tango
/tɑ̃.ɡo/masculine
The French word for tango is tango.
tango refers to the ballroom dance. When you want to express the act of dancing a specific style, the French construction is danser le [dance name], such as danser le tango.
Meaning: ballroom dance (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun is masculine, so it is used with the definite article le to form le tango.
How do you pronounce it?
It has two syllables: /tɑ̃.ɡo/.
Did you know?
- In early 20th-century French literature, the word tango was often used as a metaphor for a scandalous or 'forbidden' love affair. It carried a much more heavy, illicit connotation than the simple dance term used today.
- French culture adopted le tango in the early 20th century, leading to a period of moral panic where it was viewed as too provocative for public ballrooms.
- French speakers may distinguish between danser le tango and faire du tango, with the latter often implying a more casual or social practice rather than a formal performance.
Examples in context
- J'apprends à danser le tango.I'm learning how to tango.This sentence shows how to use the phrase when talking about learning the dance.Tatoeba #13644481 by Rovo, translation #13630471 by rul
- Ma danse préférée, c'est le tango.My favorite dance is the tango.This sentence demonstrates using the phrase to name a favorite dance.Tatoeba #585077 by qdii, translation #456419 by lukaszpp
- Pourriez-vous jouer un tango, s'il vous plaît ?Could you please play a tango?This sentence illustrates how to use the phrase when asking for a piece of music to be played.Tatoeba #6935920 by Aiji, translation #2050604 by CK
- J'adore danser le tango.I love dancing tango.
- Connaissez-vous la danse du tango ?Do you know the tango dance?
- 6 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Manon and Nathan are at a dance party.
- ManonVeux-tu danser un tango avec moi ?Do you want to dance a tango with me?
- NathanOui, j'adore le tango !Yes, I love the tango!
- ManonC'est une danse très passionnée.It is a very passionate dance.
- NathanC'est vrai, allons-y, Manon.That's true, let's go, Manon.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “tango” translations and entries tango, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
