French Conversation · Level 27
90 words
French word
bain
Pronunciation
IPA/bɛ̃/
Meaning
- masculine nounbath
Example
Je prends un bain chaud après le travail.
I take a hot bath after work.
More examples
Le bébé a besoin d'un bain tous les soirs.
The baby needs a bath every evening.
Core concept
A contained bath in which someone washes or rests, extending naturally to the act and the space made for it.
Common phrases
prendre un bain
take a bath
donner un bain
give a bath
un bain chaud
a hot bath
Similar words
douche: The act of quickly washing the body under a shower.
baignoire: A long bathroom fixture filled with water for bathing.
toilette: A brief act of washing the face or hands and grooming oneself.
Definition in French
Bain désigne le fait de se baigner dans de l'eau pour se laver ou se détendre, ainsi que la baignoire ou la salle servant à cela.
Word origin
Bain is inherited through Old French from Latin balneum, a borrowing from Greek balaneion, with the meaning later covering both the activity and its physical setting.
Usage tips
- With a child, donner le bain means bathing the child, while se baigner describes bathing oneself or swimming.