What are the names of the 50 states in the USA in French?
Leaning how to say the names of the fifty states in the United States is essential for French conversation. By knowing the states’ names, you will be able to discuss many topics, such as where you live, when to school and grew up. This page covers the French names for all 50 states as well as gender and prepositions.
Gender of states
In French, the names of the fifty states in the United States all have a gender. This means that each state is either masculine or feminine.
The gender of the state determines the articles and prepositions that precede the state name.
Many states which end end in -a or -ia in English are feminine in French. Examples include North Carolina (la Caroline du Nord), California (la Californie) and Pennsylvania (la Pennsylvanie). In general, states with French names ending in the letter -e are feminine.
States ending in letters other than -a and -ia in English tend to be masculine in French. For example, le Massachusetts or le Connecticut.
We’ve categorized the states into three lists: Masculine, feminine and masculine starting with a vowel. We’ve explained the preposition rules towards the bottom of the page.
Masculine States
The following states are masculine and use the preposition au and definite article le. The preposition dans le can also be used for many masculine states. For example, J’habite dans le Wyoming (I love in Wyoming).
Colorado
- Je vais/voyage/habite au Colorado. I go/travel/live in Colorado.
- Je visit le Colorado. I visit Colorado.
- Je viens du Colorado. I’m from Colorado.
Connecticut
- Je vais/voyage/habite au Connecticut. I go/travel/live in Connecticut.
- Je visite le Connecticut. I visit Connecticut.
- Je viens du Connecticut. I’m from Connecticut.
North Dakota
- Je vais/voyage/habite au Dakota du nord. I go/travel/live in North Dakota.
- Je visite le Dakota du nord. I visit North Dakota.
- Je viens du North Dakota. I’m from North Dakota.
South Dakota
- Je vais/voyage/habite au Dakota du sud. I go/travel/live in South Dakota.
- Je visite le Dakota du sud. I visit South Dakota.
- Je viens du Sorth Dakota. I’m from South Dakota.
Delaware
- Je vais/voyage/habite au Delaware. I go/travel/live in Delaware.
- Je visite le Delaware. I visit Delaware.
- Je viens du Delaware. I’m from Delaware.
Kansas
- Je vais/voyage/habite au Kansas. I go/travel/live in Kansas.
- Je visite le Kansas. I visit Kansas.
- Je viens du Kansas. I’m from Kansas.
Kentucky
- Je vais/voyage/habite au Kentucky. I go/travel/live in Kentucky.
- Je visite le Kentucky. I visit Kentucky.
- Je viens du Kentucky. I’m from Kentucky.
Massachusetts
- Je vais/voyage/habite au Massachusetts. I go/travel/live in Massachusetts.
- Je visite le Massachusetts. I visit Massachusetts.
- Je viens du Massachusetts. I’m from Massachusetts.
Maine
- Je vais/voyage/habite au Maine. I go/travel/live in Maine.
- Je visite le Maine. I visit Maine.
- Je viens du Maine. I’m from Maine.
Maryland
- Je vais/voyage/habite au Maryland. I go/travel/live in Maryland.
- Je visite le Maryland. I visit Maryland.
- Je viens du Maryland. I’m from Maryland.
Michigan
- Je vais/voyage/habite au Michigan. I go/travel/live in Michigan.
- Je visite le Michigan. I visit Michigan.
- Je viens du Michigan. I’m from Michigan.
Minnesota
- Je vais/voyage/habite au Minnesota. I go/travel/live in Minnesota.
- Je visite le Minnesota. I visit Minnesota.
- Je viens du Minnesota. I’m from Minnesota.
Mississippi
- Je vais/voyage/habite au Mississippi. I go/travel/live in Mississippi.
- Je visite le Mississippi. I visit Mississippi.
- Je viens du Mississippi. I’m from Mississippi.
Missouri
- Je vais/voyage/habite au Missouri. I go/travel/live in Missouri.
- Je visite le Missouri. I visit Missouri.
- Je viens du Missouri. I’m from Missouri.
Montana
- Je vais/voyage/habite au Montana. I go/travel/live in Montana.
- Je visite le Montana. I visit Montana.
- Je viens du Montana. I’m from Montana.
Nebraska
- Je vais/voyage/habite au Nebraska. I go/travel/live in Nebraska.
- Je visite le Nebraska. I visit Nebraska.
- Je viens du Nebraska. I’m from Nebraska.
