métro
/me.tʁo/masculine
The French word for subway is métro. Wiktionary also lists métropolitain.
Meaning: underground railway (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| métro | /me.tʁo/ | masculine |
| métropolitain | /me.tʁɔ.pɔ.li.tɛ̃/ | masculine |
The term refers to an underground railway system.
How does it change in a sentence?
When expressing that you are traveling by subway, use the preposition en with métro, as in en métro.
How do you pronounce it?
/me.tʁo/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using the English word subway when speaking French, as this refers to a sandwich shop in French-speaking contexts. Use métro to talk about the train system instead.
Did you know?
- In Paris, the distinctive métro entrances are known as édicules and were designed by Hector Guimard in the Art Nouveau style.
- The word métro is a shortened version of métropolitain, which stems from the Latin 'metropolis' meaning 'mother city'. It literally describes the transport system of the heart of the city.
- French speakers often use the phrase prendre le métro to mean they are commuting, but they will use descendre specifically to mean exiting the train at a station.
Examples in context
- Où se trouve le métro ?Where is the subway?This sentence is useful for asking for the location of the subway.Tatoeba #10061439 by felix63, translation #13815826 by tieguy
- Je veux y aller en métro.I want to get there by subway.This sentence is useful for saying you want to travel by subway.Tatoeba #129298 by Julien_PDC, translation #277074 by CK
- Tu as une carte du métro ?Do you have a subway map?This sentence is useful for asking if someone has a subway map.Tatoeba #6841269 by Aiji, translation #277076 by CK
- Où est la station de métro?Where is the subway station?
- Tu prends le métro?Are you taking the subway?
- 60 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing their commute in a cafe.
- NathanTu prends le métro pour venir ?Do you take the subway to come here?
- ManonOui, c'est plus simple que la voiture.Yes, it's simpler than the car.
- NathanLe métro est souvent en retard ?Is the subway often late?
- ManonPas vraiment, il est assez fiable.Not really, it is quite reliable.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “subway” translations and entries métro, métropolitain, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries métro, métropolitain, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
