emballer
/ɑ̃.ba.le/
In French, the English verb 'wrap' is translated as emballer or envelopper.
Meaning: to enclose completely in fabric, paper, etc (verb)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA |
|---|---|
| emballer | /ɑ̃.ba.le/ |
| envelopper | /ɑ̃.vlɔ.pe/ |
Both verbs describe the act of enclosing something completely in fabric, paper or another material, but they are used in different contexts. Emballer is used for the act of packaging an object, such as a gift or a product. This is the standard verb used in retail settings when you want a shopkeeper to package a purchase.
Which one should you use?
Use emballer when the focus is on packaging an object, like a gift or a product in a box or paper. Use envelopper when the focus is on the act of surrounding or covering something or someone, such as wrapping a person in a blanket or wrapping arms around someone.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
emballer is pronounced /ɑ̃.ba.le/ and has 3 syllables.
Did you know?
- In a cinema or film set context, the phrase on emballe is used to signal that the filming of a scene is finished and the equipment can be packed away. This uses the packaging meaning of emballer to mark the end of a production sequence.
- The verb envelopper shares a distant ancestor with the English word 'warp', as both stem from a Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'to turn' or 'to bend'.
- If you use emballer when talking about a person, you might accidentally imply you are packaging them like a retail product rather than hugging them.
Examples in context
- Peux-tu les emballer séparément ?Could you wrap them up separately?This sentence is useful for asking to wrap items separately using emballer.Tatoeba #1352866 by sacredceltic, translation #1129468 by CK
- Pourriez-vous l'emballer comme cadeau ?Could you wrap it up as a gift?This sentence is useful for asking to wrap an item as a gift using emballer.Tatoeba #11179839 by lbdx, translation #5789481 by CK
- Je voulais juste l’envelopper dans mes bras.I just wanted to wrap my arms around him.This sentence is useful for describing wrapping arms around someone using envelopper.Tatoeba #11427563 by sacredceltic, translation #11427560 by Nuel
- Pouvez-vous envelopper ce cadeau pour moi, s'il vous plaît?Can you wrap this gift for me, please?
- Pourriez-vous m'emballer cette robe dans du papier de soie?Could you wrap this dress in tissue paper?
- Est-ce que tu peux m'emballer ça?Can you wrap this for me?
- Je l'ai enveloppé dans du papier cadeau.I wrapped it in wrapping paper.
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucas and Léa are packing a gift together.
- LucasJe vais emballer le livre maintenant.I am going to wrap the book now.
- LéaTu as du papier cadeau, Lucas ?Do you have wrapping paper, Lucas?
- LucasOui, je vais l'utiliser pour emballer le colis.Yes, I will use it to wrap the package.
- LéaParfait, je t'aide avec le ruban.Perfect, I'll help you with the ribbon.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “wrap” translations and entries emballer, envelopper, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries emballer, envelopper, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
