French word

bilingue

Pronunciation

IPA/bilɛ̃g/

Meaning

  • noun (m./f.)bilingual

Example

C'est un bilingue.

He is a bilingual person.

Illustration for bilingue (bilingual)

More examples

Je préfère parler à un bilingue pour pratiquer.

I prefer to talk to a bilingual to practice.

Core concept

A person switching naturally between two language channels as daily situations change.

Common phrases

  • des bilingues

    bilinguals

  • parler à un bilingue

    talk to a bilingual

Similar words

polyglotte: A person who speaks many languages.
trilingue: A person who speaks three languages.
plurilingue: A person who speaks several languages.
interprète: A person who interprets spoken words into another language on the spot.

Definition in French

Personne qui utilise régulièrement deux langues de façon naturelle.

Word origin

French bilingue comes from Latin bilinguis, formed from bi- meaning two and lingua meaning tongue or language, with its modern French form developing from that base.

Usage tips

  • Bilingue is a common-gender noun: un bilingue and une bilingue, while the adjective has the same form for masculine and feminine.

Opposites

  • monolinguemonolingualnoun

Related words

Word lists with this word