Level B2 (Upper Beginner)
Dehors is both a French adverb and noun meaning outside, outdoors and “out”. This lesson offers a simple pronunciation tip for this tricky word. Dehors in Modern French comes from dēfŏris in Latin.
Dehors
outside, outdoors, out
Dehors pronunciation
The pronunciation of dehors (outside) is [də-ɔʀ]. My pronunciation tip is to simply say deux (two) and the English “or”. Hence, dehors = deux + or. It has two syllables which are very close to each other and the -h is silent. Many students make the mistake of pronouncing it with just one syllable to sound like dors (sleeps, sleeping). That would be wrong.
Example sentences
Où sont les enfants ? Ils sont dehors.
Where are the kids? They’re outside.
In French à l’extérieur is synonomous with dehors to mean “outside”.
Viens te chauffer dans la maison, à l’extérieur il fait trop froid !
Come warm up in the house. It’s too cold outside!
The preposition hors means except or apart and hors de question means “out of the question”.
Tu ne prends pas la voiture ce soir. C’est hors de question !
You’re not taking the car tonight. It’s out of the question.
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