fort
/fɔːʁ/
The English word "strong" is translated into French as fort.
fort is used to describe someone or something capable of producing great physical force. Beyond physical strength, it can also be used to describe a loud sound or a strong smell.
Meaning: capable of producing great physical force (adj)
Which one should you use?
While fort is the standard term for physical strength, other words may change the nuance: puissant implies power or influence and robuste emphasizes physical vitality.
How does it change in a sentence?
As an adjective, fort changes based on the gender and number of the noun it describes: use forte for feminine singular, forts for masculine plural and fortes for feminine plural.
How do you pronounce it?
/fɔːʁ/
Did you know?
- In French, fort is used as an adverb to mean 'very', such as in c'est fort dommage meaning 'it is very regrettable'.
- The word fort is a cognate of the English word 'fortress', as both derive from the idea of a strong, fortified place.
- In French, the phrase être fort en… means to be 'strong at' or good at a particular subject, such as math, rather than being physically muscular.
Examples in context
- Tu as l'air fort.You look strong.This sentence shows how to use fort to describe someone's appearance.Tatoeba #3470493 by Lulantis, translation #3330956 by CK
- Tom a l'air fort.Tom looks strong.This sentence demonstrates the use of fort regarding a person's appearance.Tatoeba #9402893 by Micsmithel, translation #1024527 by CK
- Tu étais si forte.You were so strong.This sentence uses fort to describe someone in the past tense.Tatoeba #5597129 by Aiji, translation #2548455 by CK
- Elle montre une volonté forte.She shows strong willpower.
- Cette entreprise est puissante.This company is powerful.
- Il a une mémoire puissante.He has a strong memory.
- Elle a une santé robuste.She has a strong constitution.
- Un arbre robuste résiste au vent.A strong tree withstands the wind.
- Regarde ses muscles, il est vraiment costaud !Look at his muscles, he's really strong!
- Ce bâtiment est solide.This building is strong.
- Elles sont une équipe solide.They are a strong team.
- Il réussit toujours, il est vraiment balèze !He always succeeds, he's really strong!
- 328 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Chloé and Lucas are at the gym.
- ChloéLucas, tu es vraiment fort !Lucas, you are really strong!
- LucasMerci Chloé, je m'entraîne beaucoup.Thanks Chloé, I train a lot.
- ChloéTu peux soulever ce poids ?Can you lift this weight?
- LucasOui, c'est facile pour moi.Yes, it is easy for me.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “strong” translations and entries fort, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries fort, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
