French Conversation · Level 112
59 words
French word
bouquin
Pronunciation
IPA/bukɛ̃/
Meaning
- masculine nounbook
Example
Il a trouvé un vieux bouquin au marché.
He found an old book at the market.
More examples
Elle aime bouquiner le soir avec un bouquin léger.
In the evening, she likes reading with a light book.
Core concept
A well-thumbed or second-hand book held as a casual, familiar read.
Common phrases
lire un bouquin
read a book
acheter un bouquin
buy a volume
Similar words
livre: A book in the broad, general sense.
roman: A work of fiction written as a novel.
bande dessinée: A book that tells a story through illustrated panels and dialogue.
Definition in French
Désigne un livre, souvent ancien ou d'occasion.
Word origin
French bouquin comes from Middle Dutch boecijn, a diminutive of boec meaning book, and entered French as a borrowing in the sixteenth century.
Usage tips
- Bouquin is masculine, so the usual form is un bouquin, and its familiar register makes livre safer in formal writing.
Related words
- bouquinerread books for pleasureverb
- bouquinistesecondhand book dealernoun