How to Say Dog in French: Chien, Chiot and Its Idioms
Dog in French is un chien /shyehn/. Learn chienne, chiot (puppy), and French dog idioms like avoir du chien and un temps de chien.
Dog in French is un chien, pronounced /shyehn/ with a nasal vowel. A puppy is un chiot. French has colorful dog idioms too: avoir du chien means to have charm or appeal, and un temps de chien means terrible weather.
Quick answer
Dog in French is un chien, pronounced /shyehn/ with a nasal vowel. A puppy is un chiot. French has colorful dog idioms too: avoir du chien means to have charm or appeal, and un temps de chien means terrible weather.
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Chien, chienne, chiot
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| chien | /shyehn/ | dog (general/male) |
| chienne | /shyehn/ (n audible) | female dog |
| chiot | /shyoh/ | puppy |
Dog sounds and verbs
aboyer (to bark), japper (to yip), and the sound itself: wouf or ouah-ouah.
Dog idioms
avoir du chien (to have charm/appeal - a genuinely positive compliment despite the animal imagery), un temps de chien (terrible weather), entre chien et loup (dusk - literally “between dog and wolf,” the moment when you can’t tell them apart), vie de chien (a hard life), les chiens ne font pas des chats (like father like son - literally “dogs don’t make cats”).
Cat and dog rivalry
The full pair of rivals meets in the idiom comme chien et chat (to fight like cat and dog) - see cat in French for the feline half of the story, and French idioms for more animal-flavored expressions.
Everyday words, correctly pronounced
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Questions about this note
How do you say puppy in French?
un chiot.
What does avoir du chien mean?
To have charm or appeal - a genuine compliment.
What does un temps de chien mean?
Terrible or rotten weather.
What does entre chien et loup mean?
Dusk or twilight - literally "between dog and wolf."
How do you say bark in French?
aboyer.