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étranger
/etʁɑ̃ʒe/
foreign
Il est un étranger dans ce pays.
He is a foreigner in this country.
general
Coming from another country or place; not native or local.
Les étrangers visitent souvent les monuments historiques.
Foreigners often visit historical monuments.
Can refer to people, objects, or concepts originating elsewhere.
general
Unfamiliar or strange; not known or usual.
Cette idée lui est étrangère.
This idea is foreign to him.
Often used metaphorically to describe unfamiliar concepts.
Collocations
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Gender Agreement
'étranger' is an adjective that agrees in gender and number with the noun it modifies (e.g., 'étrangère' for feminine, 'étrangers' for plural).
Gold Rule
Usage in Context
When referring to people, 'étranger' can be used as a noun (e.g., 'un étranger') or an adjective (e.g., 'un pays étranger').
Word Origin
From Old French 'estrange', from Latin 'extraneus' meaning 'external, outside'.
Usage Notes
In French, 'étranger' can refer to both people and things that are foreign. It is commonly used in legal and administrative contexts.
Word Breakdown
étrang-
foreign, strange
root-er
adjective suffix
suffixDictionnaire Français-Anglais