French · Emotions & Descriptions
"Dirty" in French: sale
sale
Dirty in French is sale for both genders: un pull sale, une chemise sale. C'est sale means it's dirty. The opposite is propre.
Kids after play
Tes mains sont sales, va te laver.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce sale
Say it
sal
/sal/
Sale: sal, like salad without the last syllable. Final e is light.
"Dirty" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| sale | dirty Clothes, hands, places. | Clothes, hands, places. |
| c'est sale | it's dirty Quick reaction. | Quick reaction. |
| des mains sales | dirty hands Before eating. | Before eating. |
| sale comme… | filthy / really dirty Strong emphasis. | Strong emphasis. |
How to use sale in real life
- 1Kids after play
Tes mains sont sales, va te laver.
Your hands are dirty — go wash them.
Sales agrees in the plural.
- 2Apartment check
Le frigo est sale, on le nettoie ?
The fridge is dirty — shall we clean it?
Sale after the noun.
- 3Laundry day
Je mets tous les habits sales dans le panier.
I'm putting all the dirty clothes in the basket.
Habits sales = dirty clothes.
Mistakes English speakers make with sale
Incorrect: Une salle chemise.
Correct: Une chemise sale.
Sale is the adjective; salle (with two l) means hall/room.
Incorrect: C'est dirty.
Correct: C'est sale.
Use sale, not English dirty.
Good to know
Sale vs salle is a classic mix-up for learners: one l for dirty, two for a room. French also says crade informally for really filthy.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Before dinner
ChatPal
Attends, ta serviette est sale.
Wait — your napkin is dirty.
You
Ah oui, je prends une propre.
Oh yes, I'll take a clean one.
ChatPal
Et lave-toi les mains si elles sont sales.
And wash your hands if they're dirty.
You
Je le fais tout de suite.
I'll do it right away.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Dirty" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Dirty" in French
How do you say dirty in French?
Sale.
Does sale change for gender?
Same form: un chat sale, une robe sale; plurals take -s: sales.
What is the opposite of sale?
Propre (clean).
Sale or salle?
Sale = dirty; salle = hall/room.
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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