How do you say "butterfly" in French?

le papillon

Noun Masculine

In French, "butterfly" is le papillon.

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Pronunciation

Papillon works best if you notice that double "ll" often slides into a "y" glide.

Grammar notes

le papillon is masculine. Its plural is papillons.

Example sentence

Un papillon coloré se posa sur la feuille.

A colourful butterfly landed on the leaf.

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How to remember le papillon

Picture the butterfly acting out a tiny story while you murmur papillon under your breath.

Related words

Browse all French words in the glossary.

Questions about le papillon

How do you pronounce le papillon?

Papillon works best if you notice that double "ll" often slides into a "y" glide.

Is le papillon masculine or feminine?

le papillon is masculine. le papillon is masculine. Its plural is papillons.

How is le papillon used in French?

le papillon is used the same way as the equivalent English noun. For example: Un papillon coloré se posa sur la feuille. (A colourful butterfly landed on the leaf.).

Where can I practice French words for free?

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"Butterfly" in other languages

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