homme de grande taille
The English phrase "tall man" is translated into French as homme de grande taille.
homme de grande taille is used to describe physical stature in a neutral or slightly formal manner, such as in a description or a report. You may also encounter the construction Un homme grand, where the adjective follows the noun it describes.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase homme de grande taille literally translates to "man of great size".
Which one should you use?
For example, Un gars de grande taille translates to "a guy of great height", while Un grand mec is used for "a tall guy".
How does it change in a sentence?
In French, adjectives usually follow the noun they describe, as seen in the phrase Un homme grand.
Did you know?
- While homme de grande taille describes height, the phrase un grand homme is almost always used to describe a man of great historical importance or moral character.
- The word taille in homme de grande taille originates from the Old French verb taillier, which means 'to cut'.
Examples in context
- C'était un homme de grande taille.He was a tall man.This sentence is useful for showing how to use homme de grande taille in a simple description.Tatoeba #4711246 by sacredceltic, translation #301645 by CK
- Elle a vu hier un homme de grande taille.She saw a tall man yesterday.This sentence shows the use of homme de grande taille in a past tense observation.Tatoeba #1347262 by sacredceltic, translation #310734 by CK
- Cet homme de grande taille est Monsieur Smith.This tall man is Mr Smith.This sentence demonstrates how to identify a specific person using homme de grande taille.Tatoeba #7623293 by tras, translation #3763728 by Serhiy
- J'ai rencontré un homme grand à la conférence hier.I met a tall man at the conference yesterday.
- Ah, tu connais le grand bonhomme qui vit à côté de chez moi ?Oh, do you know the big guy who lives next door to me?
- Elle sort avec un gars de grande taille.She's dating a guy of great height.
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Léa and Gabriel are looking at a crowd at a concert.
- LéaEst-ce que tu vois cet homme de grande taille ?Do you see that tall man?
- GabrielOui, je le vois.Yes, I see him.
- LéaIl est vraiment impressionnant.He is truly impressive.
- GabrielC'est vrai, il est très grand.It's true, he is very tall.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries de, homme, taille, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
