Learning how to say “clothes” in French is useful when shopping, traveling, or talking about fashion. It can also help you communicate more easily with French-speaking people. Knowing the right words will make it easier to describe what you’re wearing or ask about clothing in stores.
In this article, we will explore different ways to say “clothes” in French. We will also look at other common phrases related to clothing. This will help you expand your vocabulary and use French in real-life situations, such as when you’re shopping or chatting with friends. Let’s get started!
Ways to Say “Clothes” in French
Here are 25 ways to say “clothes” in French, along with their meanings and example sentences. This will help you understand how to use these words in everyday situations.
Vêtements (veh-teh-mahn)
- Meaning: Clothes (general term)
- In a Sentence:
- “J’ai acheté des vêtements neufs.” (I bought new clothes.)
- “Les vêtements sont dans le placard.” (The clothes are in the closet.)
Habits (ah-bee)
- Meaning: Clothes, often refers to formal or stylish clothes
- In a Sentence:
- “Il porte des habits élégants.” (He’s wearing elegant clothes.)
- “Les habits sont dans la chambre.” (The clothes are in the room.)
Tenue (teh-new)
- Meaning: Outfit, attire
- In a Sentence:
- “Elle porte une tenue décontractée.” (She’s wearing a casual outfit.)
- “Sa tenue était parfaite pour la fête.” (Her outfit was perfect for the party.)
Vêtement de sport (veh-teh-mahn duh spor)
- Meaning: Sportswear
- In a Sentence:
- “Je vais mettre des vêtements de sport pour courir.” (I will wear sportswear to run.)
- “Les vêtements de sport sont très confortables.” (Sports clothes are very comfortable.)
Robe (rohb)
- Meaning: Dress
- In a Sentence:
- “Elle porte une belle robe.” (She is wearing a beautiful dress.)
- “J’aime cette robe.” (I like this dress.)
Pantalon (pahn-tah-lohn)
- Meaning: Pants
- In a Sentence:
- “Je cherche mes pantalons.” (I’m looking for my pants.)
- “Il a mis un pantalon noir.” (He put on black pants.)
Chemise (shuh-meez)
- Meaning: Shirt
- In a Sentence:
- “J’ai une chemise bleue.” (I have a blue shirt.)
- “Elle porte une chemise à rayures.” (She’s wearing a striped shirt.)
T-shirt (tee-shurt)
- Meaning: T-shirt
- In a Sentence:
- “Je porte un T-shirt blanc.” (I’m wearing a white T-shirt.)
- “Mon T-shirt est très confortable.” (My T-shirt is very comfortable.)
Jupe (joop)
- Meaning: Skirt
- In a Sentence:
- “Elle porte une jupe rouge.” (She is wearing a red skirt.)
- “J’ai une jupe en jean.” (I have a denim skirt.)
Manteau (mahn-toh)
- Meaning: Coat
- In a Sentence:
- “Je mets mon manteau parce qu’il fait froid.” (I’m putting on my coat because it’s cold.)
- “Il a un manteau en laine.” (He has a wool coat.)
Chapeau (sha-poh)
- Meaning: Hat
- In a Sentence:
- “J’ai un chapeau rouge.” (I have a red hat.)
- “Elle porte un chapeau élégant.” (She’s wearing an elegant hat.)
Chaussures (sho-soor)
- Meaning: Shoes
- In a Sentence:
- “Je cherche mes chaussures noires.” (I’m looking for my black shoes.)
- “Ses chaussures sont très jolies.” (Her shoes are very pretty.)
Socks (chaussettes) (shoh-set)
- Meaning: Socks
- In a Sentence:
- “Je porte des chaussettes blanches.” (I’m wearing white socks.)
- “Elle a des chaussettes à rayures.” (She has striped socks.)
Pantalon de pyjama (pahn-tah-lohn duh pee-zhah-mah)
- Meaning: Pajama pants
- In a Sentence:
- “Je porte un pantalon de pyjama confortable.” (I’m wearing comfortable pajama pants.)
- “Elle a mis un pantalon de pyjama.” (She put on pajama pants.)
Short (shor)
- Meaning: Shorts
- In a Sentence:
- “Il porte un short pour aller à la plage.” (He’s wearing shorts to go to the beach.)
- “J’aime porter des shorts en été.” (I like to wear shorts in the summer.)
Pull (pool)
- Meaning: Sweater
- In a Sentence:
- “Je porte un pull chaud.” (I’m wearing a warm sweater.)
