goal

goalkeeper

noun GOL Rare

Origin: English 'goal', borrowed into French sporting vocabulary

Also means

goal (score)

Usage Note

Goal is a French sporting borrowing from English, primarily meaning the goalkeeper in football (soccer). For the score or the net itself, French more often uses but. You may hear le goal in informal commentary, though le gardien de but is the standard formal term.

Examples

"Le goal a arrêté le penalty."

Natural Translation

The goalkeeper saved the penalty.

Free starter pack

Building your French vocabulary?

Get the 100 most common French words as a free PDF — one email, no spam.

Related Words

Explore French by topic

FrenchNow

The Bonjour Rule: French Etiquette for Visitors

Always say bonjour before you ask, order, or pay in France — the unspoken rule that opens every door. A respectful visitor's guide to French etiquette.

June 4, 2026 6 min read

FrenchNow

French Filler Words: Euh, Bah, Du Coup, Quoi

French filler words like euh, bah, du coup, and quoi make you sound fluent, not lazy. Learn what each one does, where it goes, and how to use them naturally.

June 4, 2026 6 min read

FrenchNow

French False Friends: 25 Faux Amis to Avoid

French false friends look like English words but mean something else: actuellement is not actually, sensible means sensitive. Here are 25 faux amis to avoid.

June 3, 2026 5 min read

FrenchNow

En, Au, Aux: French Prepositions for Countries

Use en for feminine countries, au for masculine, aux for plural, and à for cities. Full French preposition rule for countries, with a lookup table and traps.

June 4, 2026 5 min read