French word

sujet

Pronunciation

IPA/syʒɛ/

Meaning

  • masculine nountopic

Example

Quel est le sujet de la conversation ?

What is the topic of the conversation?

Illustration for sujet (topic)

More examples

Elle a changé de sujet pendant la réunion.

She changed the subject during the meeting.

Core concept

The focal matter or participant around which speech, writing, grammar, or a visual work is organized.

Common phrases

  • le sujet de la conversation

    the topic of the conversation

  • changer de sujet

    change the subject

  • aborder un sujet

    broach a subject

Similar words

thème: The main topic of a debate or explanation.
objet: The matter that discussion or action concerns.
affaire: A matter or event currently being handled.

Definition in French

Sert à désigner un thème, un point abordé ou la personne/la chose dont on parle dans une phrase, ainsi que parfois le sujet d'une image ou d'un texte.

Word origin

French sujet is inherited through Old French from Latin subjectus, with the idea of something placed under developing into the related senses of topic, grammatical subject, and depicted subject.

Usage tips

  • For an academic school subject, French normally uses matière rather than sujet, so un sujet more often means a topic or a question.

Other meanings

  • subjectnoun

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word