French · Body & Health

"Bone" in French: os

l'os

Say it: ohssmasculine · l'osnoun/ɔs/

Bone in French is l'os, masculine. Se casser un os means to break a bone. Plural is les os (same spelling, often said like oh). On a plate, os can mean a leftover bone.

Dog treat

Le chien ronge un os dans le jardin.
The dog is chewing a bone in the garden.
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How to pronounce os

Say it

ohss

/ɔs/

Os is ohss in the singular (final s heard). Plural les os often sounds like lay-zoh. Context tells them apart.

"Bone" in French: quick reference

FrenchEnglish
l'osthe bone

Anatomy and leftovers.

les osthe bones

Plural.

se casser un osto break a bone

Injury.

jusqu'à l'osto the bone

Figurative: chilled or cut deep.

How to use os in real life

  1. 1Dog treat

    Le chien ronge un os dans le jardin.

    The dog is chewing a bone in the garden.

    Un os.

  2. 2Doctor visit

    Tu ne t'es pas cassé un os, rassure-toi.

    You didn't break a bone, don't worry.

    Se casser un os.

  3. 3Cold weather

    Ce vent me glace jusqu'à l'os.

    This wind chills me to the bone.

    Idiom jusqu'à l'os.

Mistakes English speakers make with os

Incorrect: Je me suis cassé un bone.

Correct: Je me suis cassé un os.

Bone is os.

Incorrect: La os est cassé.

Correct: L'os est cassé.

Os is masculine; use l'os.

Good to know

Singular os usually keeps an audible s (ohss); plural les os often drops to oh with liaison. You'll also see os on butcher labels for bone-in cuts.

Try it in a ChatPal conversation

After a clumsy fall

  1. ChatPal

    Tu bouges le poignet ? Pas d'os cassé ?

    Can you move your wrist? No broken bone?

  2. You

    Je sens une douleur, mais je ne pense pas à un os.

    I feel pain, but I don't think it's a bone.

  3. ChatPal

    On met de la glace quand même.

    We'll ice it anyway.

  4. You

    Oui. Si ça gonfle, j'appelle le médecin.

    Yes. If it swells, I'll call the doctor.

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

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"Bone" in other languages

FAQ

Common questions about "Bone" in French

What is bone in French?

L'os (masculine).

What is the plural?

Les os.

How do I say break a bone?

Se casser un os.

How do you pronounce os?

Ohss in the singular.

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