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French vocabulary · Beginner
How do you say "rib" in French?
la côte
In French, "rib" is la côte.
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Pronunciation
Break côte into sounds, knowing that the closing e is nearly swallowed rather than pronounced.
Grammar notes
la côte is feminine. Its plural is côtes.
Example sentence
Il s’est contusionné une côte en tombant.
He bruised a rib when he fell.
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How to remember la côte
Think of côte as sounding a little like an English word tucked inside it, and let that echo carry the meaning of rib.
Related words
- skull le crâne
- spine la colonne vertébrale
- skin la peau
- nail le ongle
- elbow le coude
- wrist le poignet
- ankle la cheville
- knee le genou
- shoulder l' épaule
Browse all French words in the glossary.
Questions about la côte
How do you pronounce la côte?
Break côte into sounds, knowing that the closing e is nearly swallowed rather than pronounced.
Is la côte masculine or feminine?
la côte is feminine. la côte is feminine. Its plural is côtes.
How is la côte used in French?
la côte is used the same way as the equivalent English noun. For example: Il s’est contusionné une côte en tombant. (He bruised a rib when he fell.).
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"Rib" in other languages
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