Ways to say it
| French | IPA |
|---|---|
| frapper | /fʁa.pe/ |
| battre | /batʁ/ |
To express the action of hitting, you can use frapper or battre. frapper is typically used for a single, often sudden or forceful strike, such as hitting a person or a door. It is also used figuratively to describe an idea or a realization striking someone. battre is used when describing repetitive striking or beating, such as beating a rug or a drum. If you are referring to the physical act of a strike as a noun, the word coup is frequently used or you may use frappe. Note that if you are looking for the English noun "strike" in the context of a labor dispute, the most common and standard French term is Grève. In bowling, the English term strike is used.
Which one should you use?
frapper is used for a single, often sudden or forceful strike, while battre is used for repetitive striking or beating.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /fʁa.pe/ and consists of 2 syllables.
Did you know?
- The word frapper evolved from an ancient Germanic root meaning 'to snatch' or 'to handle roughly'.
- In French, the noun coup is used for a strike, but it also refers to a sudden move or a stroke of genius, as in 'coup d'état'.
- The French word battre comes from the Latin 'battuere', which is a distant relative of the English word 'battery'.
Examples in context
- Nul ne sait, ce qui le frappera demain.No one knows what will strike one tomorrow.This sentence shows how to use frapper to describe an unknown event striking someone in the future.Tatoeba #939480 by sacredceltic, translation #939482 by sacredceltic
- Il faut battre le fer tant qu’il est chaud.You have to strike while the iron's hot.This sentence uses battre in a proverbial context about striking while the iron is hot.Tatoeba #10678664 by AutoBot, translation #11618480 by tieguy
- C’est au cœur du système qu’il faut frapper.It's at the heart of the system that we need to strike.This sentence uses frapper to describe striking at the heart of a system.Tatoeba #12242230 by sacredceltic, translation #12242409 by Miktsoanit
- Les employés ont décidé de faire grève pour revendiquer de meilleures conditions de travail.The employees have decided to go on strike to demand better working conditions.
- La cessation de travail a été déclenchée par le manque de négociations entre les syndicats et les employeurs.The work stoppage was triggered by a lack of negotiations between the unions and employers.
- L'arrêt de travail a paralysé l'entreprise pendant plusieurs jours.The work stoppage paralyzed the company for several days.
- Il y a eu une grosse grève des services publics cette semaine.There was a major strike in public services this week.
- 6 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hugo and Emma are watching a tennis match on TV.
- HugoIl va frapper la balle très fort.He is going to hit the ball very hard.
- EmmaOui, il a une frappe puissante.Yes, he has a powerful strike.
- HugoRegarde, il a frappé le filet !Look, he hit the net!
- EmmaC'est vraiment dommage pour lui.That is really a shame for him.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “strike” translations and entries frapper, battre, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries battre, frapper, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
