EAU
/ø.a.y/masculine, plural
In French, uae is translated as EAU, referring to the United Arab Emirates. Wiktionary also lists ÉAU.
Meaning: initialism of United Arab Emirates (name)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| EAU | /ø.a.y/ /ə.a.y/ |
masculine, plural |
| ÉAU | masculine, plural |
This is an initialism used to refer to the country of the United Arab Emirates.
Which one should you use?
EAU is the standard initialism, while ÉAU is a rare form. For full formal contexts, one might use the complete name Émirats arabes unis. In more casual settings, people often shorten the name even further to Les Émirats.
How does it change in a sentence?
The forms EAU and ÉAU are masculine and plural. When using the abbreviation in a sentence, it is typically preceded by the article Les to form Les EAU.
How do you pronounce it?
/ø.a.y/
Did you know?
- The abbreviation EAU is pronounced exactly like the French word for 'water'.
- The word eau is a cognate of the rare English word 'ea' which means 'river' or 'watercourse'.
- The phrase Émirats arabes unis follows a French adjective order where 'arabes' and 'unis' both follow the noun Émirats.
Examples in context
- Les Émirats arabes unis sont connus pour leur architecture moderne et leurs luxueux hôtels.The United Arab Emirates are known for their modern architecture and luxurious hotels.
- Les EAU jouent un rôle important dans l'économie internationale.The UAE plays an important role in the international economy.
- Cet été, je prévois de visiter les Émirats avec des amis.This summer, I plan to visit The Emirates with friends.
- Il vit aux EAU depuis deux ans.He has lived in the UAE for two years.
- Le vol pour les EAU est à midi.The flight to the UAE is at noon.
- J'ai visité les EAU l'été dernier.I visited the UAE last summer.
Example conversation
Nathan and Emma are discussing their next vacation destination.
- NathanEst-ce que tu veux aller aux EAU ?Do you want to go to the UAE?
- EmmaOui, j'aimerais beaucoup voir Dubaï.Yes, I would love to see Dubai.
- NathanOn peut réserver les billets demain.We can book the tickets tomorrow.
- EmmaC'est une super idée, Nathan !That's a great idea, Nathan!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “uae” translations and entries EAU, ÉAU, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries eau, CC BY-SA 4.0.