- “Elle adore ses pulls.” (She loves her sweaters.)
Veste (vest)
- Meaning: Jacket, vest
- In a Sentence:
- “Il porte une veste en cuir.” (He’s wearing a leather jacket.)
- “Ma veste est trop grande.” (My jacket is too big.)
Écharpe (ay-sharp)
- Meaning: Scarf
- In a Sentence:
- “Elle porte une écharpe rouge.” (She’s wearing a red scarf.)
- “Je n’ai pas d’écharpe.” (I don’t have a scarf.)
Gants (gahn)
- Meaning: Gloves
- In a Sentence:
- “Je mets mes gants parce qu’il neige.” (I’m putting on my gloves because it’s snowing.)
- “Il a perdu ses gants.” (He lost his gloves.)
Costume (kohs-toom)
- Meaning: Suit
- In a Sentence:
- “Il porte un costume noir.” (He’s wearing a black suit.)
- “Elle aime son costume.” (She likes her suit.)
Baskets (bahs-ket)
- Meaning: Sneakers
- In a Sentence:
- “J’ai acheté des baskets nouvelles.” (I bought new sneakers.)
- “Elle porte des baskets blanches.” (She’s wearing white sneakers.)
Bijoux (bee-zhoo)
- Meaning: Jewelry
- In a Sentence:
- “Elle porte des bijoux en or.” (She’s wearing gold jewelry.)
- “Mes bijoux sont dans le tiroir.” (My jewelry is in the drawer.)
Ceinture (seh-ahn-toor)
- Meaning: Belt
- In a Sentence:
- “Il a une ceinture noire.” (He has a black belt.)
- “J’ai perdu ma ceinture.” (I lost my belt.)
Lunettes (loo-net)
- Meaning: Glasses
- In a Sentence:
- “Elle porte des lunettes de soleil.” (She’s wearing sunglasses.)
- “Je n’ai pas mes lunettes.” (I don’t have my glasses.)
Vêtements de pluie (veh-teh-mahn duh pwee)
- Meaning: Rain clothes
- In a Sentence:
- “N’oublie pas tes vêtements de pluie.” (Don’t forget your rain clothes.)
- “Les vêtements de pluie sont dans le sac.” (The rain clothes are in the bag.)
Pyjama (pee-zhah-mah)
- Meaning: Pajamas
- In a Sentence:
- “Je porte un pyjama confortable.” (I’m wearing comfortable pajamas.)
- “Mon pyjama est tout doux.” (My pajamas are very soft.)
Blouson (bloo-zon)
- Meaning: Jacket (usually casual)
- In a Sentence:
- “Il porte un blouson en cuir.” (He’s wearing a leather jacket.)
- “J’ai acheté un blouson pour l’hiver.” (I bought a jacket for the winter.)
Chaussons (shoh-sohn)
- Meaning: Slippers
- In a Sentence:
- “Elle porte des chaussons en laine.” (She’s wearing wool slippers.)
- “Je suis resté à la maison avec mes chaussons.” (I stayed home with my slippers.)
Vêtements de nuit (veh-teh-mahn duh nwee)
- Meaning: Nightwear
- In a Sentence:
- “Je vais mettre mes vêtements de nuit.” (I’m going to put on my nightwear.)
- “Les vêtements de nuit sont dans le tiroir.” (The nightwear is in the drawer.)
Tennis (teh-nee)
- Meaning: Sneakers (informal)
- In a Sentence:
- “Je porte des tennis rouges.” (I’m wearing red sneakers.)
- “Il a acheté des tennis pour le sport.” (He bought sneakers for sports.)
Combi-pantalon (kohm-bee-pahn-tah-lohn)
- Meaning: Jumpsuit
- In a Sentence:
- “Elle porte une combi-pantalon élégante.” (She’s wearing an elegant jumpsuit.)
- “Mon combi-pantalon est trop grand.” (My jumpsuit is too big.)
Gilet (zhee-lay)
- Meaning: Vest, sleeveless sweater
- In a Sentence:
- “Je porte un gilet gris.” (I’m wearing a grey vest.)
- “Elle a mis un gilet pour la soirée.” (She put on a vest for the evening.)
Culotte (koo-loht)
- Meaning: Underwear, panties (for women)
- In a Sentence:
- “J’ai acheté des culottes nouvelles.” (I bought new underwear.)
- “Elle porte une culotte en coton.” (She’s wearing cotton underwear.)
