French · Body & Health
"Hair" in French: cheveux
les cheveux
Hair on the head in French is les cheveux, almost always plural. Say j'ai les cheveux longs for I have long hair. Un cheveu is a single hair; la chevelure is a more literary full head of hair.
At the hairdresser
Je voudrais juste couper les pointes des cheveux.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce cheveux
Say it
shuh-VUH
/ʃə.vø/
Cheveux is shuh-VUH. The eu is like the vowel in British "hurt" without a hard r. Final x is silent. Cheveu (singular) sounds almost the same to beginners.
"Hair" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| les cheveux | hair (on the head) Default plural for someone's hair. | Default plural for someone's hair. |
| un cheveu | a (single) hair One strand; also in idioms. | One strand; also in idioms. |
| cheveux courts / longs | short / long hair Adjectives agree in the plural. | Adjectives agree in the plural. |
| se laver les cheveux | to wash one's hair Reflexive routine phrase. | Reflexive routine phrase. |
How to use cheveux in real life
- 1At the hairdresser
Je voudrais juste couper les pointes des cheveux.
I'd just like to trim the ends of my hair.
Les cheveux stays plural even when you mean "my hair".
- 2Describing a friend
Elle a les cheveux très bouclés.
She has very curly hair.
Avoir les cheveux + adjective is the usual pattern.
- 3Morning routine
Tu te laves les cheveux tous les jours ?
Do you wash your hair every day?
Se laver les cheveux uses the definite article.
Mistakes English speakers make with cheveux
Incorrect: J'ai un cheveu long.
Correct: J'ai les cheveux longs.
Talking about your hairstyle uses plural les cheveux, not un cheveu.
Incorrect: Mes cheveu sont mouillés.
Correct: Mes cheveux sont mouillés.
Spell and treat it as plural: cheveux, with plural verb and adjective.
Good to know
Salon small talk in France leans on cheveux: cheveux gras, cheveux secs, une coupe de cheveux. Brush is une brosse ; hairbrush specifically une brosse à cheveux.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Choosing a new haircut
ChatPal
Tu gardes les cheveux longs ou tu raccourcis ?
Are you keeping long hair or going shorter?
You
Je veux les cheveux un peu plus courts, mais pas trop.
I want my hair a bit shorter, but not too short.
ChatPal
Ok. On enlève trois centimètres sur les cheveux.
Okay. We'll take three centimetres off the hair.
You
Parfait, merci.
Perfect, thanks.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Hair" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Hair" in French
Why is hair plural in French?
Les cheveux is the normal way to talk about the hair on your head. English "hair" is often uncountable; French treats it as plural strands.
When do I use un cheveu?
For a single hair, or in expressions like un cheveu sur la soupe (a wet blanket).
How do I say I have brown hair?
J'ai les cheveux bruns / châtains.
How do you pronounce cheveux?
Shuh-VUH, silent x, soft ch as in Chicago.
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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