French · Home, Clothes & Daily Life

"Sofa" in French: canapé

le canapé

Say it: luh kah-nah-PAYmasculine · le canapénoun/ka.na.pe/

Sofa in French is le canapé, masculine : un canapé, sur le canapé. Sofa is understood but canapé is the everyday French word for the piece of furniture.

Movie night

Installe-toi sur le canapé.
Settle on the sofa.
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How to pronounce canapé

Say it

luh kah-nah-PAY

/ka.na.pe/

Kah-nah-PAY. Final é like ay. Un canapé: uhn kah-nah-PAY.

"Sofa" in French: quick reference

FrenchEnglish
le canapéthe sofa

Furniture.

un canapéa sofa

Buying one.

sur le canapéon the sofa

Location.

canapé-litsofa bed

Guest room.

How to use canapé in real life

  1. 1Movie night

    Installe-toi sur le canapé.

    Settle on the sofa.

    Sur le canapé.

  2. 2Moving day

    Le canapé ne passe pas dans l'escalier.

    The sofa won't fit through the stairwell.

    Le canapé.

  3. 3Furniture shop

    Je cherche un canapé trois places.

    I'm looking for a three-seater sofa.

    Un canapé.

Mistakes English speakers make with canapé

Incorrect: La canapé est confortable.

Correct: Le canapé est confortable.

Canapé is masculine.

Incorrect: Je m'assois sur le sofa.

Correct: Je m'assois sur le canapé.

Prefer canapé as the French headword.

Good to know

Canapé also means a small savory appetizer—context separates food from furniture. In apartments, a canapé-lit saves space for guests.

Try it in a ChatPal conversation

Choosing where to sit for a film

  1. ChatPal

    Le canapé ou les fauteuils ?

    The sofa or the armchairs?

  2. You

    Le canapé, il y a plus de place.

    The sofa—there's more room.

  3. ChatPal

    Okay. Je mets les plaids sur le canapé.

    Okay. I'll put the blankets on the sofa.

  4. You

    Parfait. J'allume le projecteur.

    Perfect. I'll turn on the projector.

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"Sofa" in other languages

FAQ

Common questions about "Sofa" in French

Is canapé masculine?

Yes: le canapé.

Does canapé also mean appetizer?

Yes—small toasts. Furniture vs food is clear in context.

How do I say sofa bed?

Un canapé-lit.

How do you pronounce canapé?

Kah-nah-PAY.

Learn a word, then use it out loud

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  3. Step 3: Get feedback
  4. Step 4: Use it in real scenarios

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