Published October 1, 2026 — By French teacher David Issokson with native audio by Marie Assel Cambier
Pote meaning
Pote is an informal French noun meaning “friend,” “buddy,” or “pal.” It is very common in casual spoken French and is used between friends, but it is too informal for most professional or formal situations. You will often hear un pote for a male friend and une pote for a female friend, while mes potes means “my friends.”
Pote pronunciation
The IPA pronunciation of pote is /pɔt/, which sounds approximately like “pot.”
Pote example sentences
Je vais au cinéma avec mes potes ce soir.
I’m going to the movies with my friends tonight.
Mon pote habite près de chez moi.
My friend lives near my place.
C’est un vieux pote de mon frère.
He’s an old friend of my brother’s.
Mes potes viennent dîner chez moi demain.
My friends are coming over to my place for dinner tomorrow.
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🔗 Related words and expressions
- un ami — a friend
- un copain — a friend, buddy
- une copine — a female friend
- un camarade — a friend, classmate
- un meilleur ami — a best friend
- un vieil ami — an old friend
- une bande de potes — a group of friends
📚 Related lessons
👉 French slang »
👉 Friend in French »
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