tapis de course
/ta.pi d(ə) kuʁs/masculine
The English word treadmill is translated into French as tapis de course. Wiktionary also lists tapis roulant and tapis de marche.
Meaning: piece of indoor sporting equipment (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| tapis roulant | /ta.pi ʁu.lɑ̃/ | masculine |
| tapis de course | /ta.pi d(ə) kuʁs/ | masculine |
| tapis de marche | masculine |
In French, the term for a treadmill is used to describe pieces of indoor sporting equipment.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase tapis de course literally translates to 'running mat'. The term tapis roulant translates to 'rolling mat', and tapis de marche translates to 'walking mat'.
Which one should you use?
Use tapis de marche specifically if the machine is intended for walking rather than running.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun tapis roulant is masculine and requires the masculine articles le or un.
How do you pronounce it?
/ta.pi d(ə) kuʁs/
Did you know?
- While English uses the word 'treadmill' metaphorically for a boring routine, French speakers typically use métro, boulot, dodo to describe the repetitive cycle of work and sleep.
- In a completely different context, the phrase tapis roulant is also the standard French term for a 'conveyor belt' used in factories or airports.
- The word tapis is etymologically linked to the ancient Greek word tápēs, which refers to a piece of fabric or a rug.
Examples in context
- Je suis littéralement sur un tapis roulant.I'm literally on a treadmill.This sentence is useful for showing how to use tapis roulant to say you are literally on a treadmill.Tatoeba #12159809 by Taibouche, translation #5800472 by Eccles17
- Je vais faire de l'exercice sur le tapis de course.I am going to exercise on the treadmill.This sentence is useful for showing how to use tapis de course when talking about exercising on a treadmill.Tatoeba #12497738 by lbdx, translation #4561742 by vicsantos
- En une demie-heure sur ce tapis roulant, tu parviendras à un assez bon niveau de transpiration.With half an hour on this treadmill you'll work up a pretty good sweat.This sentence is useful for showing how to use tapis roulant to describe the effect of using the machine for half an hour.Tatoeba #819599 by sacredceltic, translation #596290 by darinmex
Example conversation
Manon and Lucas are at the local gym.
- ManonLucas, est-ce que ce tapis de course est libre ?Lucas, is this treadmill free?
- LucasOui, je viens de finir de l'utiliser.Yes, I just finished using it.
- ManonParfait, je vais m'entraîner dessus.Perfect, I am going to train on it.
- LucasBon courage pour ta séance !Good luck with your workout!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “treadmill” translations and entries tapis roulant, tapis de course, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries course, de, marche, tapis, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
