French Conversation · Level 11
89 words
French word
tonne
Pronunciation
IPA/tɔn/
Meaning
- feminine nounton
Example
Il a une tonne de travail aujourd'hui.
He has tons of work today.
More examples
Il y a des tonnes de choses à faire ce week-end.
There are tons of things to do this weekend.
Core concept
A huge quantity imagined as a weighty heap, whether measured precisely or used for emphasis.
Common phrases
une tonne de
a ton of
des tonnes de
tons of
Similar words
tas: A substantial heap or piled-up mass of things.
quantité: The quantity or measured amount of something.
masse: A considerable mass or volume made up of many gathered things.
Definition in French
Sert à désigner l'unité métrique valant mille kilogrammes et, au sens familier, une très grande quantité.
Word origin
The French word tonne is an inherited form related to Latin tunna, 'cask', whose sense extended from a large container to a unit of weight.
Usage tips
- French tonne means a metric tonne, whereas English ton can refer to different non-metric units, so the unit should be specified in technical contexts.