gare
/ɡaʁ/feminine
The English word 'station' is translated into French as gare or station depending on the type of vehicle.
Meaning: place where a vehicle may stop (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| gare | /ɡaʁ/ /ɡɑʁ/ |
feminine |
| station | /sta.sjɔ̃/ | feminine |
Both terms refer to a place where a vehicle may stop, but they are not interchangeable.
Which one should you use?
Use gare specifically when referring to a railroad station or train station. Use station when referring to a metro, subway or bus station.
How does it change in a sentence?
Both gare and station are feminine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɡaʁ/
Did you know?
- In French, a ski resort is called a station de ski. This is because it is viewed as a place where travelers stop and stay for a duration.
- The word gare is closely linked to the modern French verb garer, which means 'to park' a car or 'to pull over'.
- If you need fuel, you must look for a station-service. Using only gare or station would lead a local to think you are looking for a train or metro stop.
Examples in context
- Où est la gare ?Where is the railroad station?This sentence is useful for asking for the location of a railroad station.Tatoeba #136614 by Aiji, translation #26041 by CM
- Est-ce la gare ?Is that the railroad station?This sentence is useful for confirming if a place is a railroad station.Tatoeba #883811 by sacredceltic, translation #403071 by Ramses
- Il est à la gare.He is at the station.This sentence is useful for stating someone's location at a railroad station.Tatoeba #11791908 by Zahia_Ntmazirt, translation #11792098 by LdjuherTaqvaylit
- Où est la gare?Where is the train station?
- Prendre le train à la gareTo take the train at the station
- On se retrouve à l'arrêt de bus.Let's meet at the bus stop.
- 706 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hugo and Léa are deciding where to meet for their trip.
- HugoOn se retrouve à la gare ?Shall we meet at the station?
- LéaOui, c'est plus simple pour nous.Yes, it's easier for us.
- HugoJe serai à la gare à midi.I will be at the station at noon.
- LéaParfait, à tout à l'heure, Hugo !Perfect, see you soon, Hugo!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “station” translations and entries gare, station, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries gare, station, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
