French · Body & Health

"Skin" in French: peau

la peau

Say it: lah pohfeminine · la peaunoun/po/

Skin in French is la peau, feminine : ma peau, sur la peau. Peau sensible means sensitive skin. It also appears in leather goods as peau for hide, but body skin is the default.

Pharmacy advice

Cette crème est douce pour la peau.
This cream is gentle on the skin.
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How to pronounce peau

Say it

lah poh

/po/

Poh, like English "poe". Eau is a single vowel. La peau: lah poh.

"Skin" in French: quick reference

FrenchEnglish
la peauthe skin

Body skin.

ma peaumy skin

Possession.

peau sensiblesensitive skin

Skincare.

sur la peauon the skin

Creams, sun.

How to use peau in real life

  1. 1Pharmacy advice

    Cette crème est douce pour la peau.

    This cream is gentle on the skin.

    Pour la peau.

  2. 2Sun talk

    Mets de la crème sur la peau avant la plage.

    Put cream on your skin before the beach.

    Sur la peau.

  3. 3Allergy

    Ma peau démange depuis ce matin.

    My skin has been itching since this morning.

    Ma peau.

Mistakes English speakers make with peau

Incorrect: Le peau est rouge.

Correct: La peau est rouge.

Peau is feminine: la peau.

Incorrect: J'ai mal à mon skin.

Correct: J'ai mal à la peau. / Ma peau me fait mal.

Use peau, not English skin.

Good to know

French pharmacies are strong on dermocosmétique. Labels shout peau sèche or peau mixte, and pharmacists happily advise on la peau.

Try it in a ChatPal conversation

Choosing sunscreen together

  1. ChatPal

    Tu as la peau claire, prends un indice élevé.

    You have fair skin; take a high SPF.

  2. You

    Oui. Ma peau brûle vite.

    Yes. My skin burns quickly.

  3. ChatPal

    Celle-ci dit adaptée à la peau sensible.

    This one says suitable for sensitive skin.

  4. You

    Parfait, on prend celle-là.

    Perfect, we'll take that one.

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"Skin" in other languages

FAQ

Common questions about "Skin" in French

Is peau feminine?

Yes: la peau, une peau.

How do I say sensitive skin?

Peau sensible.

How do you say on the skin?

Sur la peau.

How do you pronounce peau?

Poh.

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  4. Step 4: Use it in real scenarios

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