natation
/na.ta.sjɔ̃/feminine
The English word 'swimming' can be translated into French using natation or nage.
Meaning: human activity of moving oneself through water (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| natation | /na.ta.sjɔ̃/ | feminine |
| nage | /naʒ/ | feminine |
The term refers to the human activity of moving oneself through water. You can use the verbal phrase faire de la natation to say that you 'do' swimming as a hobby or an activity.
Which one should you use?
natation is used when referring to swimming as an organized sport or a formal discipline.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The expression piquer une tête is a colloquialism specifically used in France.
How does it change in a sentence?
While natation and nage are nouns, the verb nager is more commonly used in everyday speech to express the action of swimming.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of natation is /na.ta.sjɔ̃/ and it has 3 syllables.
Did you know?
- The English word 'navigation' and the French word natation share a common ancestor in Latin, though they have drifted into very different meanings in modern English.
- France has a unique cultural tradition called la baignade, which refers to a leisurely swim or dip in a river or lake rather than formal natation.
- The expression piquer une tête literally translates to 'sting a head', but it simply means to dive headfirst into the water.
Examples in context
- Il a peur de nager.He is afraid of swimming.This sentence uses the form nage to express the action of swimming.Tatoeba #130905 by nimfeo, translation #293926 by CK
- Il aime la natation.He is fond of swimming.This sentence uses the form natation to describe the activity.Tatoeba #131601 by Micsmithel, translation #293933 by CK
- Ken sait bien nager.Ken is good at swimming.This sentence uses the form nage to describe a person's ability to swim.Tatoeba #427766 by Archibald, translation #62490 by CN
- Je nage tous les joursI swim every day
- Elle est passionnée par la natationShe is passionate about swimming
- Je pratique la natation depuis mon enfanceI have been practicing swimming since my childhood
- Elle fait de la natation pour se détendreShe swims to relax
- Les enfants barbotent dans la merThe children are splashing around in the sea
- On se baigne dans le lac l'étéWe swim in the lake during the summer
- Allons piquer une tête dans la rivièreLet's go for a swim in the river
- On se trempe dans la piscine avant d'aller au jacuzziWe dip in the pool before going to the hot tub
- 273 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Léa and Gabriel are at the local sports center.
- LéaEst-ce que tu aimes la natation, Gabriel ?Do you like swimming, Gabriel?
- GabrielOui, je fais de la natation régulièrement.Yes, I do swimming regularly.
- LéaMoi aussi, j'adore la natation.Me too, I love swimming.
- GabrielOn pourrait nager ensemble demain.We could swim together tomorrow.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “swimming” translations and entries natation, nage, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries nage, natation, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
