acier
/a.sje/masculine
The English word steel is translated into French as acier.
acier refers to the metal produced from iron. The phrase volonté d'acier is a common idiomatic way to describe someone with immense mental strength or determination.
Meaning: metal produced from iron (noun)
Which one should you use?
It is important to note that acier (steel) is distinct from fer (iron).
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /a.sje/. It has 2 syllables.
Did you know?
- The word acier shares its distant ancestry with the English word 'edge', both tracing back to the idea of something 'sharp' or 'pointed'.
- In French, the word acier is used in the term acier inoxydable to describe stainless steel. While English speakers use 'stainless', the French literally describe the metal as 'non-oxidizable'.
- Unlike English, which often uses 'steel' as a verb meaning to prepare oneself for difficulty, French has no such verb form for acier. One must use se préparer or s'endurcir.
Examples in context
- Il a une volonté d'acier.He has a will of steel.This sentence shows how to use acier to describe mental strength.Tatoeba #12799152 by lbdx, translation #4253029 by orcrist
- La Tour Eiffel est en acier.The Eiffel Tower is made of steel.This sentence uses acier to describe the material of a structure.Tatoeba #8794973 by felix63, translation #8796374 by carlosalberto
- L'Algérie produit de l'acier.Algeria produces steel.This sentence uses acier to describe a product being produced.Tatoeba #10892479 by Amastan, translation #8222968 by Amastan
- J'ai besoin d'acier inoxydable pour mon plan de travail de cuisine.I need stainless steel for my kitchen countertop.
- Ils ont construit un pont en utilisant de l'acier renforcé.They built a bridge using reinforced steel.
- Il travaille dans l'industrie de l'acier.He works in the steel industry.
- 29 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hugo and Manon are visiting a construction site.
- ManonRegarde la taille de ces structures en acier !Look at the size of these steel structures!
- HugoOui, l'acier semble très résistant ici.Yes, the steel seems very resistant here.
- ManonHugo, est-ce que l'acier est lourd ?Hugo, is the steel heavy?
- HugoTrès lourd, mais Manon, c'est indispensable.Very heavy, but Manon, it is essential.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “steel” translations and entries acier, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries acier, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
