tiers état
/tjɛ.ʁe.ta/masculine
The English phrase "third estate" is translated into French as tiers état.
This term refers to the social caste of commoners in France prior to 1789.
Meaning: caste of commoners in France prior to 1789 (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase is a masculine noun phrase and is typically preceded by the definite article le.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of tiers état is /tjɛ.ʁe.ta/. It consists of 3 syllables.
Did you know?
- The phrase is famously associated with the 1789 pamphlet Qu'est-ce que le tiers état ?, which answered the question by stating the third estate is 'everything'.
- While 'tiers' means 'third' in a sequence, in modern French, the word tiers is often used as a noun to mean a 'third party' in legal or commercial contexts.
- The word état in tiers état shares the same Latin root as the French word for 'been' (été), as both derive from the Latin word for 'status' or 'condition'.
Examples in context
- Le tiers état représentait la majorité de la population.The third estate represented the majority of the population.
- Les membres du tiers état réclamaient plus de droits.The members of the third estate demanded more rights.
- Cette loi était injuste pour le tiers état.This law was unfair to the third estate.
Example conversation
Two students are discussing a history project.
- LucasEst-ce que tu étudies le tiers état ?Are you studying the Third Estate?
- ManonOui, Manon lit un livre là-dessus.Yes, Manon is reading a book about it.
- LucasC'est un sujet très intéressant.It is a very interesting subject.
- ManonLe tiers état a changé l'histoire.The Third Estate changed history.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “third estate” translations and entries tiers état, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries tiers, état, CC BY-SA 4.0.
