French Conversation · Level 16
89 words
French word
pays
Pronunciation
IPA/pei/
Meaning
- masculine nouncountry
Example
Quel pays veux-tu visiter ?
Which country do you want to visit?
More examples
Vivre dans un pays étranger demande du temps pour s'adapter.
It takes time to adapt to living in a foreign country.
Core concept
A territory seen together with the people and belonging associated with it, whether it is a state or a home region.
Common phrases
un pays étranger
a foreign country
les pays voisins
neighboring countries
le gouvernement du pays
the government of the country
Similar words
ville: An urban center where many people live among buildings and shops.
État: A politically governed unit with its own government and laws.
nation: A people united by a shared language, culture, and history.
région: An area of land defined by administrative or natural boundaries.
Definition in French
Espace géographique et humain identifié comme une unité politique ou comme le lieu d'origine d'une personne.
Word origin
The word developed in Old French as pais or païs from Latin pagus, first referring to a rural district before extending to larger political or geographic areas.
Usage tips
- French uses dans mon pays for "in my country" and uses en, au, or aux before many country names.