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French vocabulary · Beginner
How do you say "referee" in French?
l' arbitre
In French, "referee" is l' arbitre.
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Pronunciation
The trick with arbitre is that the r is growled lightly at the back of the throat rather than rolled; the closing e is nearly swallowed rather than pronounced. Note the article shrinks to l' and glues onto the word with no gap.
Grammar notes
l' arbitre is masculine. Its plural is arbitres.
Example sentence
L’arbitre a sifflé.
The referee blew the whistle.
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How to remember l' arbitre
Whisper arbitre, then say it at normal volume, then almost shout it, moving from careful to natural.
Related words
- volleyball le volley-ball
- gymnastics la gymnastique
- skating le patinage
- surfing le surf
- diving la plongée
- sailing la navigation
- chess les échecs
- puzzle l' puzzle
- painting la peinture
Browse all French words in the glossary.
Questions about l' arbitre
How do you pronounce l' arbitre?
The trick with arbitre is that the r is growled lightly at the back of the throat rather than rolled; the closing e is nearly swallowed rather than pronounced. Note the article shrinks to l' and glues onto the word with no gap.
Is l' arbitre masculine or feminine?
l' arbitre is masculine. l' arbitre is masculine. Its plural is arbitres.
How is l' arbitre used in French?
l' arbitre is used the same way as the equivalent English noun. For example: L’arbitre a sifflé. (The referee blew the whistle.).
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"Referee" in other languages
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