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Translating "free" into French

The English word “free” can be an adjective, adverb, verb, or noun and has a number of different meanings, which can make it difficult to translate into French. Take a look at this lesson on how to say free in French.

Free = adjective

1) free = costing nothing = gratuit, (informal) gratis

free admission   entrĂ©e gratuite, entrĂ©e libre
free delivery la livraison gratuite, franco de port
free French lessons leçons de français gratuites
free newspaper un journal gratis
free offer une offre gratuite
free sample un Ă©chantillon gratuit
free trip un voyage gratis

2) free = at liberty; not imprisoned, tied up, or controlled = libre

as free as a bird, as free as the air (UK)   libre comme l’air
the free movement of people la libre circulation des personnes
free radical un radical libre

3) free = politically independent = libre

free elections   les Ă©lections libres
free enterprise la libre entreprise
free-enterprise economy une économie de marché
free press la presse libre
free trade le libre-Ă©change
free-trader un libre-Ă©changiste
free world le monde libre
the Free French Forces,
Free French Army
les Forces françaises libres

4) free = unrestrained = libre

free association   la libre association
free choice le choix libre
free climbing une escalade libre
free diving la plongée libre
free fall une chute libre
in free fall en chute libre
to go into free fall entamer une chute libre
free kick   un coup franc, un coup de pied arrĂȘtĂ©
free love un amour libre
free-fire zone un secteur / une zone de tir libre
free flight le vol libre
free skating les figures libres de patinage
free spirit un esprit libre
free-spirited (person) libre d’esprit, (ways) libre
free translation la traduction libre
free verse le vers libre
free will le libre arbitre, son propre gré
You’re free to choose Vous ĂȘtes libre de choisir

5) free = unoccupied, available, not taken/used = libre

free period/hour   une heure (de) libre
I will be free at 2 o’clock je serai libre Ă  14 heures
free space un espace libre
This seat is free (empty) Cette place est libre
Is this table free? Cette table est-elle libre ?
one’s free hand sa main libre
to have one’s hands free avoir les mains libres

6) free from/of

= dégagé de, non touché par, non soumis à, sans

free from obligation   dĂ©gagĂ© de toute obligation
free of malaria non touché par la malaria
free from copyright non soumis au droit d’auteur
free of worries sans souci

Free = adverb

1) free = without payment = gratuitement, gratis

to enter free of charge   entrer gratuitement
to travel for free voyager gratis

2) free = without restraint = en liberté

to leave someone free (at large)   laisser quelqu’un en libertĂ©

Free in expressions and compound nouns

duty free exonéré, hors taxe
to be a free agent avoir toute libertĂ© d’action
free and easy   dĂ©contractĂ©, dĂ©sinvolte
free clinic un dispensaire
It’s a free country! On est en rĂ©publique !
On peut faire ce qu’on veut ici !
free energy une Ă©nergie libre, utilisable
free fight une mĂȘlĂ©e gĂ©nĂ©rale
free-floating
 
 
 
(in water)
(person)
 
qui flotte librement
sans attaches
free-for-all la mĂȘlĂ©e gĂ©nĂ©rale
free gift un cadeau publicitaire
as a free gift en prime, en cadeau
free hand (to do whatever you want) carte blanche
to give (someone) a free hand donner carte blanche Ă  (quelqu’un)
to have a free hand to do something avoir carte blanche pour faire quelque chose
free hit le coup franc
free house (UK) un pub qui n’appartient pas Ă  une chaĂźne
free jazz le free-jazz
free kick un coup franc
free labor (i.e., non-union) la main-d’Ɠuvre non syndiquĂ©e
There’s no such thing as a free lunch Tout se paie
free market, free-market economy une économie de marché
free-marketeer un partisan de l’Ă©conomie de marchĂ©
free of charge gratuit, gratuitement
free on board (freight) franco Ă  bord
free on rail (freight) franco wagon
free period une heure (de) libre, une heure sans cours
free port le port franc
free-range egg un Ɠuf de poule Ă©levĂ©e en plein air
free-range poultry des poulets élevés en plein air
to get a free ride (figurative) profiter de la situation
free shot un lancer franc, un coup franc
free speech la liberté de parole
free-standing sur pied
free-styling le ski acrobatique
free throw un lancer franc
free-trade zone la zone franche
free vote un vote en conscience (sans consigne de vote)
The land of the free Le pays de la liberté
tax free exonéré, hors taxe

Free as a verb and in expressions with verbs

to be/get free of someone se dĂ©barrasser/ĂȘtre dĂ©barrassĂ© de quelqu’un
to be free (at liberty) ĂȘtre en libertĂ©
to feel free (to do) se sentir libre (de), ne pas hésiter (à)
May I … ? Feel free. Puis-je … ? Je vous en prie, Faites.
to free (release, liberate, set free)   affranchir, libĂ©rer, mettre en libertĂ©
to free (unblock) a pipe débloquer, déboucher
to be free to do something ĂȘtre libre de faire qqchose
to free from libérer, débarrasser, délivrer de
to free from burden soulager, débarrasser
to free from a knot détacher
to free from tax exempter, exonérer
to free from wreckage dégager, désincarcérer
to free oneself from se libérer, se débarrasser, se dégager, se délivrer de
to free up dégager, libérer
to get free (escape) se libérer
to go free (be let go) ĂȘtre relĂąchĂ©, ĂȘtre mis en libertĂ©
to leave free to do laisser carte blanche Ă  quelqu’un
to pull free from se libérer, se débarrasser, se dégager, se délivrer de

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Free in French

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1 Response

  1. Martin Fisher 17 October 2018 / 11:28

    Pleased to see that the French don’t say ‘for free’ which isn’t correct English, as if you use ‘for’ it should indicate an amount, and ‘free’ isn’t that. You travel ‘free’, that is without cost.

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