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French vocabulary · Beginner
How do you say "chess" in French?
les échecs
In French, "chess" is les échecs.
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Pronunciation
Give échecs a French shape, since "ch" softens to "sh", never a hard English "ch"; é is a short, closed "ay". The s on les links forward into a light z sound before the noun.
Grammar notes
les échecs is masculine. Its plural is échecs.
Example sentence
Il m’a encore battu aux échecs.
He beat me at chess again.
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How to remember les échecs
Imagine someone in Paris pointing at a chess and calling it échecs; replay that scene each time you forget.
Related words
- volleyball le volley-ball
- gymnastics la gymnastique
- skating le patinage
- surfing le surf
- diving la plongée
- sailing la navigation
- puzzle l' puzzle
- painting la peinture
- sculpture la sculpture
Browse all French words in the glossary.
Questions about les échecs
How do you pronounce les échecs?
Give échecs a French shape, since "ch" softens to "sh", never a hard English "ch"; é is a short, closed "ay". The s on les links forward into a light z sound before the noun.
Is les échecs masculine or feminine?
les échecs is masculine. les échecs is masculine. Its plural is échecs.
How is les échecs used in French?
les échecs is used the same way as the equivalent English noun. For example: Il m’a encore battu aux échecs. (He beat me at chess again.).
Where can I practice French words for free?
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"Chess" in other languages
Curated by Callan Ratcliffe
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