sol
/sɔl/masculine
The English word 'floor' can be translated into French as sol or plancher.
Meaning: bottom part of a room (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| sol | /sɔl/ | masculine |
| plancher | /plɑ̃.ʃe/ | masculine |
sol is a general term for the floor, but depending on the context, it can also mean 'ground' or 'soil'.
Which one should you use?
sol refers to the surface or ground of a room, regardless of what it is made of. In contrast, plancher specifically refers to a floor made of wooden planks or the surface of a wooden floor.
How do you pronounce it?
/sɔl/
Did you know?
- The word sol is a homonym for the Spanish word for 'sun'. While they sound and look the same, they come from entirely different Latin roots.
- The term plancher is used in French economics to describe a 'price floor'. This uses the physical idea of a wooden floor as a metaphor for a minimum legal price.
- French uses the word sol to describe the 'bottom' of something, such as the 'floor' of the ocean. This is expressed as le sol marin.
Examples in context
- Le sol est boueux.The floor is muddy.This sentence is useful for describing the condition of the sol.Tatoeba #7243248 by Aiji, translation #3413353 by CK
- Ce sol est inégal.This floor is uneven.This sentence is useful for describing the texture of the sol.Tatoeba #10499393 by lbdx, translation #7942317 by CK
- Le sol était froid.The floor was cold.This sentence is useful for describing the temperature of the sol.Tatoeba #4670196 by sacredceltic, translation #2561958 by Hybrid
- Le plancher en bois est magnifique.The wooden floor is beautiful
- Mesdames et messieurs, le café se trouve au rez-de-chaussée.Ladies and gentlemen, the café is located on the ground floor.
- La salle de conférence se situe au quatrième étage.The conference room is on the fourth floor.
- Retrouvons-nous au troisième étage.Let's meet on the third floor.
- La fête est au deuxième étage.The party is on the second floor.
- Au rez-de-chaussée de l'immeubleOn the ground floor
- 147 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A man and a woman are looking at a spilled drink in their living room.
- ManonRegarde, il y a du jus sur le sol.Look, there is juice on the floor.
- HugoOh non, je vais nettoyer le sol tout de suite.Oh no, I will clean the floor right away.
- ManonEst-ce que le sol est collant ?Is the floor sticky?
- HugoOui, il faut passer la serpillière.Yes, we need to mop it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “floor” translations and entries sol, plancher, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries plancher, sol, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