New Hampshire
- Je vais/voyage/habite au New Hampshire. I go/travel/live in New Hampshire.
- Je visite le New Hampshire. I visit New Hampshire.
- Je viens du New Hampshire. I’m from New Hampshire.
New Jersey
- Je vais/voyage/habite au New Jersey. I go/travel/live in New Jersey.
- Je visite le New Jersey. I visit New Jersey.
- Je viens du New Jersey. I’m from New Jersey.
New Mexico
- Je vais/voyage/habite au Nouveau-Mexique. I go/travel/live in New Mexico.
- Je visite le Nouveau-Mexique. I visit New Mexico.
- Je viens du Nouveau-Mexique. I’m from New Mexico.
New York
- Je vais/voyage/habite au New York. I go/travel/live in New York.
- Je visite le New York. I visit New York.
- Je viens du New York. I’m from New York.
To specify New York State, use l’État de New York. Use the preposition à for New York City.
- J’habite dans l’État de New York. I live in upstate New York.
- J’habite à New York. I live in New York City.
Nevada
- Je vais/voyage/habite au Nevada. I go/travel/live in Nevada.
- Je visite le Nevada. I visit Nevada.
- Je viens du Nevada. I’m from Nevada.
Rhode Island
- Je vais/voyage/habite au Rhode Island. I go/travel/live in Rhode Island.
- Je visite le Rhode Island. I visit Rhode Island.
- Je viens du Rhode Island. I’m from Rhode Island.
Tennessee
- Je vais/voyage/habite au Tennessee. I go/travel/live in Tennessee.
- Je visite le Tennessee. I visit Tennessee.
- Je viens du Tennessee. I’m from Tennessee.
Texas
- Je vais/voyage/habite au Texas. I go/travel/live in Texas.
- Je visite le Texas. I visit Texas.
- Je viens du Texas. I’m from Texas.
Washington
- Je vais/voyage/habite au Washington. I go/travel/live in Washington (state).
- Je visite le Washington. I visit Washington.
- Je viens du Washington. I’m from Washington.
To specify Washington State, say:
- J’habite dans l’État de Washington. I live in Washington State.
Use the preposition à to refer to Washington, D.C.
- J’habite à Washington. I love in Washington D.C.
Wisconsin
- Je vais/voyage/habite au Wisconsin. I go/travel/live in Wisconsin.
- Je visite le Wisconsin. I visit Wisconsin.
- Je viens du Wisconsin. I’m from Wisconsin.
Wyoming
- Je vais/voyage/habite au Wyoming. I go/travel/live in Wyoming.
- Je visite le Wyoming. I visit Wyoming.
- Je viens du Wyoming. I’m from Wyoming.
Feminine States
Feminine states take the preposition en for the verbs aller (to go), voyager (to travel) and habiter (to live). Use la for the verb visiter (to visit). For the verb venir (to come), the la is omitted and only de is used.
California
- Je vais/voyage/habite en Californie. I go/travel/live in California.
- Je visite la Californie. I visit California.
- Je viens de Californie. I’m from California.
North Caroline
- Je vais/voyage/habite en Caroline du Nord. I go/travel/live in North Carolina.
- Je visite la Caroline du Nord. I visit North Carolina.
- Je viens de Caroline du Nord. I’m from North Carolina.
South Caroline
- Je vais/voyage/habite en Caroline du Sud. I go/travel/live in South Carolina.
- Je visite la Caroline du Sud. I visit North South.
- Je viens de Caroline du Sud. I’m from South Carolina.
Florida
- Je vais/voyage/habite en Floride. I go/travel/live in Florida.
- Je visite la Floride. I visit Florida.
- Je viens de Floride. I’m from Florida.
Georgia
- Je vais/voyage/habite en Géorgie. I go/travel/live in Florida.
- Je visite la Géorgie. I visit Florida.
- Je viens de Géorgie. I’m from Florida.
Louisiana
- Je vais/voyage/habite en Louisiane. I go/travel/live in Louisiana.
- Je visite la Louisiane. I visit Louisiana.
- Je viens de Louisiane. I’m from Louisiana.
Pennsylvania
- Je vais/voyage/habite en Pennsylvanie. I go/travel/live in Pennsylvania.
- Je visite la Pennsylvanie. I visit Pennsylvania.
- Je viens de Pennsylvanie. I’m from Pennsylvania.
