French · Nature, Animals & Weather
"Whale" in French: baleine
la baleine
Whale in French is la baleine, feminine. Une baleine is the animal; people also joke about size with gros comme une baleine, carefully.
Whale watching
Une baleine a soufflé près du bateau.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce baleine
Say it
ba-LEN
/ba.lɛn/
Baleine: ba-LEN. Ai like e in "bed"; final e soft. Stress the second syllable.
"Whale" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| la baleine | the whale Main word. | Main word. |
| une baleine | a whale Indefinite. | Indefinite. |
| les baleines | whales Plural. | Plural. |
| une baleine à bosse | humpback whale Species. | Species. |
How to use baleine in real life
- 1Whale watching
Une baleine a soufflé près du bateau.
A whale spouted near the boat.
Souffler = spout.
- 2Museum
Le squelette de baleine est immense.
The whale skeleton is huge.
De baleine as modifier.
- 3Documentary
Les baleines migrent chaque année.
Whales migrate every year.
Plural subject.
Mistakes English speakers make with baleine
Incorrect: Le baleine.
Correct: La baleine.
Baleine is feminine.
Incorrect: Une whale.
Correct: Une baleine.
Use baleine.
Good to know
Coastal tourism sells sorties d'observation des baleines in some regions. In everyday metaphor, keep size jokes kind—tone matters more than the animal name.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
On a whale-watching boat
ChatPal
Là ! Une baleine à bâbord !
There! A whale to port!
You
Je la vois. La baleine plonge.
I see it. The whale is diving.
ChatPal
Incroyable, non ?
Amazing, right?
You
Oui. Je tremble un peu.
Yes. I'm shaking a bit.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Whale" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Whale" in French
Gender of baleine?
Feminine: la baleine.
Pronunciation?
Ba-LEN.
Plural?
Les baleines.
Humpback whale?
Une baleine à bosse.
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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