coupe du monde
/kup dy mɔ̃d/feminine
The English phrase "world cup" is translated into French as coupe du monde.
This noun refers to an international football tournament or other similar sports competitions. When referring specifically to the FIFA World Cup, the phrase is often capitalized as la Coupe du monde.
Meaning: international football tournament, other sports competitions similar to this (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of coupe (cup), du (of the) and monde (world).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Canadian French, the colloquial term Coupe du monde de soccer can be used.
How does it change in a sentence?
Because coupe is a feminine noun, the definite article used is la (as in la Coupe du monde).
Did you know?
- The word monde originally meant 'clean' or 'pure' in Latin, stemming from the root 'mundus'.
- While we use 'cup' to mean a trophy, the French word coupe has a double meaning. It can refer to the trophy itself, but it is also the deverbative form of the verb couper, meaning 'to cut'.
- In France, mentioning the Coupe du monde often triggers passionate debates about 'le football' that transcend sports and touch on national identity.
Examples in context
- Tu suis la Coupe du monde ?Are you following the World Cup?This sentence is useful for asking if someone is following the coupe du monde.Tatoeba #3273892 by nimfeo, translation #3273891 by sundown
- Ils gagnèrent la Coupe du monde.They won the world cup.This sentence is useful for stating that a team won the coupe du monde.Tatoeba #13975871 by Rovo, translation #12002269 by LdjuherTaqvaylit
- La France a gagné la Coupe du Monde.France have won the World Cup.This sentence is useful for stating that France won the coupe du monde.Tatoeba #7132855 by Aiji, translation #6996860 by Hybrid
- Cette année, la France accueille la Coupe du Monde de football.This year, France is hosting the World Cup of football.
- On se retrouve chez moi pour regarder le match du Mondial ce soir?Shall we meet at my place to watch the World Cup match tonight?
- Je suis vraiment excité pour la Coupe du Monde de soccer cette année!I'm really excited for the World Cup of soccer this year!
- La Côte d'Ivoire participe à la Coupe du Monde cette année.Ivory Coast is participating in the World Cup this year.
- 26 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Nathan and Léa are discussing football at a cafe.
- NathanTu regardes la Coupe du monde ce soir ?Are you watching the World Cup tonight?
- LéaOui, je suis impatiente de voir le match.Yes, I am looking forward to seeing the match.
- NathanMoi aussi, l'ambiance de la Coupe du monde est géniale.Me too, the World Cup atmosphere is great.
- LéaC'est vrai, c'est un événement magnifique.It's true, it's a magnificent event.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “world cup” translations and entries coupe du monde, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries coupe, du, monde, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