Virginia
- Je vais/voyage/habite en Virginie. I go/travel/live in Virginia.
- Je visite la Virginie. I visit Virginia.
- Je viens de Virginie. I’m from Virginia.
West Virginia
- Je vais/voyage/habite en Virginie de l’Ouest. I go/travel/live in West Virginia.
- Je visite la Virginie de l’Ouest. I visit West Virginia.
- Je viens de Virginie de l’Ouest. I’m from West Virginia.
Masculine states starting with a vowel
Masculine states starting with a vowel take the preposition en. Masculine states starting with a vowel can also take the preposition dans le. For example, J’habite dans l’Alaska (I live in Alaska).
Alabama
- Je vais/voyage/habite en Alabama. I go/travel/live in Alabama.
- Je visite l’Alabama. I visit Alabama.
- Je viens de l’Alabama. I’m from Alabama.
Alaska
- Je vais/voyage/habite en Alaska. I go/travel/live in Alaska.
- Je visite l’Alaska. I visit Alaska.
- Je viens de l’Alaska. I’m from Alaska.
Arizona
- Je vais/voyage/habite en Arizona. I go/travel/live in Arizona.
- Je visite l’Arizona. I visit Arizona.
- Je viens de l’Arizona. I’m from Arizona.
Arkansas
- Je vais/voyage/habite en Arkansas. I go/travel/live in Arkansas.
- Je visite l’Arkansas. I visit Arkansas.
- Je viens de l’Arkansas. I’m from Arkansas.
Hawaii
- Je vais/voyage/habite en Hawaï. I go/travel/live in Hawaii.
- Je visite Hawaï. I visit Hawaii.
- Je viens de l’Hawaï. I’m from Hawaii.
Idaho
- Je vais/voyage/habite en Idaho. I go/travel/live in Idaho.
- Je visite l’Idaho. I visit Idaho.
- Je viens de l’Idaho. I’m from Idaho.
Illinois
- Je vais/voyage/habite en Illinois. I go/travel/live in Illinois.
- Je visite l’Illinois. I visit Illinois.
- Je viens de l’Illinois. I’m from Illinois.
Indiana
- Je vais/voyage/habite en Indiana. I go/travel/live in Indiana.
- Je visite l’Indiana. I visit Indiana.
- Je viens de l’Indiana. I’m from Indiana.
Iowa
- Je vais/voyage/habite en Iowa. I go/travel/live in Iowa.
- Je visite l’Iowa. I visit Iowa.
- Je viens de l’Iowa. I’m from Iowa.
Ohio
- Je vais/voyage/habite en Ohio. I go/travel/live in Ohio.
- Je visite l’Ohio. I visit Ohio.
- Je viens de l’Ohio. I’m from Ohio.
Oklahoma
- Je vais/voyage/habite en Oklahoma. I go/travel/live in Oklahoma.
- Je visite l’Oklahoma. I visit Oklahoma.
- Je viens de l’Oklahoma. I’m from Oklahoma.
Oregon
- Je vais/voyage/habite en Oregon. I go/travel/live in Oregon.
- Je visite l’Oregon. I visit Oregon.
- Je viens de l’Oregon. I’m from Oregon.
Utah
- Je vais/voyage/habite en Utah. I go/travel/live in Utah.
- Je visite l’Utah. I visit Utah.
- Je viens de l’Utah. I’m from Utah.
Review of preposition rules for US States
The prepositions rules for the fifty states are the same as the preposition rules for countries. This page on our site covers geographical prepositions in detail.
When using the verbs aller (to go), voyager (to travel) and habiter (to live), names of masculine states are preceded with au and names of feminine states and states starting with a vowel are preceded by en. For example:
- J‘habite en Californie. I’m going to California.
- J’habite au Texas. I’m going to Texas.
- Je vais en Alaska. I’m going to Alaska.
Some masculine states can also take the preposition, dans le. For example:
- Je vais dans le Maryland. I live in Maryland.
For the verb visiter (to visit), state names are preceded by the definite article (le, la or l’). For example:
- Je visite la Californie. I visit California.
- Je visite le Texas. I visit Texas.
- Je visite l’Alaska. I visit Alaska.
For the verb venir (to come), de is used for feminine states and the la is dropped. For masculine states, the definite article is kept (du = de + le). For example:
- Je viens de Califronie. I’m from California.
- Je viens du Texas. I’m Texas.
