Weight and mass vocabulary in French, including units, common expressions, and example sentences for everyday use.
Understanding how to talk about weight and mass in French is essential for everything from shopping to science. This guide covers the key vocabulary, units of measurement, and example sentences to help you express weight and mass confidently.
Measurement Units
These are the standard units of weight and mass used in French-speaking countries.
| French Singular/Plural | English Singular/Plural | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| le gramme / les grammes | gram / grams | Ce paquet pèse 500 grammes. | This package weighs 500 grams. |
| le kilogramme / les kilogrammes | kilogram / kilograms | J’ai acheté 2 kilogrammes de pommes. | I bought 2 kilograms of apples. |
| la tonne / les tonnes | tonne / tonnes | Un éléphant pèse plusieurs tonnes. | An elephant weighs several tonnes. |
| le milligramme / les milligrammes | milligram / milligrams | Ce médicament contient 250 milligrammes d’ingrédients actifs. | This medicine contains 250 milligrams of active ingredients. |
| la livre / les livres | pound / pounds | Cette recette demande une livre de beurre. | This recipe requires a pound of butter. |
| l’once / les onces | ounce / ounces | once équivaut à environ 28 grammes. | ounce is about 28 grams. |
Ce médicament contient 250 ___ d’ingrédients actifs.
How do you say 'milligram' in French (singular)?
milligramme
'Milligramme' is the French word for milligram. The example sentence means 'This medicine contains 250 milligrams of active ingredients.'
Common Objects
These nouns help you describe the weight or mass of everyday items.
| French Singular/Plural | English Singular/Plural | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| la boîte / les boîtes | box / boxes | La boîte pèse 200 grammes. | The box weighs 200 grams. |
| le sac / les sacs | bag / bags | Ce sac contient 5 kilogrammes de riz. | This bag contains 5 kilograms of rice. |
| la bouteille / les bouteilles | bottle / bottles | La bouteille est pleine et lourde. | The bottle is full and heavy. |
| le paquet / les paquets | package / packages | Le paquet est plus léger que prévu. | The package is lighter than expected. |
| le livre / les livres | book / books | Ce livre pèse un kilo. | This book weighs one kilo. |
Verbs
These verbs are commonly used when talking about weight and mass.
| French Verb | English Verb | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| peser | to weigh | Combien pèse cette valise ? | How much does this suitcase weigh? |
| mesurer | to measure | Le scientifique mesure la masse avec précision. | The scientist measures the mass precisely. |
| soulever | to lift | Je ne peux pas soulever cette boîte. | I can’t lift this box. |
| porter | to carry | Peux-tu porter ce sac ? | Can you carry this bag? |
| grossir | to gain weight | Mon chat a grossi cet hiver. | My cat has gained weight this winter. |
Adjectives
These adjectives help describe weight, whether something is heavy, light, or in between.
| French Adjective | English Adjective | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| lourd / lourde | heavy | Ce meuble est très lourd. | This piece of furniture is very heavy. |
| léger / légère | light | Ce sac est léger, je peux le porter facilement. | This bag is light; I can carry it easily. |
| pesant / pesante | weighing | Un colis pesant 10 kilos arrive aujourd’hui. | A package weighing 10 kilos is arriving today. |
| massif / massive | massive | Une masse massive bloque la porte. | A massive weight is blocking the door. |
| volumineux / volumineuse | bulky | Le colis est volumineux mais pas lourd. | The package is bulky but not heavy. |
Un colis ___ 10 kilos arrive aujourd’hui.
What does 'pesant' mean in French?
weighing
'Pesant' means 'weighing.' The sentence means 'A package weighing 10 kilos is arriving today.'
Quantities and Expressions
These phrases help you talk about weight more naturally in conversation.
| French Expression | English Expression | French Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| combien ça pèse ? | how much does it weigh? | Combien ça pèse, ce gâteau ? | How much does this cake weigh? |
| ça pèse ... | it weighs ... | Ce sac pèse 3 kilos. | This bag weighs 3 kilos. |
| en poids de | in weight of | Il a perdu cinq kilos en poids de santé. | He lost five kilos in health weight. |
| à pleine charge | at full load | Le camion est à pleine charge. | The truck is at full load. |
| lourd comme ... | as heavy as ... | Ce sac est lourd comme une pierre. | This bag is as heavy as a rock. |
With these sections, you have a comprehensive overview of French vocabulary for weight and mass, from basic units to common expressions.
Le camion est à pleine charge.
What does 'à pleine charge' mean in English?
at full load
'À pleine charge' means 'at full load,' indicating something is fully loaded or carrying maximum weight.
Flashcards (1 of 26)
- English Singular/Plural: gram / grams
- English Example: This package weighs 500 grams.
Last updated: Thu Jun 12, 2025
