In today’s lesson we’ll have a look at the word les cheveux, which means hair in French. Specifically, we’ll look at ways to describe your hair. We’ll also have a quick look at the confusing cheveux vs. chevaux (hair vs. horses). Keep reading!
les cheveux – [ʃəvø]
hair
Les cheveux – hair in French
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Word origin
The French word cheveux (hair) comes from capillus in Latin. When talking about the hair on one’s head, the French always uses the plural form: les cheveux. A single strand of hair is un poil or un cheveu. Note that poil is also the word for an animal’s fur.
Example sentences
This first example sentence uses the imperfect tense (l’imparfait). The French use this tense to express past actions which occurred over time. This sentence is autobiographical. When I was in the 7th grade my French teacher gave me the nickname “Frisé” (curly).
Quand j’étais un enfant j’avais les cheveux très frisés.
I had very curly hair when I was a child.
To talk about your hair in French, use the structure: avoir les cheveux + adjective. For example:
Marie a les cheveux longs et blonds.
Marie has long blond hair.
Hair vocabulary
Here are some more ways of describing hair in French. For example, il a les cheveux bruns (he has brown hair).
- Les cheveux bruns brown hair
- Les cheveux noirs black hair
- Les cheveux roux red hair
- Les cheveux gris gray hair
- Les cheveux longs long hair
- Les cheveux lisses straight hair
- Les cheveux courts short hair
- Les cheveux bouclés curly, wavy hair
You can also use the verb être (to be) to talk about hair color. For example:
- Il est brun / Elle est brune. He/she has brown hair
- Il est blond / Elle est blonde. He/she has blond hair.
- Il est roux / Elle est rousse. He/she has red hair.
In French, the adjective for bald is chauve.
Martin est chauve. Il a perdu tous ses cheveux.
Martin is bald. He lost all his hair.
Cheveux vs. chevaux
It’s easy to confuse hair in French with “horses”: le cheval, les chevaux (horse, horses).
Je vois les chevaux dans le champs.
I see the horses in the field.
Related lessons
References
