social
/sɔ.sjal/
In French, the word for social is social.
Common phrases include Le lien social (social bond), La vie sociale (social life) and Le comportement social (social behavior).
Meaning: extroverted or outgoing (adj)
Which one should you use?
It is important to distinguish between social and sociable. In French, social refers to matters of society or social structures, whereas sociable is the preferred adjective used to describe a person who is extroverted or enjoys the company of others.
How does it change in a sentence?
The masculine form is social, and the feminine form is sociale.
How do you pronounce it?
/sɔ.sjal/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using social to describe an outgoing person. Instead, use sociable to describe someone's personality.
Did you know?
- If a French person describes a conflict as un conflit social, they aren't talking about a fight between friends but usually a labor strike or industrial action.
- The word social originates from the Latin socius, which meant not just a companion but specifically an ally.
- In French politics, le social is often used as a noun to describe the entire field of labor laws and welfare systems.
Examples in context
- L'homme est un animal social.Man is a social animal.This sentence demonstrates the use of social to describe the nature of humans.Tatoeba #14405 by sacredceltic, translation #270086 by shekitten
- Leon est un ingénieur social.Leon is a social engineer.This sentence shows social being used in a professional title.Tatoeba #11837832 by Amastan, translation #11639466 by Amastan
- Je suis un travailleur social.I'm a social worker.Tatoeba #2025312 by sacredceltic, translation #1890956 by CK
- Il est important de prendre en compte l'impact sociétal de cette réforme.It is important to consider the societal impact of this reform.
- Ces mesures visent à améliorer la protection sociale des citoyens.These measures aim to enhance social protection for citizens.
- C'est un endroit très convivial, idéal pour rencontrer de nouvelles personnes.It's a very friendly place, perfect for meeting new people.
- 59 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Gabriel are talking about a new colleague.
- EmmaEst-ce que le nouveau collègue est sympa ?Is the new colleague nice?
- GabrielOui, il est très social et ouvert.Yes, he is very outgoing and open.
- EmmaC'est super, car je suis moins social que lui.That's great, because I am less extroverted than him.
- GabrielNe t'inquiète pas, Emma, tu es quand même gentille.Don't worry, Emma, you are still kind.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry social, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries social, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
