trio
/tʁi.jo/
The English phrase 'trio' is translated into French as trio.
trio is a noun used to describe a group of three people or things.
Meaning: group of three people or things (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of trio is trios.
How do you pronounce it?
trio is pronounced /tʁi.jo/ and has two syllables.
When do people say it?
In informal contexts, you might hear the phrase Les trois compères used to refer to a group of three people who are funny or mischievous.
Did you know?
- If a group of three is causing significant trouble or acting out, a French speaker might call them a trio infernal, which carries a more dramatic and chaotic connotation than the English 'troublesome trio'.
- In a modern French bistro, if a menu lists a trio, it is likely not referring to people at all, but to a tasting platter consisting of three small, distinct portions of food.
- The word trio is an Italian loanword that happens to be spelled exactly the same in French, making it an identical twin across several Romance languages.
Examples in context
- Un quartet comporte un membre de plus qu'un trio.A quartet has one more member than a trio.This sentence is useful for comparing the size of a quartet to a trio.Tatoeba #801685 by sacredceltic, translation #715784 by darinmex
- Pendant notre conférence, nous avons eu le plaisir d'assister à une magnifique prestation en trio .During our conference, we had the pleasure of hearing a wonderful trio performance.
- Ce trio de musiciens est incroyable.This trio of musicians is incredible.
- Elle forme un trio avec ses amies.She forms a trio with her friends.
Example conversation
Nathan and Manon are talking about a jazz band.
- NathanTu as aimé le concert de ce trio ?Did you like this trio's concert?
- ManonOui, ce trio de jazz est très doué.Yes, this jazz trio is very talented.
- NathanJe suis d'accord, leur rythme est parfait.I agree, their rhythm is perfect.
- ManonOn devrait les revoir bientôt.We should see them again soon.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry trio, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries trio, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
