tour
/tuʁ/feminine
The French word for tower is tour.
The word tour refers to a tall, narrow structure. For example, you might refer to a specific landmark such as la tour de Lyon (the tower of Lyon).
Meaning: tall, narrow structure (noun)
Which one should you use?
In French, tour is a homonym. Depending on the context and the gender of the word, it can mean a tower, a turn (such as a turn in a game or a turn of a wheel) or a trip/excursion.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun tour is feminine. Therefore, you must use feminine articles like la or une when referring to a tower.
How do you pronounce it?
/tuʁ/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often confuse the French word tour (meaning tower) with the English word 'tour' (meaning a journey or excursion), even though they are spelled the same in English.
Did you know?
- The French word tour for tower shares a common ancestor with the English word 'tower', but the French word for a trip or a turn, also spelled tour, comes from the Latin 'tornus' meaning a lathe.
- While la tour refers to a tower, the masculine le tour can describe a 'trick' or 'feat', such as a tour de passe-passe.
- The word tour is used in the name of the world's most famous cycling race, the Tour de France, where it means a circuit or a loop rather than a tower.
Examples in context
- Il s'agit d'une tour.That's a tower.This sentence is useful for identifying a tower using tour.Tatoeba #4626848 by sacredceltic, translation #593267 by CK
- L'éclair frappa la tour.Lightning struck the tower.This sentence is useful for describing lightning striking a tower using tour.Tatoeba #965797 by sacredceltic, translation #325159 by CK
- Je vois une tour là-bas.I see a tower over there.This sentence is useful for stating that you see a tower using tour.Tatoeba #11741558 by Aiji, translation #5924033 by mailohilohi
- La tour Eiffel est un symbole de Paris.The Eiffel Tower is a symbol of Paris.
- J'ai visité la tour de Pise lors de mon voyage en Italie.I visited the Leaning Tower of Pisa during my trip to Italy.
- Les tours de Notre-Dame sont magnifiques.The towers of Notre-Dame are magnificent.
- La tour du château offre une vue imprenable sur la vallée.The castle tower offers a stunning view of the valley.
- 75 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Léa and Gabriel are walking through a medieval village.
- LéaRegarde cette vieille tour en pierre.Look at that old stone tower.
- GabrielElle est vraiment impressionnante, cette tour.That tower is truly impressive.
- LéaOn peut monter au sommet ?Can we climb to the top?
- GabrielOui, la tour est ouverte au public.Yes, the tower is open to the public.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “tower” translations and entries tour, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries tour, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