Parka (par-kah)
- Meaning: Parka, winter jacket
- In a Sentence:
- “Je porte une parka pour l’hiver.” (I’m wearing a parka for the winter.)
- “Sa parka est chaude.” (His parka is warm.)
Salopette (sa-loh-pet)
- Meaning: Overalls
- In a Sentence:
- “Il porte une salopette bleue.” (He’s wearing blue overalls.)
- “Les enfants adorent leurs salopettes.” (The kids love their overalls.)
Other Ways to Say “Clothes” in French
Here’s a table with more ways to say “clothes” in French, along with their pronunciation, meaning, and example sentences. These phrases can be used in different contexts and help expand your vocabulary.
| Other ways to say | Pronunciation | Meaning | Example Sentences |
| Vêtements d’extérieur | veh-teh-mahn day ex-teh-ree-ur | Outdoor clothing | “Il a mis des vêtements d’extérieur pour la randonnée.” (He put on outdoor clothing for the hike.) |
| Vêtements de cérémonie | veh-teh-mahn duh seh-reh-mon-ee | Formal wear | “Elle porte des vêtements de cérémonie pour le mariage.” (She’s wearing formal wear for the wedding.) |
| Sous-vêtements | soo veh-teh-mahn | Underwear | “J’ai acheté des sous-vêtements neufs.” (I bought new underwear.) |
| Habillement | ah-bee-yeh-mahn | Clothing (general term) | “L’habillement est très important dans cette culture.” (Clothing is very important in this culture.) |
| Robe de soirée | rohb duh swah-ray | Evening dress | “Elle porte une robe de soirée pour la fête.” (She’s wearing an evening dress for the party.) |
| Costume de bain | koh-stoom duh bahn | Swimsuit | “Il porte un costume de bain à la plage.” (He’s wearing a swimsuit at the beach.) |
| Vêtements décontractés | veh-teh-mahn day-kohn-trah-kay | Casual clothes | “Les vêtements décontractés sont parfaits pour le week-end.” (Casual clothes are perfect for the weekend.) |
| Tunique | too-neek | Tunic | “Elle porte une tunique pour l’été.” (She’s wearing a tunic for the summer.) |
| Vêtements de travail | veh-teh-mahn duh trah-vah-ee | Work clothes | “Je dois laver mes vêtements de travail.” (I need to wash my work clothes.) |
| Accessoires | ak-seh-soir | Accessories | “Elle a beaucoup d’accessoires avec ses vêtements.” (She has a lot of accessories with her clothes.) |
Response to “Clothes” in French
When someone says “clothes” in French, there are different ways you can respond depending on the situation. Here are a few common responses you might use in a conversation.
“J’adore tes vêtements !”
- Pronunciation: (jah-door tay veh-teh-mahn)
- Meaning: I love your clothes!
- In a Sentence:
- “J’adore tes vêtements ! Où les as-tu achetés ?” (I love your clothes! Where did you buy them?)
- “Tu as de beaux vêtements.” (You have nice clothes.)
“Ces vêtements sont très confortables.”
- Pronunciation: (say veh-teh-mahn sohn tray kohn-for-tah-bluh)
- Meaning: These clothes are very comfortable.
- In a Sentence:
- “Ces vêtements sont très confortables, je vais les porter demain.” (These clothes are very comfortable; I will wear them tomorrow.)
- “J’aime les vêtements qui sont confortables.” (I like clothes that are comfortable.)
“Où sont mes vêtements ?”
- Pronunciation: (oo sohn may veh-teh-mahn)
- Meaning: Where are my clothes?
- In a Sentence:
- “Où sont mes vêtements ? Je ne les trouve pas.” (Where are my clothes? I can’t find them.)
- “As-tu vu mes vêtements ?” (Have you seen my clothes?)
“Je dois acheter de nouveaux vêtements.”
- Pronunciation: (zhuh dwah ah-shuh-tay duh noo-voo veh-teh-mahn)
- Meaning: I need to buy new clothes.
- In a Sentence:
- “Je dois acheter de nouveaux vêtements pour l’hiver.” (I need to buy new clothes for the winter.)
- “Tu devrais acheter de nouveaux vêtements.” (You should buy new clothes.)
“Je n’aime pas tes vêtements.”
- Pronunciation: (zhuh nem pah tay veh-teh-mahn)
- Meaning: I don’t like your clothes.
