Volume Capacity
Volume capacity measures how much space a container or object can hold, usually expressed in liters, milliliters, or other units. This guide covers key vocabulary and useful expressions for talking about volume capacity in French.
Basic Vocabulary
Learn the basic French words for common containers and units of volume, which appear frequently in market, kitchen, and travel contexts.
| French Word | English Word |
|---|---|
| une bouteille | a bottle |
| un litre | a liter |
| un récipient | a container |
| un millilitre | a milliliter |
| un seau | a bucket |
| French Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🌧️ La pluie a rempli la cuve d'eau. | The rain filled the water tank. |
| 🍶 La bouteille contient un litre d'eau. | The bottle holds one liter of water. |
| 🪣 Le seau est à moitié plein. | The bucket is half full. |
| 📏 La capacité du réservoir est de cinq mètres cubes. | The capacity of the tank is five cubic meters. |
| 🧴 Le flacon est très léger et facile à transporter. | The bottle is very light and easy to carry. |
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Expressions
French uses expressions with capacité, contenance, and measures to describe volume, so learn sample phrases to ask about and state capacity.
| French Expression | English Expression |
|---|---|
| quelle est la capacité de ... ? | what is the capacity of ... ? |
| avoir une contenance de ... | to have a capacity of ... |
| un verre de ... litres | a glass of ... liters |
| un récipient qui peut contenir ... | a container that can hold ... |
| une bouteille d'un litre | a one-liter bottle |
| French Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🌊 L'eau déborde quand le réservoir est trop plein. | The water overflows when the tank is too full. |
| 💧 Une goutte d'eau fait déborder le vase. | A drop of water makes the vase overflow. (The straw that broke the camel's back.) |
| 🔄 Il faut faire le plein avant de partir. | We need to fill up before leaving. |
| 🕳️ Il y a une fuite dans la citerne. | There is a leak in the tank. |
| 🧼 Je lave les mains avec un peu d'eau. | I wash my hands with a little water. |
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Market and Kitchen Contexts
In markets and kitchens, volume is important for buying and measuring liquids like oil, water, and wine; vendors and recipes use containers and units consistently.
| French Word | English Word |
|---|---|
| une carafe | a carafe |
| un litre d'huile | a liter of oil |
| un bidon | a canister |
| un verre d'eau | a glass of water |
| une mèche | a wick |
| French Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🥤 Je voudrais un litre d'eau minérale, s'il vous plaît. | I would like a liter of mineral water, please. |
| 🥣 La casserole contient deux litres d'eau. | The pot holds two liters of water. |
| 🧴 Voici une bouteille d'eau pour la table. | Here is a bottle of water for the table. |
| 🥬 Je lave les légumes dans un grand saladier d'eau. | I wash the vegetables in a large bowl of water. |
| 🧽 J'utilise de l'eau chaude pour faire la vaisselle. | I use hot water to wash the dishes. |
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Traveling and Outdoor Contexts
When traveling or camping, volume capacity matters for water bottles, fuel canisters, and storage containers; speakers ask about size to ensure they have enough supply.
| French Word | English Word |
|---|---|
| une gourde | a water bottle (canteen) |
| un récipient étanche | a watertight container |
| un bidon de carburant | a fuel canister |
| un sac à dos avec compartiment | a backpack with compartment |
| une bouteille isotherme | a thermos bottle |
| French Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🚰 Où puis-je remplir ma gourde d'eau potable ? | Where can I fill my water bottle with drinking water? |
| 🏕️ Le réservoir du camping-car contient cent litres d'eau. | The camper's tank holds one hundred liters of water. |
| 🥾 Nous emportons trois litres d'eau pour la randonnée. | We are taking three liters of water for the hike. |
| 🔋 La fontaine est vide, il faut chercher une autre source. | The fountain is empty, we need to find another source. |
| 🌅 Le soir, on récupère l'eau de pluie dans des barils. | In the evening, we collect rainwater in barrels. |
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Summary
Volume capacity describes how much a container can hold, expressed with vocabulary for containers and units, and practiced market, kitchen, and travel expressions.
Last updated: Tue Sep 16, 2025