phalanger volant
masculine
The English phrase 'sugar glider' is translated into French as phalanger volant. Wiktionary also lists sucre volant and planeur de sucre.
Meaning: Petaurus breviceps (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | Note |
|---|---|
| phalanger volant | masculine |
| sucre volant | masculine |
| planeur de sucre | masculine |
The term refers to the marsupial species Petaurus breviceps.
Which one should you use?
While sucre volant and planeur de sucre are literal translations of the English name, phalanger volant is the standard term used in French to refer to the species.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers may be tempted to use sucre volant as a direct translation, but this literally means 'flying sugar' and is not the standard name for the animal in French.
Did you know?
- The word sucre shares a distant ancestor with the word for 'gravel', originating from the Proto-Indo-European root *ḱorkeh₂.
- Because volant means 'flying' or 'rotating', a phalanger volant could theoretically be described as a 'rotating phalanger' in a purely mechanical context.
- In French, the term volant translates to 'flying', but because these animals glide rather than fly, the term planeur is more scientifically accurate.
Example sentences for French are not verified yet.
Example conversation
Manon and Nathan are at an exotic pet exhibition.
- ManonRegarde ce petit phalanger volant, Nathan !Look at this little sugar glider, Nathan!
- NathanIl est vraiment incroyable.He is truly incredible.
- ManonEst-ce que tu veux l'adopter ?Do you want to adopt him?
- NathanPeut-être, mais c'est beaucoup de travail.Maybe, but it is a lot of work.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sugar glider” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries de, planeur, sucre, CC BY-SA 4.0.
