French Conversation · Level 97
60 words
French word
songe
Pronunciation
IPA/sɔ̃ʒ/
Meaning
- masculine noundream
Example
J'ai fait un songe cette nuit.
I had a dream last night.
More examples
Il se perd facilement dans les songes.
He easily loses himself in dreams.
Core concept
A dreamlike scene rising from sleep and coloring an imagined world.
Common phrases
se perdre dans les songes
lose oneself in dreams
Similar words
rêve: A common term for scenes or images seen while sleeping.
pensée: A thought or feeling that arises in the mind.
cauchemar: A frightening dream that causes fear or anxiety during sleep.
Definition in French
Image mentale liée au sommeil ou idée rêvée ; terme souvent employé dans un registre littéraire pour évoquer l'imaginaire.
Word origin
The noun songe inherited the Latin root somnium through Old French and developed a figurative literary sense alongside its sleep-related meaning.
Usage tips
- Songe belongs mainly to literary or poetic French; rêve is the normal choice in ordinary conversation.