sociable from the French word social. While sociable describes a person's friendly personality, social refers to societal structures or matters of society, such as les problèmes sociaux (social issues).
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective is invariable in gender. The feminine form remains sociable.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has two syllables and is pronounced /sɔ.sjabl/.
Did you know?
- The word social has a hidden corporate meaning in French. For example, a company headquarters is called a siège social, using 'social' to mean 'corporate'.
- While English speakers might describe a welcoming dinner party as 'sociable', French speakers use the word convivial for friendly atmospheres or meals. Using sociable to describe an event rather than a person would sound strange to a native speaker.
- French sociology uses the term sociabilité to describe a specific skill or 'art' of creating social bonds. It is treated as a cultivated practice rather than just a natural personality trait.
Examples in context
- Il est très sociable.He is very sociable.This sentence demonstrates how to use sociable to describe a person's character.Tatoeba #3652298 by sacredceltic, translation #299005 by CK
- J'ai fait de mon mieux pour être sociable.I've been trying my best to be sociable.This sentence shows the use of sociable when describing one's own efforts to interact with others.Tatoeba #8890539 by lbdx, translation #4427113 by Ooneykcall
- Elle est une personne conviviale et appréciée dans notre équipe de travail.She is a sociable and well-liked person within our work team.
- Notre hôte est très ouvert et accueillant.Our host is very sociable and welcoming.
- Le directeur est connu pour son attitude affable et chaleureuse.The director is known for his sociable and warm attitude.
- Tu es une personne vraiment sociable, tout le monde t'apprécie.You are a really sociable person, everyone likes you.
- Frédéric est un véritable boute-en-train, il sait toujours mettre de l'ambiance dans nos soirées.Frédéric is a real sociable person, he always knows how to liven up our parties.
- Elle est très sociable avec ses collègues.She is very sociable with her colleagues.
Example conversation
Léa and Gabriel are discussing a new neighbor at a party.
- LéaTu trouves le nouveau voisin sociable ?Do you find the new neighbor sociable?
- GabrielOui, il est vraiment très sociable.Yes, he is really very sociable.
- LéaC'est super, il a l'air sympathique.That's great, he seems nice.
- GabrielIl est facile de discuter avec lui.He is easy to talk to.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sociable” translations and entries sociable, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
