étudiant
/e.ty.djɑ̃/masculine
The English word student is translated into French as étudiant. Wiktionary also lists élève.
Meaning: person enrolled at a school, university or other education institution (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| étudiant | /e.ty.djɑ̃/ | masculine |
| élève | /e.lɛv/ | feminine, masculine |
A student is a person enrolled at a school, university or other education institution.
Which one should you use?
In standard French, you use étudiant specifically for students in higher education, such as at a university or college. For students in primary or secondary school (K-12), the word élève is used instead.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Quebec, Canada, it is common to use étudiant(e) both formally and informally rather than élève.
How does it change in a sentence?
The feminine form of étudiant is étudiante and the masculine plural is étudiants. The word élève is both masculine and feminine, and its plural form is élèves.
How do you pronounce it?
/e.ty.djɑ̃/. It has 3 syllables.
Did you know?
- In France, the term élève is used for students in prestigious Grandes Écoles, even though these are higher education institutions where one would normally expect étudiant.
- The word étudiant shares the same root as the English word 'study', both tracing back to the Latin 'studium', which originally meant 'eagerness' or 'zeal'.
- The word élève comes from the verb élever, which means 'to raise' or 'to lift up'. This suggests that education is viewed as a process of elevating a child's mind and character.
Examples in context
- Tu es un étudiant.You are a student.This sentence is useful for identifying someone as an étudiant.Tatoeba #1865755 by nimfeo, translation #1163562 by cntrational
- Es-tu élève, ici ?Are you a student here?This sentence is useful for asking if someone is an élève in a specific location.Tatoeba #3640108 by sacredceltic, translation #3636354 by CK
- John est bon élève.John is a good student.This sentence is useful for describing someone as a good élève.Tatoeba #5367119 by Scorpionvenin14, translation #52725 by CN
- Je suis étudiant en médecine.I am a student of medicine.
- Les étudiants sont très occupés pendant les examens.The students are very busy during exams.
- Marie est une étudiante en architecture.Marie is a student of architecture.
- Les étudiantes sont brillantes et motivées.The female students are bright and motivated.
- Tous les apprenants doivent assister à la conférence.All the learners/students must attend the conference.
- Les apprenants ont différents styles d'apprentissage.The learners have different learning styles.
- Les étudiantes sont vraiment sympa.The female students are really nice.
- Je suis élève en musique depuis deux ans.I have been a music student for two years.
- 449 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Hugo meet for the first time at a cafe.
- EmmaBonjour ! Tu es étudiant ici ?Hello! Are you a student here?
- HugoOui, je suis étudiant en droit.Yes, I am a law student.
- EmmaC'est super, Hugo. Moi, j'étudie l'art.That's great, Hugo. As for me, I study art.
- HugoEnchanté, Emma !Nice to meet you, Emma!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “student” translations and entries étudiant, élève, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries élève, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
