French · Nature, Animals & Weather

"Desert" in French: désert

le désert

Say it: day-ZAIRmasculine · le désertnoun/de.zɛʁ/

Desert in French is le désert, masculine: le désert du Sahara. Keep the accent: désert. Dessert (sweet course) is different — two s, different meaning.

Documentary

Le désert devient froid la nuit.
The desert gets cold at night.
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How to pronounce désert

Say it

day-ZAIR

/de.zɛʁ/

Désert: day-ZAIR. Soft s like z; stress on the end.

"Desert" in French: quick reference

FrenchEnglish
le désertthe desert

Geography.

un désert de sablea sandy desert

Type of desert.

traverser le désertto cross the desert

Travel/figurative.

une île désertea desert island

Related adjective.

How to use désert in real life

  1. 1Documentary

    Le désert devient froid la nuit.

    The desert gets cold at night.

    Le désert.

  2. 2Travel dream

    Je veux voir un désert au moins une fois.

    I want to see a desert at least once.

    Un désert.

  3. 3Weather chat

    Dans ce désert, il pleut très rarement.

    In this desert it rains very rarely.

    Ce désert.

Mistakes English speakers make with désert

Incorrect: Le dessert du Sahara.

Correct: Le désert du Sahara.

Désert = desert; dessert = sweet course (two s).

Incorrect: La désert est vaste.

Correct: Le désert est vaste.

Désert is masculine.

Good to know

Désert vs dessert is a classic French spelling trap. Sahara and other deserts appear often in French media and school geography.

Try it in a ChatPal conversation

Planning a trip to Morocco

  1. ChatPal

    On dort une nuit dans le désert ?

    Shall we sleep one night in the desert?

  2. You

    Oui, le désert m'attire vraiment.

    Yes — the desert really draws me.

  3. ChatPal

    Il faudra un guide pour le désert.

    We'll need a guide for the desert.

  4. You

    Je regarde les agences ce soir.

    I'll look at agencies tonight.

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

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"Desert" in other languages

FAQ

Common questions about "Desert" in French

How do you say desert in French?

Le désert (masculine).

Désert or dessert?

Désert = desert; dessert = dessert (two s).

How do you say desert island?

Une île déserte.

How do you pronounce désert?

day-ZAIR.

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