French · Emotions & Descriptions
"Short" in French: petit(e)
petit(e)
Note: length: court(e)
Short in French for size or a short person is often petit (m) or petite (f): un petit café, une petite pause. For length of time or distance, court / courte is common: un court trajet.
Coffee break
On fait une petite pause ?Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce petit(e)
Say it
puh-TEE / puh-TEET
/pə.ti/ /pə.tit/
Petit: puh-TEE. Petite: puh-TEET. The final t of petit is usually silent until liaison.
"Short" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| petit / petite | short / small Size, height, short breaks. | Size, height, short breaks. |
| un petit peu | a little bit Softening amounts. | Softening amounts. |
| court / courte | short (length/duration) Films, hair, trips. | Films, hair, trips. |
| en bref | in short Summarizing. | Summarizing. |
How to use petit(e) in real life
- 1Coffee break
On fait une petite pause ?
Shall we take a short break?
Petite pause is everyday.
- 2Describing someone
Mon frère est plus petit que moi.
My brother is shorter than me.
Petit for height.
- 3Ordering food
Je prends un petit jus d'orange.
I'll take a small orange juice.
Petit before the noun.
Mistakes English speakers make with petit(e)
Incorrect: Une court pause.
Correct: Une courte pause. / Une petite pause.
Court agrees: courte with pause; petite is also natural.
Incorrect: Il est short.
Correct: Il est petit.
Use petit for a short person, not English short.
Good to know
Petit shows up everywhere: un petit moment, un petit café, mon petit. It softens requests. Court is the clearer choice when you mean short in length: une jupe courte, un film court.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Planning a walk
ChatPal
Tu veux un long tour ou un petit tour ?
Do you want a long walk or a short one?
You
Un petit tour suffit, j'ai mal aux pieds.
A short walk is enough; my feet hurt.
ChatPal
Parfait, on prend la petite rue près du parc.
Perfect — we'll take the little street by the park.
You
Super, merci.
Great, 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"Short" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Short" in French
How do you say short in French?
Often petit / petite; for length, court / courte.
Petit vs court?
Petit is size/height or "a little"; court is short length or duration.
How do you say a short break?
Une petite pause or une courte pause.
How do you pronounce petit?
puh-TEE; petite is puh-TEET.
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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