voleur
/vɔ.lœʁ/
The French word voleur means thief.
What does it mean word for word?
The noun voleur is derived from the verb voler, which means to steal.
How does it change in a sentence?
The feminine form of the noun is voleuse (female thief), and the plural form is voleurs (thieves).
How do you pronounce it?
/vɔ.lœʁ/
Did you know?
- The verb voler is a homonym that means both 'to steal' and 'to fly'. This means a voleur is technically someone who steals but not necessarily someone who flies.
- In French slang, the word pique-assiette literally means 'plate-picker' and describes a specific type of voleur who steals a meal by crashing a party.
- The term voleur de baisers is a common poetic expression in French literature and song used to describe a 'stealer of kisses'.
Examples in context
- Méfiez-vous des voleurs à la tire dans les lieux touristiques.Beware of pickpockets in tourist areas.
- Un cambrioleur a vidé la maison de mon voisin pendant qu'il était en vacances.A thief emptied my neighbor's house while he was on vacation.
- Les voleurs à l'étalage risquent d'être arrêtés s'ils sont pris en flagrant délit.Shoplifters risk being arrested if caught in the act.
- La voleuse a été arrêtée en flagrant délit.The female thief was caught in the act.
- Ce voleur a pris mon sac.This thief took my bag.
- Le voleur s'est enfui rapidement.The thief fled quickly.
- On a signalé un voleur dans le quartier.A thief was reported in the neighborhood.
Example conversation
Lucas and Manon are talking about a missing wallet.
- LucasMon portefeuille a disparu !My wallet has disappeared!
- ManonTu penses qu'il y a un voleur ?Do you think there is a thief?
- LucasOui, quelqu'un l'a sûrement pris.Yes, someone surely took it.
- ManonOn doit appeler la police, Lucas.We must call the police, Lucas.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry voleur, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
