French · Nature, Animals & Weather
"Bear" in French: ours
l'ours
Bear in French is l'ours, masculine. A female bear is une ourse. A teddy is un ours en peluche. Liaison: un ours sounds like uh-noors.
Zoo
L'ours pêche près de la rivière du parc.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce ours
Say it
loors
/l‿uʁs/
Loors—elision; ou like oo; final s usually heard: loors.
"Bear" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| l'ours | the bear Default. | Default. |
| une ourse | a female bear Feminine. | Feminine. |
| un ours en peluche | a teddy bear Toy. | Toy. |
| des ours | bears Plural. | Plural. |
How to use ours in real life
- 1Zoo
L'ours pêche près de la rivière du parc.
The bear is fishing near the park river.
L'ours.
- 2Gift shop
Je lui offre un ours en peluche.
I'm giving her a teddy bear.
Ours en peluche.
- 3Nature film
Une ourse protège ses petits.
A female bear protects her cubs.
Ourse.
Mistakes English speakers make with ours
Incorrect: Le ours.
Correct: L'ours.
Elide: l'ours.
Incorrect: La ours.
Correct: L'ours. / Une ourse.
Masculine default l'ours; female ourse.
Good to know
French kids sleep with un ours en peluche. The Pyrenees still host real ours debates. Pronounce the s in ours—silent-s habits from English fool learners.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Buying a gift for a child
ChatPal
On prend l'ours brun ou l'ours blanc ?
Shall we take the brown bear or the white bear?
You
L'ours brun, il est plus doux.
The brown bear—it's softer.
ChatPal
Ok. Un petit ours en peluche alors.
Okay. A little teddy bear then.
You
Parfait pour son anniversaire.
Perfect for their birthday.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Bear" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Bear" in French
How do you say bear in French?
L'ours.
What is a teddy bear?
Un ours en peluche.
How do you say female bear?
Une ourse.
Do you pronounce the s?
Yes—ours sounds like oors.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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