Skip to content

sobre

sober, restrained

adjective SOH-bruh Rare

Also means

plain, simple (style)

Usage Note

Sobre describes both a person who abstains from alcohol and a style that is understated — une décoration sobre is minimalist decor. The antonym is exubérant or criard (gaudy). The adverb sobrement and noun sobriété share the same root.

Examples

"Sa tenue était sobre et élégante."

Natural Translation

Her outfit was simple and elegant.

Free starter pack

Building your French vocabulary?

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

Explore French by topic