French · Body & Health
"Heart" in French: cœur
le cœur
Heart in French is le cœur, masculine, said kur. Apprendre par cœur means to learn by heart. Mal au cœur means feeling sick to your stomach, not heart pain.
School study
J'apprends ce poème par cœur.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce cœur
Say it
kur
/kœʁ/
Kur—like English "cur" with a French r. The œu is one vowel. Soft start; no English "coeur" with a hard k cluster beyond the c sound.
"Heart" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| le cœur | heart Body organ and emotional center. | Body organ and emotional center. |
| par cœur | by heart Memorized: apprendre par cœur. | Memorized: apprendre par cœur. |
| mal au cœur | nauseous Queasy; not cardiac pain. | Queasy; not cardiac pain. |
| avoir bon cœur | to be kind-hearted About someone's character. | About someone's character. |
How to use cœur in real life
- 1School study
J'apprends ce poème par cœur.
I'm learning this poem by heart.
Par cœur is the set phrase.
- 2Feeling queasy
J'ai mal au cœur dans la voiture.
I feel sick in the car.
Mal au cœur = nausea.
- 3Emotional talk
Merci, tu as un grand cœur.
Thank you, you have a big heart.
Figurative kindness.
Mistakes English speakers make with cœur
Incorrect: La cœur bat vite.
Correct: Le cœur bat vite.
Cœur is masculine: le cœur.
Incorrect: J'ai mal au cœur (when you mean chest pain)
Correct: J'ai mal à la poitrine. / J'ai une douleur au cœur.
Mal au cœur usually means nausea. Be precise for cardiac pain.
Good to know
French keeps cœur in love songs, bakery names, and the phrase par cœur at school. The nausea sense of mal au cœur surprises English speakers who expect a heart meaning.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Helping a friend memorize lines for a play
ChatPal
Tu connais déjà le texte par cœur ?
Do you already know the text by heart?
You
Presque. Mon cœur bat vite avant d'entrer en scène.
Almost. My heart races before going on stage.
ChatPal
Normal. Respire. Le cœur se calme.
Normal. Breathe. The heart calms down.
You
Merci. Je répète encore une fois par cœur.
Thanks. I'll repeat it by heart once more.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Heart" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Heart" in French
Is cœur masculine?
Yes: le cœur, mon cœur, un cœur généreux.
What does par cœur mean?
By heart, from memory.
Does mal au cœur mean heartache?
Usually nausea. For emotional heartbreak, use other phrases like avoir le cœur brisé.
How do you write cœur?
With œu—c, œ, u, r. Avoid "coeur" when the ligature is available.
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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