French word

course

Pronunciation

IPA/kuʁs/

Meaning

  • feminine nounshopping

Example

Je dois faire les courses ce soir.

I have to do the shopping tonight.

Illustration for course (shopping)

More examples

Elle a oublié sa liste de courses.

She forgot her shopping list.

Core concept

A purposeful run along a route to complete a small practical task.

Common phrases

  • faire les courses

    do the shopping

  • faire des courses

    go shopping

  • liste de courses

    shopping list

Similar words

achat: The purchase of a product or service through payment.
emplettes: A shopping trip for assorted small household goods.
shopping: Shopping around for clothing, accessories, or decorative items.
provisions: Stocking up on food and other supplies for the coming days.

Definition in French

Déplacement bref pour acheter ce dont on a besoin; l'expression « faire les courses » désigne fréquemment les achats alimentaires.

Word origin

French course inherited the movement sense of Latin cursus through Old French and later applied it to purposeful trips such as errands and shopping.

Usage tips

  • Faire les courses is used for shopping in general, whereas faire une course pour quelqu'un specifies an errand done for someone.

Other meanings

  • errandnoun
  • racenoun

Word lists with this word