French Conversation · Level 131
45 words
French word
tranchée
Pronunciation
IPA/tʁɑ̃ʃe/
Meaning
- feminine nounditch
Example
Il y a une tranchée le long du chemin.
There is a ditch along the road.
More examples
Ils ont creusé une tranchée pour poser les tuyaux.
They dug a trench to lay the pipes.
Core concept
A slim cut in the ground that guides water, protects an edge, or carries a buried pipe.
Common phrases
creuser une tranchée
dig a trench
boucher la tranchée
fill in the trench
Similar words
fossé: A broad ditch dug for drainage or to mark a boundary.
caniveau: A narrow channel beside a road or pavement for carrying rainwater.
Definition in French
Rainure ou fossé creusé, généralement étroit, utilisé pour canaliser l'eau, protéger un bord ou poser des tuyaux.
Word origin
The noun tranchée comes from the feminine past participle of trancher, meaning 'to cut', and names the resulting cut or excavation.
Usage tips
- Tranchée is feminine, so standard phrases use la tranchée, une tranchée, and cette tranchée.