Ways to say it
| French | IPA |
|---|---|
| calme | /kalm/ |
| immobile | /i.mɔ.bil/ |
In French, the word for 'still' changes based on whether you are describing a lack of physical movement or a state of tranquility. You can use calme to describe a quiet environment or a person's temperament. Related to this, the verb calmer means to calm down and the noun alambic refers to a device used for distilling liquids.
Which one should you use?
Use immobile to emphasize a complete lack of physical movement or to mean 'motionless'. In contrast, use calme to describe a state of being calm, quiet or a lack of disturbance. While immobile focuses on the absence of motion, calme focuses on tranquility.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
Both calme and immobile are invariable in gender, meaning the word remains the same whether you are describing a man or a woman.
How do you pronounce it?
/kalm/
When do people say it?
In informal contexts, if you want to convey 'still' in a way that emphasizes surprise or unexpectedness, you can use the phrase Tout de même.
Did you know?
- The word immobile is a doublet of immeuble, which means 'building' in French. Both words share a common root in the Latin word for something that cannot be moved.
- While calme translates to 'still' or 'calm', it is also used in the nautical term le calme plat to describe a sea with absolutely no waves.
- In French, the expression rester immobile can be used figuratively to describe a political or social situation that is stagnant or failing to progress.
Examples in context
- Tom est resté immobile.Tom sat still.This sentence shows how to use immobile to say someone sat still.Tatoeba #9477531 by Micsmithel, translation #2237650 by CK
- Ziri est resté immobile.Ziri remained still.This sentence demonstrates the use of immobile to say someone remained still.Tatoeba #11682054 by Amastan, translation #11203428 by Amastan
- Reste allongé, immobile !Lie still.This sentence provides an example of using immobile as a command to lie still.Tatoeba #1849909 by sacredceltic, translation #1839430 by CK
- Il travaille toujours avec la même passion.He still works with the same passion.
- Je n'ai pas encore terminé mon travail.I still haven't finished my work.
- Je l'aime encore.I still love him/her.
- Il a tout de même réussi son examen.He still managed to pass his exam.
- J'ai perdu mon emploi, mais toujours est-il que je reste optimiste.I lost my job, but still, I remain optimistic.
- Nous sommes toujours amis.We are still friends.
- J'étudie encore, mais je suis fatigué.I'm still studying, but I'm tired.
- Ça fait longtemps, mais je l'aime toujours.It's been a long time, but I still love him/her.
- Malgré tout, elle continue à sourire.Despite everything, she still continues to smile.
- 38 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Manon is helping Lucas relax during a stressful moment.
- ManonRespire profondément et reste calme.Breathe deeply and stay still.
- LucasC'est difficile, je suis nerveux.It is difficult, I am nervous.
- ManonEssaie d'être calme pour un instant.Try to be still for a moment.
- LucasD'accord, je vais essayer.Okay, I will try.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “still” translations and entries calme, immobile, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries calme, immobile, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
