English–French

“backwater” in French

French

Pronunciation

IPA/blɛd/

Example

J'habite dans un bled.

I live in a backwater.

Illustration for bled (backwater)

How to say “backwater” in French

“Backwater” in French is bled.

A small, out-of-the-way village surrounded by open countryside.

Full entry for bled: usage tips, similar words and word origin

Example sentences with bled

Il est retourné dans le bled pour les vacances.

He went back to the countryside for vacation.

Tips for using bled

  • Bled is informal and can sound dismissive when describing a place as backward, so it suits casual speech rather than formal writing.

“backwater” in other languages