sous
/su/
The English word "under" is translated into French as sous.
sous is a preposition used to describe something being at a lower level than something else. In formal or mathematical contexts, the phrase Inférieur à can be used to mean "less than" or "below" a certain value. You may also encounter the informal expression sous le nez de, which means "under the nose of" and is used to describe something happening right in front of someone, often while going unnoticed.
Meaning: at a lower level than (prep)
Which one should you use?
sous is a preposition used when the word "under" is followed by a noun, such as in the phrase sous la table (under the table). In contrast, dessous is an adverb meaning "underneath" or "below". It is used to describe a position relative to something else without naming the specific object (for example, saying "it is underneath"). Additionally, moins can be used as an adverb to mean "in a way inferior to."
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
/su/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use dessous as a preposition followed by a noun. You must use sous when a noun follows, such as sous la table instead of dessous la table.
Did you know?
- While sous means 'under', the word sou is also the name of an old French coin. This is why the English word 'sou' is used to describe a tiny amount of money, as in 'not a sou'.
- The term 'sous-entendu' describes something that is 'understood' but not explicitly said, essentially an 'implication'.
- The word dessous is often used in clothing descriptions, such as 'les dessous', which refers to 'undergarments' or 'underclothing'.
Examples in context
- Tu es sous serment.You are under oath.This sentence shows the use of sous in the context of being under oath.Tatoeba #7553041 by Aiji, translation #2247202 by CK
- C'est sous la table.It's under the table.This sentence demonstrates using sous to describe a location under a table.Tatoeba #14045095 by Myrano_, translation #39623 by CK
- Cache-le sous le lit.Hide it under the bed.This sentence illustrates using sous to indicate a position under a bed.Tatoeba #11034725 by lbdx, translation #11016817 by CK
- Le livre est sous la table.The book is under the table
- Le prix est inférieur à 10 dollars.The price is under $10
- Le chat est en dessous du lit.The cat is under the bed
- Les clés sont sous le livre.The keys are under the book
- L'avion vole au-dessous des nuagesThe airplane flies under the clouds
- Il a volé le portefeuille sous mon nezHe stole the wallet right under my nose
- 522 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Léa and Hugo are looking for the cat in the living room.
- LéaOù est le chat ?Where is the cat?
- HugoIl est sous le canapé.He is under the sofa.
- LéaJe ne le vois pas.I don't see him.
- HugoRegarde bien sous le canapé, Hugo.Look carefully under the sofa, Hugo.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “under” translations and entries sous, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
