Learn the most important French words for talking about length and distance, including units like “mètre” and “kilomètre” as well as descriptive terms like “long” and “court.”
Common Units
French units of length and distance are mostly metric. Here are the most common ones:
| French Singular | French Plural | English Singular | English Plural | Example (French) | Example (English) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| mètre | mètres | meter | meters | Un mètre = 100 centimètres. | One meter = 100 centimeters. |
| centimètre | centimètres | centimeter | centimeters | Elle mesure 170 centimètres. | She is 170 centimeters tall. |
| kilomètre | kilomètres | kilometer | kilometers | Le village est à 5 kilomètres. | The village is 5 kilometers away. |
| millimètre | millimètres | millimeter | millimeters | Le plan est précis au millimètre. | The plan is precise to the millimeter. |
Descriptive Adjectives
Use these adjectives to describe length or distance in French:
| French Singular | French Plural | English Singular | English Plural | Example (French) | Example (English) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| long / longue | longs / longues | long | longs | Ce pont est très long. | This bridge is very long. |
| court / courte | courts / courtes | short | shorts | Elle a les cheveux courts. | She has short hair. |
| large | larges | wide | wides | La rue est large. | The street is wide. |
| étroit / étroite | étroits / étroites | narrow | narrows | Ce couloir est étroit. | This hallway is narrow. |
Useful Verbs
Here are some verbs commonly used when talking about measuring or describing length and distance:
| French Infinitive | English Infinitive | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| mesurer | to measure | Nous devons mesurer la table. | We need to measure the table. |
| calculer | to calculate | Il a calculé la distance. | He calculated the distance. |
| parcourir | to travel / to cover (a distance) | Elle a parcouru 10 kilomètres. | She traveled 10 kilometers. |
| allonger | to lengthen / to extend | Ils veulent allonger la route. | They want to extend the road. |
Phrases and Expressions
Finally, here are some common French phrases that use length and distance vocabulary:
| French Phrase | English Translation | Example (French) | Example (English) |
|---|---|---|---|
| à une distance de ... | at a distance of ... | La maison est à une distance de 3 kilomètres. | The house is at a distance of 3 kilometers. |
| de long / de longue | long (length) | La table est de deux mètres de long. | The table is two meters long. |
| au moins | at least | Il faut marcher au moins 5 kilomètres. | You have to walk at least 5 kilometers. |
| environ | approximately | Le pont mesure environ 100 mètres. | The bridge is approximately 100 meters long. |
This vocabulary will help you talk about length and distance clearly in French.
She has _______ 10 kilometers. (Elle a _______ 10 kilomètres.)
parcouru
« Parcourir » means to travel or cover a distance; 'parcouru' is past participle.
You have to walk at _______ 5 kilometers. (Il faut marcher au _______ 5 kilomètres.)
moins
« Au moins » means 'at least,' indicating a minimum distance.
Flashcards (1 of 16)
- English Singular: meter
- English Plural: meters
- Example (English): One meter = 100 centimeters.
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
