Ways to say it
| French | IPA |
|---|---|
| soudain | /su.dɛ̃/ |
| subit | /sy.bi/ |
These words describe something happening quickly and with little or no warning. You can also use the expression du jour au lendemain to describe a change that happened overnight.
Which one should you use?
The adjective subit is more formal and often describes a physical or physiological event (like a change or a death), whereas soudain is more general. While soudain is primarily an adjective, it is frequently used as an adverb meaning 'suddenly' at the beginning of a sentence.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective soudain must agree in gender with the noun it modifies, becoming soudaine in the feminine form. The adjective subit must agree in gender with the noun it modifies, becoming subite in the feminine form.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /su.dɛ̃/ and has two syllables.
Did you know?
- While subit describes a sudden event, the French language uses the related verb subir to mean 'to undergo' or 'to suffer' something unpleasant.
- The adjective subit shares its DNA with the English word 'subito', a musical term used to instruct a performer to play a passage 'suddenly'.
- The French expression tout à coup is a very common way to express 'suddenly' that avoids using the adjectives soudain or subit entirely.
Examples in context
- Sa mort subite fut une tragédie.His sudden death was a tragedy.This sentence uses subit to describe a sudden death.Tatoeba #130391 by Micsmithel, translation #287278 by CK
- Soudain, il commença à pleuvoir.All of a sudden it started raining.This sentence uses soudain.Tatoeba #1430371 by Julien_PDC, translation #1153928 by belgavox
- Ta soudaine apparition m'a étonné.Your sudden appearance surprised me.This sentence uses soudaine to describe a sudden appearance.Tatoeba #2022156 by sacredceltic, translation #4539246 by mailohilohi
- La situation a connu un changement soudain.The situation underwent a sudden change.
- Le bruit s'est interrompu subitement.The sound abruptly stopped.
- Le vent a fait basculer la situation brusquement.The wind abruptly changed the situation.
- Il est parti d'un coup, sans aucune explication.He left all of a sudden, without any explanation.
- Tout à coup, il a commencé à pleuvoir.Suddenly, it started to rain.
- Elle a décidé de tout quitter du jour au lendemain.She decided to leave everything behind overnight.
- 58 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Gabriel and Emma are walking in the park when they see a dog run past them.
- GabrielRegarde ce chien soudain !Look at that sudden dog!
- EmmaIl a surgi de nulle part.He appeared out of nowhere.
- GabrielC'était un mouvement très soudain.It was a very sudden movement.
- EmmaOui, j'ai eu un petit choc.Yes, I had a little shock.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sudden” translations and entries soudain, subit, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries soudain, subit, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
