reine
/ʁɛn/feminine
The French word for queen is reine.
The noun reine is used to refer to a female monarch. In the context of chess, the related verb damer means to convert a pawn into a queen.
Meaning: female monarch (noun)
Which one should you use?
While reine is the standard term for a queen, Souveraine is specifically used to denote a queen who holds sovereign power. To refer to a male monarch, or a king, use roi.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
reine is a feminine noun and is used with feminine articles such as la or une.
How do you pronounce it?
/ʁɛn/
Did you know?
- In French cooking, the term à la reine refers to a style of stuffing or sauce, most famously used in vol-au-vent à la reine which contains chicken and mushrooms.
- French uses the word reine to describe certain types of plants, such as la reine des prés, which refers to the 'meadowsweet' flower.
- In French, the expression faire la reine can be used colloquially to describe someone who is acting haughty or behaving as if they are superior to others.
Examples in context
- J'ai vu la reine.I saw the queen.This sentence shows how to use reine with a definite article.Tatoeba #11677614 by Aiji, translation #5152251 by CarpeLanam
- Je vois une reine.I see a queen.This sentence shows how to use reine with an indefinite article.Tatoeba #2366377 by nimfeo, translation #1912224 by CM
- Embrasse la reine !Kiss the queen!This sentence shows how to use reine in an imperative command.Tatoeba #8701740 by Micsmithel, translation #6148248 by LB
- La reine est connue pour sa grâce et son élégance.The queen is known for her grace and elegance.
- La souveraine inaugure un nouveau monument.The queen inaugurates a new monument.
- Elle est la reine des soirées dansantes.She is the queen of dance parties.
- La reine-mère a joué un rôle essentiel dans l'histoire de ce pays.The queen mother played an essential role in the history of this country.
- 87 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Manon and Nathan are visiting a museum with royal portraits.
- ManonQui est cette reine sur le tableau ?Who is this queen in the painting?
- NathanC'est la reine Marie-Antoinette.It is Queen Marie Antoinette.
- ManonElle avait l'air très jeune.She looked very young.
- NathanOui, elle était une reine célèbre.Yes, she was a famous queen.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “queen” translations and entries reine, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
