élève/e.lɛv/
noun · A1 · Frequency 1685
nouncommon
Meanings
pupil, student
Refers to a person receiving education at school, applicable to both male and female.
Examples
Chaque élève doit apporter son cahier de mathématiques.
Each pupil must bring their mathematics notebook.
L'élève a posé une question pertinente pendant le cours.
The student asked a relevant question during the lesson.
La professeure accompagne un élève qui prépare son examen.
The teacher is helping a student prepare for an exam.
Collocations
- un élève modèlean exemplary student
Common mistakes
Il est un élève.
C’est un élève.
In French, when introducing or identifying someone’s role (e.g., student), the standard construction is 'c’est un/une + noun' — not 'il/elle est un/une + noun' — especially in singular, neutral contexts.
Elle est élève.
Elle est élève en mathématiques.
Using 'élève' predicatively without a complement (e.g., subject area, level, or institution) sounds incomplete; it requires a prepositional phrase (e.g., 'en français') or is better replaced by 'c’est une élève'.
Related words
nouncommon
Meanings
pupil, student
Refers to a person receiving education at school, applicable to both male and female.
Examples
Les élèves attendent leur professeur devant la salle.
The students are waiting for their teacher in front of the classroom.
Les élèves ont rendu leurs devoirs avant la date limite.
The students handed in their homework before the deadline.
Après le cours, les élèves ont posé plusieurs questions.
After the class, the students asked several questions.
Collocations
- un élève modèlean exemplary student
Common mistakes
Un élèves
Un élève
élève is singular; its plural is élèves. The indefinite article 'un' must agree with a singular noun.
Les élèves écoute
Les élèves écoutent
The subject 'les élèves' is plural, so the verb must be conjugated in the third-person plural ('écoutent'), not singular ('écoute').