traîneau

sled, sleigh

noun treh-NOH Rare

Usage Note

Traîneau forms its plural traîneaux following the standard -eau→-eaux rule. In French-Canadian culture, traîneau evokes winter travel and dog-sledding; in mainland France it more often recalls Father Christmas's sleigh. The verb traîner (to drag) shares the same root.

Examples

"Les enfants dévalaient la pente en traîneau."

Natural Translation

The children sped down the slope on a sled.

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

Tu vs Vous: When to Use Each in French

Tu vs vous in French: use tu for one friend, family, or child, and vous for strangers, elders, your boss, and any group. A clear etiquette guide.

June 3, 2026 6 min read

FrenchNow

French Numbers 70, 80, 90 Made Simple

French numbers 70, 80, 90 are soixante-dix, quatre-vingts, and quatre-vingt-dix. Learn three build formulas to make any number 70-99 on the fly.

June 3, 2026 5 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

Le, La, Un, Du: French Articles Made Simple

Le, la, un, du, des made simple: pick the French article family by meaning, the form by gender, and dodge the two mistakes English speakers always make.

June 4, 2026 5 min read