French · Nature, Animals & Weather

"Animal" in French: animal

l'animal

Say it: lah-nee-MALmasculine · l'animalnoun/a.ni.mal/

Animal in French is l'animal, masculine. The plural is les animaux with x. Un animal de compagnie is a pet. Animaux appears on farm and zoo signs.

Zoo trip

Quel est ton animal préféré ?
What is your favorite animal?
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How to pronounce animal

Say it

lah-nee-MAL

/a.ni.mal/

Lah-nee-MAL, stress on the end. Soft n. Plural animaux: lah-nee-MOH—final x silent, au like o.

"Animal" in French: quick reference

FrenchEnglish
l'animalanimal

Singular.

les animauxanimals

Irregular plural with x.

un animal de compagniea pet

Companion animal.

les animaux sauvageswild animals

Wildlife talk.

How to use animal in real life

  1. 1Zoo trip

    Quel est ton animal préféré ?

    What is your favorite animal?

    Animal préféré.

  2. 2Farm visit

    Ces animaux sont calmes.

    These animals are calm.

    Plural animaux.

  3. 3Flat rules

    Les animaux sont interdits ici.

    Animals are not allowed here.

    Common building rule.

Mistakes English speakers make with animal

Incorrect: Les animals sont grands.

Correct: Les animaux sont grands.

Plural of animal is animaux.

Incorrect: La animal est gentil.

Correct: L'animal est gentil.

Animal is masculine and takes l'.

Good to know

French spelling lessons drill animaux early as a model -al → -aux plural. Pet culture uses animal de compagnie in clinics and ads; casually people just name the species.

Try it in a ChatPal conversation

At a small city zoo

  1. ChatPal

    Regarde cet animal près de l'eau.

    Look at this animal near the water.

  2. You

    Il est beau. J'aime tous les animaux ici.

    It's beautiful. I like all the animals here.

  3. ChatPal

    Moi, mon animal préféré reste le loup.

    For me, my favorite animal is still the wolf.

  4. You

    Bon choix. Cet animal a l'air fier.

    Good choice. That animal looks proud.

This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.

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"Animal" in other languages

FAQ

Common questions about "Animal" in French

What is the plural of animal?

Animaux—not animals.

Is animal masculine?

Yes: un animal, l'animal.

How do you say pet?

Un animal de compagnie, or name the pet: un chat, un chien.

How do you pronounce animaux?

Ah-nee-MOH, silent x.

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  3. Step 3: Get feedback
  4. Step 4: Use it in real scenarios

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