- In a Sentence:
- “Je n’aime pas tes vêtements. Pourquoi ne pas essayer autre chose ?” (I don’t like your clothes. Why not try something else?)
- “Tes vêtements ne sont pas à la mode.” (Your clothes are not fashionable.)
“Ces vêtements sont trop chers !”
- Pronunciation: (say veh-teh-mahn sohn troh shair)
- Meaning: These clothes are too expensive!
- In a Sentence:
- “Ces vêtements sont trop chers, je vais chercher une alternative.” (These clothes are too expensive; I will look for an alternative.)
- “Tu as payé combien pour ces vêtements ?” (How much did you pay for these clothes?)
“Tu as changé de vêtements ?”
- Pronunciation: (too ah shahng-ay duh veh-teh-mahn)
- Meaning: Did you change clothes?
- In a Sentence:
- “Tu as changé de vêtements ? Tu es très élégant.” (Did you change clothes? You look very elegant.)
- “Elle a changé de vêtements après le travail.” (She changed clothes after work.)
“Ces vêtements sont parfaits pour l’été.”
- Pronunciation: (say veh-teh-mahn sohn par-fay poor lay-tay)
- Meaning: These clothes are perfect for the summer.
- In a Sentence:
- “Ces vêtements sont parfaits pour l’été, ils sont légers.” (These clothes are perfect for the summer; they are light.)
- “J’ai besoin de vêtements comme ceux-ci pour l’été.” (I need clothes like these for the summer.)
“Je vais laver mes vêtements.”
- Pronunciation: (zhuh veh lah-vay may veh-teh-mahn)
- Meaning: I’m going to wash my clothes.
- In a Sentence:
- “Je vais laver mes vêtements ce soir.” (I’m going to wash my clothes tonight.)
- “Mes vêtements sont sales, je vais les laver.” (My clothes are dirty; I’m going to wash them.)
“Je suis fatigué de mes vêtements.”
- Pronunciation: (zhuh swee fah-tee-gay duh may veh-teh-mahn)
- Meaning: I’m tired of my clothes.
- In a Sentence:
- “Je suis fatigué de mes vêtements, il est temps de changer.” (I’m tired of my clothes; it’s time to change.)
- “Je n’aime plus mes vêtements, je vais les donner.” (I don’t like my clothes anymore; I’m going to donate them.)
“Tes vêtements sont très stylés !”
- Pronunciation: (tay veh-teh-mahn sohn tray stee-lay)
- Meaning: Your clothes are very stylish!
- In a Sentence:
- “Tes vêtements sont très stylés ! Où les as-tu trouvés ?” (Your clothes are very stylish! Where did you find them?)
- “J’aime comment tu choisis tes vêtements.” (I love how you choose your clothes.)
“Je cherche des vêtements pour un entretien.”
- Pronunciation: (zhuh share-sh duh veh-teh-mahn poor uhn on-truh-tee-ahn)
- Meaning: I’m looking for clothes for an interview.
- In a Sentence:
- “Je cherche des vêtements pour un entretien demain.” (I’m looking for clothes for an interview tomorrow.)
- “Il faut des vêtements formels pour un entretien.” (You need formal clothes for an interview.)
“Elle a un sens incroyable du style !”
- Pronunciation: (ell ah uh sahns ahn-kroh-yah-bluh du steel)
- Meaning: She has an amazing sense of style!
- In a Sentence:
- “Elle a un sens incroyable du style, regarde ses vêtements !” (She has an amazing sense of style, look at her clothes!)
- “Je veux avoir un style comme le sien.” (I want to have a style like hers.)
“Mes vêtements sont pleins de taches.”
- Pronunciation: (may veh-teh-mahn sohn pleh duh tash)
- Meaning: My clothes are full of stains.
- In a Sentence:
- “Mes vêtements sont pleins de taches, je dois les laver.” (My clothes are full of stains; I need to wash them.)
- “Elle a enlevé les taches de ses vêtements.” (She removed the stains from her clothes.)
“J’ai besoin de vêtements plus chauds.”
- Pronunciation: (zhay buh-zwah duh veh-teh-mahn ploo show)
- Meaning: I need warmer clothes.
- In a Sentence:
- “J’ai besoin de vêtements plus chauds pour l’hiver.” (I need warmer clothes for the winter.)
- “Tu devrais acheter des vêtements plus chauds.” (You should buy warmer clothes.)
“Les vêtements sont en solde.”
