French · Nature, Animals & Weather
"River" in French: rivière
la rivière
Note: large: le fleuve
River in French is la rivière, feminine. Au bord de la rivière means by the river. A very large river flowing to the sea is often le fleuve — the headword here is rivière.
Weekend walk
On marche le long de la rivière.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce rivière
Say it
lah ree-VYEHR
/la ʁi.vjɛʁ/
Rivière is ree-VYEHR with a soft r. La rivière is lah ree-VYEHR.
"River" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| la rivière | the river Default for most rivers. | Default for most rivers. |
| au bord de la rivière | by the river Walks and picnics. | Walks and picnics. |
| traverser la rivière | to cross the river Hiking. | Hiking. |
| une petite rivière | a small river Countryside. | Countryside. |
How to use rivière in real life
- 1Weekend walk
On marche le long de la rivière.
We're walking along the river.
La rivière.
- 2Picnic
Installons-nous au bord de la rivière.
Let's sit by the river.
Au bord de la rivière.
- 3Map reading
La rivière traverse le village.
The river runs through the village.
La rivière as subject.
Mistakes English speakers make with rivière
Incorrect: Le rivière.
Correct: La rivière.
Rivière is feminine.
Incorrect: La fleuve for a small stream-like river.
Correct: La rivière.
Fleuve is for major sea-bound rivers; use rivière for this headword.
Good to know
School geography still teaches fleuve vs rivière. In travel chat, rivière covers most scenic rivers you'll hike beside.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Choosing a picnic spot
ChatPal
On s'arrête près de la rivière ?
Shall we stop near the river?
You
Oui. L'eau de la rivière est claire ici.
Yes. The river water is clear here.
ChatPal
Parfait pour les photos.
Perfect for photos.
You
Et pour les pieds dans l'eau.
And for feet in the water.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"River" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "River" in French
How do you say river in French?
La rivière.
What is fleuve?
A large river flowing to the sea — different word.
How do you say by the river?
Au bord de la rivière.
How do you pronounce rivière?
Ree-VYEHR.
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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