Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| vierge | /vjɛʁʒ/ | feminine |
| puceau | /py.so/ | dated, informal, masculine |
| pucelle | /py.sɛl/ | feminine |
The term refers to a person who has never had sexual intercourse. It can be used as a noun to identify a person or as an adjective to describe someone in a state of virginity.
Which one should you use?
While vierge is a neutral term that can apply to anyone, puceau is a specifically masculine and informal way to refer to a male virgin. Its feminine counterpart, pucelle, is used to refer to a female virgin in an informal or dated way.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
vierge is the standard neutral term. In contrast, puceau (masculine) and pucelle (feminine) are informal or dated terms. In a formal religious context, the phrase la Vierge is used when referring specifically to the Virgin Mary.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The word vierge is used for both males and females and does not change its spelling between its masculine and feminine forms. However, the informal forms puceau (masculine) and pucelle (feminine) are gender-specific.
How do you pronounce it?
/vjɛʁʒ/
Did you know?
- A 'blank slate' or 'clean slate' is described in French as une page vierge, literally 'a virgin page'.
- The root of pucelle may come from the Latin word pullus, meaning 'chick' or 'young animal'.
- In French, vierge can describe things other than people, such as huile d'olive vierge for 'extra virgin olive oil'.
Examples in context
- Es-tu encore vierge ?Are you still a virgin?This sentence is useful for asking someone if they are still a virgin using vierge.Tatoeba #2096282 by sysko, translation #1647222 by fengli
- Elle n'est plus vierge.She's not a virgin anymore.This sentence is useful for stating that someone is no longer a virgin using vierge.Tatoeba #5284876 by martin9, translation #5285738 by mailohilohi
- Layla n'est pas vierge.Layla isn't a virgin.This sentence is useful for stating that a specific person is not a virgin using vierge.Tatoeba #7206456 by tras, translation #7206273 by OsoHombre
- Il est viergeHe is a virgin
- Il est encore puceauHe is still a virgin
- Elle souhaite rester vierge jusqu'au mariage.She wishes to remain a virgin until marriage.
- Je ne suis plus puceau, mais c'est un sujet privé.I'm no longer a virgin, but it's a private matter.
- 14 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Nathan and Emma are talking about their pasts.
- NathanEst-ce que tu étais vierge à vingt ans ?Were you a virgin at twenty?
- EmmaOui, j'étais encore vierge à ce moment-là.Yes, I was still a virgin at that time.
- NathanC'est assez rare aujourd'hui, non ?That's quite rare today, isn't it?
- EmmaPeut-être, mais je ne me suis pas pressée.Maybe, but I didn't rush myself.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “virgin” translations and entries vierge, puceau, pucelle, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries puceau, pucelle, vierge, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
