vapeur
/va.pœʁ/
The English word "vapor" is translated into French as vapeur.
vapeur refers to cloudy, diffused matter such as mist, steam or fumes. In scientific or meteorological contexts, the specific term for "water vapor" is vapeur d'eau, which literally translates to "vapor of water".
Meaning: cloudy diffused matter (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
Because vapeur is a feminine noun, you use the partitive article de la to express "some vapor" or to refer to vapor in an uncountable sense, as in de la vapeur.
How do you pronounce it?
/va.pœʁ/. It has 2 syllables.
Did you know?
- In French literature, les vapeurs was a common term used to describe a state of hysteria or fainting spells, often associated with the nobility.
- In a nautical context, vapeur can function as a noun meaning a steamboat, serving as a shorthand for bateau à vapeur.
- The word vapeur is used to describe both the invisible gas of water vapor and the visible white steam rising from a boiling pot.
Examples in context
- C'est de la vapeur d'eau.It's water vapor.This sentence is useful for identifying vapeur as water vapor.Tatoeba #8637731 by Julien_PDC, translation #12523894 by rul
- Un nuage est une masse de vapeur.A cloud is a mass of vapor.This sentence describes a cloud as a mass of vapeur.Tatoeba #11225 by sacredceltic, translation #429824 by AlanF_US
- Les nuages sont des accumulations de vapeur d'eau.Clouds are accumulations of water vapor.This sentence explains that clouds are accumulations of vapeur d'eau.Tatoeba #10560515 by lbdx, translation #10177254 by AlanF_US
- La vapeur d'eau est invisible.Water vapor is invisible.
- La vaporisation de l'essence est nécessaire pour alimenter la voiture.The vaporization of gasoline is necessary to fuel the car.
- Pendant l'hiver, notre souffle se transforme en vapeur froide.During winter, our breath turns into cold vapor.
- J'adore sentir la vapeur chaude s'échapper de mon café.I love feeling the hot vapor escaping from my coffee.
- La vapeur d'eau peut se condenser en nuages dans le ciel.Water vapor can condense into clouds in the sky.
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Chloé and Lucas are in the kitchen while cooking.
- ChloéAttention, il y a trop de vapeur ici.Be careful, there is too much steam here.
- LucasOui, je ne vois plus rien.Yes, I can't see anything anymore.
- ChloéOuvre la fenêtre pour évacuer la vapeur.Open the window to let the steam out.
- LucasC'est fait, Chloé.It's done, Chloé.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry vapeur, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries vapeur, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