- Pronunciation: (lay veh-teh-mahn sohn ahn sohl-d)
- Meaning: The clothes are on sale.
- In a Sentence:
- “Les vêtements sont en solde cette semaine.” (The clothes are on sale this week.)
- “J’ai acheté des vêtements en solde.” (I bought clothes on sale.)
“J’ai trop de vêtements dans mon armoire.”
- Pronunciation: (zhay troh duh veh-teh-mahn dahn mon ahr-mwar)
- Meaning: I have too many clothes in my closet.
- In a Sentence:
- “J’ai trop de vêtements dans mon armoire, il faut que je fasse du tri.” (I have too many clothes in my closet; I need to organize them.)
- “Elle a trop de vêtements, elle n’a plus de place.” (She has too many clothes; she has no more space.)
“Je veux acheter des vêtements d’été.”
- Pronunciation: (zhuh vuh ah-shuh-tay day veh-teh-mahn day-tay)
- Meaning: I want to buy summer clothes.
- In a Sentence:
- “Je veux acheter des vêtements d’été pour la plage.” (I want to buy summer clothes for the beach.)
- “Elle cherche des vêtements d’été.” (She’s looking for summer clothes.)
“Ces vêtements sont très populaires cette saison.”
- Pronunciation: (say veh-teh-mahn sohn tray poh-pyu-lair set say-zohn)
- Meaning: These clothes are very popular this season.
- In a Sentence:
- “Ces vêtements sont très populaires cette saison, tout le monde les porte.” (These clothes are very popular this season; everyone is wearing them.)
- “Ce style est à la mode cette année.” (This style is trendy this year.)
“Est-ce que ces vêtements te vont bien ?”
- Pronunciation: (es kuh say veh-teh-mahn tuh vohn byan)
- Meaning: Do these clothes fit you well?
- In a Sentence:
- “Est-ce que ces vêtements te vont bien ? Tu es magnifique.” (Do these clothes fit you well? You look great.)
- “Je pense que ces vêtements te vont très bien.” (I think these clothes look really good on you.)
Exercise to Practice Success “Clothes” in French
Below are 12 fill-in-the-blank sentences in French to help you practice using the ways to say “clothes” in French. Try to complete each sentence with the correct term from the list of words provided earlier.
Fill in the blanks:
- Je vais acheter des ____________ pour l’été.
(I am going to buy ____________ for the summer.) - Elle a mis une ____________ en laine pour se protéger du froid.
(She put on a ____________ made of wool to protect herself from the cold.) - J’adore ta ____________, elle est très élégante.
(I love your ____________, it is very elegant.) - Tu devrais porter des ____________ plus confortables pour marcher.
(You should wear ____________ that are more comfortable for walking.) - Mon frère a perdu ses ____________ pendant la fête.
(My brother lost his ____________ during the party.) - Il porte une ____________ pour aller à la plage.
(He’s wearing a ____________ to go to the beach.) - Je suis allé au magasin pour acheter des ____________ de sport.
(I went to the store to buy ____________ for sports.) - Les ____________ que j’ai achetés hier sont déjà sales.
(The ____________ I bought yesterday are already dirty.) - J’ai besoin de ____________ plus chauds pour cet hiver.
(I need ____________ that are warmer for this winter.) - Je dois laver mes ____________ après le travail.
(I need to wash my ____________ after work.) - Il a mis un ____________ pour la soirée chic.
(He put on a ____________ for the fancy evening.) - Les ____________ de ce magasin sont en solde cette semaine.
(The ____________ from this store are on sale this week.)
Answers:
- vêtements d’été (summer clothes)
- manteau (coat)
- robe (dress)
- chaussures (shoes)
- chaussures (shoes)
- maillot de bain (swimsuit)
- vêtements de sport (sportswear)
- vêtements (clothes)
- vêtements (clothes)
- vêtements (clothes)
- costume (suit)
- vêtements (clothes)
Conclusion
Learning how to say “clothes” in French opens up many possibilities for you to talk about fashion, shopping, and daily life in French. By exploring different ways to say “clothes,” you can sound more natural and specific in your conversations. Whether you’re discussing casual wear, formal attire, or just chatting about what you’re wearing, these expressions will help you feel more confident.
Remember, practicing these words and phrases in real-life situations will help you remember them better. Keep using them when you’re talking about clothes with friends, shopping, or even when you’re reading French fashion magazines or watching French movies. The more you practice, the easier it will be to master these terms and improve your French vocabulary!