French · Travel & Getting Around
"Boat" in French: bateau
le bateau
Boat in French is le bateau; plural les bateaux. Say en bateau for by boat and un petit bateau for a small boat.
Harbor
Le bateau part dans dix minutes.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce bateau
Say it
bah-TOH
/ba.to/
bah-TOH. Soft t; eau like o. Plural bateaux same sound.
"Boat" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| le bateau | the boat Default. | Default. |
| les bateaux | the boats Plural -eaux. | Plural -eaux. |
| en bateau | by boat Transport. | Transport. |
| un petit bateau | a little boat Size. | Size. |
How to use bateau in real life
- 1Harbor
Le bateau part dans dix minutes.
The boat leaves in ten minutes.
Le bateau.
- 2Holiday plan
On traverse le lac en bateau.
We're crossing the lake by boat.
En bateau.
- 3Kids pointing
Regarde ces bateaux tout blancs !
Look at those all-white boats!
Bateaux plural.
Mistakes English speakers make with bateau
Incorrect: La bateau.
Correct: Le bateau.
Bateau is masculine.
Incorrect: Les bateaus.
Correct: Les bateaux.
Plural of -eau is -eaux.
Good to know
Bateau covers many craft; a ship may be un navire. Seaside towns live by horaires des bateaux. The -eaux plural is a classic spelling quiz.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Catching a lake ferry
ChatPal
Le bateau est déjà au quai ?
Is the boat already at the dock?
You
Oui, je vois le bateau avec le drapeau rouge.
Yes, I see the boat with the red flag.
ChatPal
On monte dans le bateau maintenant.
We're boarding the boat now.
You
J'ai les billets.
I've got the tickets.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Boat" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Boat" in French
How do you say boat in French?
Le bateau.
What is the plural?
Les bateaux.
How do I say by boat?
En bateau.
How do you pronounce bateau?
bah-TOH.
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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