Maison-Blanche
feminine
The English phrase "white house" is translated into French as Maison-Blanche. Wiktionary also lists Maison Blanche.
Meaning: the official residence of the President of the United States of America (name)
Ways to say it
| French | Note |
|---|---|
| Maison-Blanche | feminine |
| Maison Blanche | feminine |
In French, this term refers to the official residence of the President of the United States of America.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of maison (house) and blanche (white), with the adjective following the noun.
Which one should you use?
When you are referring to the specific official residence of the US President, you treat it as a proper noun and use the capitalized form la Maison Blanche. If you are simply referring to any generic house that happens to be white, you use lowercase letters and the indefinite article: une maison blanche.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase is feminine, so the definite article used is la rather than le.
Did you know?
- The French word maison is a 'doublet' of the English word 'mansion'. Both words share the same Latin ancestor mansio, but 'mansion' was borrowed directly into English while maison evolved naturally through French.
- In French, Maison Blanche can refer to more than just the US presidency. It is a common name for various hotels, clinics and residential complexes across French-speaking countries.
- While 'white house' in English is often used as a metonym for the US presidency, a French speaker would rarely use la Maison Blanche as a shorthand for the administration itself.
Examples in context
- Vois-tu la maison blanche ?Do you see the white house?Tatoeba #4477739 by mouche, translation #4476841 by AlanF_US
- La maison blanche est antique.The white house is antique.Tatoeba #563073 by qdii, translation #462982 by lukaszpp
- Qui a conçu la Maison Blanche ?Who designed the White House?Tatoeba #3642126 by sacredceltic, translation #33104 by CK
- La Maison Blanche est l'emblème politique des États-Unis.The White House is the political emblem of the United States.
- 20 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucas and Léa are discussing a trip to Washington, D.C.
- LucasEst-ce qu'on peut visiter la Maison-Blanche ?Can we visit the White House?
- LéaIl faut réserver longtemps à l'avance, Lucas.You have to book a long time in advance, Lucas.
- LucasJe veux vraiment voir la Maison-Blanche en vrai.I really want to see the White House in person.
- LéaMoi aussi, Léa espère qu'on pourra y entrer.Me too, Léa hopes that we will be able to go inside.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “white house” translations and entries Maison Blanche, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Maison, maison, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
