French Conversation · Level 155
30 words
French word
moineau
Pronunciation
IPA/mwano/
Meaning
- masculine nounsparrow
Example
Il y a un moineau sur le balcon.
There is a sparrow on the balcony.
More examples
Un petit moineau picore des miettes près de la porte.
A small sparrow pecks at crumbs near the door.
Core concept
A familiar little bird pecking on the ground or perching close to human homes.
Common phrases
un petit moineau
a small sparrow
des moineaux dans le jardin
sparrows in the garden
Similar words
oiseau: A general term for a bird of any kind.
piaf: An informal, affectionate term for a small bird.
Definition in French
Désigne un petit passereau commun, souvent précisé par « moineau domestique » pour désigner l'espèce la plus fréquente près des habitations.
Word origin
The noun moineau was formed in French from moine and the suffix -eau; moine ultimately derives from Latin monachus, meaning 'monk'.
Usage tips
- Moineau domestique names the common house-dwelling species more precisely than moineau alone, which can remain general.