la lettre O
The English phrase "the letter o" is translated into French as la lettre O.
This phrase is used to refer specifically to the fifteenth letter of the alphabet.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun lettre is feminine, which is why the feminine definite article la is used.
Did you know?
- In French poetry and song, the sound of the letter O is often used as a 'filler' vowel to extend a musical phrase without adding new meaning.
- The French word for letter, lettre, is a direct descendant of the Latin littera, which originally referred specifically to a single character of the alphabet.
- In French, the letter O is one of the few letters that can be pronounced in two distinct ways, 'ouvert' or 'fermé', depending on whether the mouth is more or less open.
Examples in context
- Le mot commence par la lettre O.The word starts with the letter O.
- N'oublie pas la lettre O dans ton dessin.Don't forget the letter O in your drawing.
Example conversation
Emma and Nathan are playing a word game.
- EmmaQuelle est la troisième lettre de ce mot ?What is the third letter of this word?
- NathanJe pense que c'est la lettre O.I think it is the letter O.
- EmmaOui, Nathan, tu as raison.Yes, Nathan, you are right.
- NathanSuper, je connais bien l'alphabet !Great, I know the alphabet well!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries la, lettre, CC BY-SA 4.0.
