histoire
/is.twaʁ/feminine
The English word story is translated into French as histoire. Wiktionary also lists conte.
Meaning: account of events (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| histoire | /is.twaʁ/ | feminine |
| conte | /kɔ̃t/ | masculine |
histoire is used to refer to a general account of events, a personal story or the academic subject of history. It can also mean a narrative.
Which one should you use?
Use histoire for a general account of events, a personal story or history. Use conte specifically when referring to a tale, such as a fairy tale or a fictional folk story.
How does it change in a sentence?
histoire is a feminine noun. Its plural is formed by adding an 's' to the end: histoires. The masculine noun conte forms its plural by adding an 's' to the end: contes.
How do you pronounce it?
/is.twaʁ/
Did you know?
- In colloquial French, the phrase C'est une histoire ! can be used to describe a situation that is overly complicated, tedious or a real hassle.
- The word conte shares its roots with the English word 'count', as it originally stems from the Latin verb meaning 'to count' or 'to compute'.
- French speakers use the expression raconter des histoires to describe someone who is lying or making things up.
Examples in context
- Son histoire m'a ému.Her story touched my heart.This sentence shows how the form histoire can describe something that affects one's emotions.Tatoeba #10940334 by lbdx, translation #309881 by CK
- Je conte une histoire.I am telling a story.This sentence uses the form histoire within a phrase about telling a story.Tatoeba #4595481 by sacredceltic, translation #1666081 by Amastan
- Son histoire est vraie.His story is true.This sentence uses the form histoire to discuss the truthfulness of an account.Tatoeba #130491 by sacredceltic, translation #287920 by CK
- J'ai lu une histoire intéressanteI read an interesting story
- L'histoire de France est fascinanteThe history of France is fascinating
- Elle a fait un récit passionnant de son voyageShe gave an exciting account of her trip
- La Cigale et la Fourmi est une célèbre fableThe Grasshopper and the Ant is a famous fable
- J'ai une histoire drôle à te raconterI have a funny story to tell you
- Écoutez cette anecdote incroyableListen to this incredible anecdote
- Il adore raconter des histoires avant de dormirHe loves telling stories before bedtime
- 647 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Hugo are talking about a book they both read.
- EmmaTu as aimé l'histoire ?Did you like the story?
- HugoOui, c'est une très belle histoire.Yes, it is a very beautiful story.
- EmmaJe préfère la fin de l'histoire.I prefer the end of the story.
- HugoMoi aussi, Hugo est d'accord avec toi.Me too, Hugo agrees with you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “story” translations and entries histoire, conte, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries conte, histoire, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
