camionnette
/ka.mjɔ.nɛt/feminine
The English word 'van' can be translated into French using camionnette. Wiktionary also lists fourgon and fourgonnette.
Meaning: a covered vehicle (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| camionnette | /ka.mjɔ.nɛt/ | feminine |
| fourgon | /fuʁ.ɡɔ̃/ | masculine |
| fourgonnette | /fuʁ.ɡɔ.nɛt/ | feminine |
The terms used to describe a van in French all refer to a covered vehicle. In everyday French, camionnette is the most common way to refer to a standard light commercial van.
What does it mean word for word?
The word camionnette is a diminutive of camion (truck), literally meaning 'little truck'.
Which one should you use?
The choice of word depends on the gender: fourgon is a masculine noun, while fourgonnette and camionnette are feminine nouns.
How does it change in a sentence?
The nouns have different genders: fourgon is masculine, whereas fourgonnette and camionnette are feminine.
How do you pronounce it?
/ka.mjɔ.nɛt/ (3 syllables)
Did you know?
- The word fourgon comes from the Latin word furō, which means 'to steal'.
- While fourgon describes a van, it is also the word used for a paddy wagon or police transport vehicle in France.
- A fourgon was historically a railway luggage van or a brake van attached to a train.
Examples in context
- Sors de la camionnette !Get out of the van.This sentence is useful for telling someone to get out of the camionnette.Tatoeba #1846404 by sacredceltic, translation #1844199 by CK
- Le fourgon bleu est à moi.The blue van is mine.This sentence is useful for identifying that the blue fourgon belongs to the speaker.Tatoeba #9011108 by Micsmithel, translation #9010950 by CK
- Monte dans la camionnette !Get in the van.This sentence is useful for telling someone to get into the camionnette.Tatoeba #1850097 by sacredceltic, translation #1849377 by CK
- Je dois charger du matériel dans mon van.I need to load equipment into my van.
- Louez une camionnette pour votre déménagement.Rent a van for your move.
- Le fourgon blanc est garé devant la maison.The white van is parked in front of the house.
- 7 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Léa and Nathan are planning their weekend trip.
- LéaEst-ce que tu as pris la camionnette ?Did you take the van?
- NathanOui, elle est devant la maison.Yes, it is in front of the house.
- LéaSuper, on peut charger nos sacs dedans.Great, we can load our bags in it.
- NathanD'accord, je vais chercher les clés.Okay, I will go look for the keys.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “van” translations and entries camionnette, fourgon, fourgonnette, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries camionnette, fourgon, fourgonnette, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
