vessie natatoire
feminine
The English phrase swim bladder is translated into French as vessie natatoire.
vessie natatoire refers to the organ in a fish.
Meaning: fish organ (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of vessie natatoire is vessies natatoires. In this plural construction, both the noun and the adjective take an s.
Did you know?
- The term vessie is used in the French idiom avoir la vessie percée, which literally means 'to have a pierced bladder' and describes someone who needs to urinate frequently.
- The word vessie is used in French for both the fish's swim bladder and the mammalian urinary bladder.
- The word vessie comes from the Latin vessīca, which is the same root used for the English word 'vesicle'.
Examples in context
- La vessie natatoire est un organe essentiel pour la flottabilité des poissons.The swim bladder is an essential organ for the buoyancy of fish.
- Je pense que mon poisson a un problème de vessie de nage, il n'arrive pas à rester au fond du bac.I think my fish has a swim bladder issue, it cannot stay at the bottom of the tank.
- La vessie natatoire aide le poisson à flotter.The swim bladder helps the fish float.
- Le chercheur a examiné la vessie natatoire.The researcher examined the swim bladder.
- Cette vessie natatoire est assez grande.This swim bladder is quite large.
Example conversation
Manon and Nathan are studying biology together.
- ManonNathan, c'est quoi une vessie natatoire ?Nathan, what is a swim bladder?
- NathanC'est l'organe qui gère la flottabilité.It is the organ that manages buoyancy.
- ManonAh, je comprends mieux maintenant.Ah, I understand better now.
- NathanOui, c'est essentiel pour beaucoup d'espèces.Yes, it is essential for many species.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “swim bladder” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries vessie, CC BY-SA 4.0.
