yack
/jak/masculine
The English word 'yak' is translated into French as yack or yak, referring to the ox-like mammal.
Meaning: ox-like mammal (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| yack | /jak/ | masculine |
| yak | /jak/ | masculine |
Both forms are used to refer to the ox-like mammal.
Which one should you use?
yack is the default form, while yak is an alternative spelling for the same masculine noun.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
Both yack and yak are masculine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/jak/
Did you know?
- Because yack is a direct import from the Tibetan word གཡག, it is one of the few words in the French zoological vocabulary with a Sino-Tibetan origin.
- Unlike the common French word for ox, boeuf, the word yack has no native Gallo-Roman roots.
- While many French nouns for animals change gender based on the sex of the animal, yack remains masculine even if you are describing a female yak.
Examples in context
- J'ai vu un magnifique spécimen de yak au zoo.I saw a magnificent specimen of a yak at the zoo.
- L'animal nommé yak vit principalement dans les montagnes de l'Himalaya.The animal named yak mainly lives in the Himalayan mountains.
- Regarde le p'tit yak là-bas, il est trop mignon!Look at that little yak over there, it's so cute!
- As-tu déjà vu un bœuf musqué? C'est un peu comme un yak, mais avec des cornes impressionnantes.Have you ever seen a musk ox? It's a bit like a yak, but with impressive horns.
- Le yak des steppes est parfaitement adapté aux conditions climatiques de la Mongolie.The yak from the steppes is perfectly adapted to the climatic conditions of Mongolia.
- Le yack vit en montagne.The yak lives in the mountains.
- J'ai vu un yack au zoo.I saw a yak at the zoo.
Example conversation
Manon and Gabriel are looking at animals in a zoo.
- ManonC'est quoi cet animal ?What is this animal?
- GabrielC'est un yack, Manon.It is a yak, Manon.
- ManonIl a beaucoup de poils !He has a lot of hair!
- GabrielOui, le yack est très robuste.Yes, the yak is very hardy.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “yak” translations and entries yack, yak, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries yack, CC BY-SA 4.0.
