nageur
/na.ʒœʁ/masculine
The English word "swimmer" is translated into French as nageur. Wiktionary also lists nageuse.
Meaning: one who swims (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| nageur | /na.ʒœʁ/ | masculine |
| nageuse | /na.ʒøz/ | feminine |
A nageur is someone who swims. Interestingly, the related idiom nager entre deux eaux is used to mean "to sit on the fence."
What does it mean word for word?
The word is derived from the verb nager, which means "to swim".
Which one should you use?
Use nageur when referring to a male swimmer and nageuse when referring to a female swimmer.
How does it change in a sentence?
The feminine form of the noun is nageuse. To make the masculine noun plural, add an 's' to get nageurs. To make the feminine noun plural, add an 's' to get nageuses.
How do you pronounce it?
/na.ʒœʁ/
Did you know?
- While nageur is the standard word, French often uses the word baigneur to describe someone who is simply bathing or splashing in the sea for pleasure.
- While nageur describes the person, the French use the word natation to describe the sport of swimming, which comes from the Latin 'natatio' rather than the verb nager.
- In France, the term maître-nageur sauveteur is a professional certification that blends the roles of a swimming instructor and a rescue diver.
Examples in context
- C'est un bon nageur.He is a good swimmer.This sentence is useful for describing someone as a good nageur.Tatoeba #131595 by Micsmithel, translation #293924 by CK
- Êtes-vous bon nageur ?Are you a good swimmer?This sentence is useful for asking if someone is a good nageur.Tatoeba #8218059 by Aiji, translation #6907741 by CK
- Je suis assez bon nageur.I'm a pretty good swimmer.This sentence is useful for stating that one is a pretty good nageur.Tatoeba #2597043 by sacredceltic, translation #2544816 by CK
- Mon ami est un excellent nageur.My friend is an excellent swimmer.
- Elle est une championne de natation et une excellente plongeuse.She is a swimming champion and an excellent diver.
- Mon frère est un nageur émérite. Il a remporté plusieurs compétitions.My brother is an outstanding swimmer. He has won several competitions.
- Je suis un bon nageur / une bonne nageuse.I am a good swimmer.
- 24 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Nathan and Chloé are chatting at the local sports center.
- NathanEst-ce que tu es un nageur débutant ?Are you a beginner swimmer?
- ChloéNon, je nage depuis longtemps.No, I have been swimming for a long time.
- NathanJe cherche un nageur pour m'entraîner.I am looking for a swimmer to train with.
- ChloéD'accord, je peux t'aider, Nathan.Okay, I can help you, Nathan.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “swimmer” translations and entries nageur, nageuse, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
