When you're learning French, "grand" is probably the first word you learn for "big." And while it's super useful, sometimes you need a little more nuance, right? Imagine describing a huge mountain, a massive project, or even just a sizable meal – "grand" might not always capture the exact feeling. That's why we're diving into 9 fantastic ways to say "big" in French, so you can express yourself with more precision and flair!

The standard 'big' or 'tall' – grand/grande

The standard “big” or “tall” – grand/grande

Grand(e) is the most basic and common adjective for “big” or “tall” in French.

Like many French adjectives, grand(e) must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies. So, you'll see it in these forms:grand - masculine singular (e.g., un grand arbre - a big tree)grande - feminine singular (e.g., une grande maison - a big house)grands - masculine plural (e.g., des grands arbres - big trees)grandes - feminine plural (e.g., des grandes maisons - big houses)

You'll use grand(e) in a wide variety of situations, both formal and informal, to describe size or height. It's the perfect go-to word for expressing these concepts.

However, the meaning of grand(e) can subtly shift depending on its placement relative to the noun it modifies.

As a general rule, when grand(e) is placed before the noun, it often takes on a more abstract meaning like “great”, “important”, or “older”. When placed after the noun, it typically retains its literal meaning of “tall” or “large” (in physical size).

So, for instance, un grand homme (a great man) refers to his importance or character, while un homme grand (a tall man) describes his physical height. Similarly, une grande ville (a big/major city) refers to its significance or population, but une ville grande would sound a bit unusual and directly imply its physical expanse.

Grand(e) also features in many common expressions. For example, avoir de grands projets means 'to have big plans', and parler en grand means 'to speak grandly' or 'to exaggerate'.

While grand(e) often translates to 'big' or 'tall', it's important to distinguish it from gros(se), which generally means 'fat', 'thick', or 'bulky'. Grand(e) refers more to height, general size, or importance, whereas gros(se) implies volume or weight.

Fortunately, knowing which meaning of grand(e) is implied is usually pretty easy to figure out by context, especially when considering its position relative to the noun.

💡 * Elle a une grande maison. (She has a big house.)

Mon frère est très grand. (My brother is very tall.)

C'est un grand écrivain. (He is a great writer.)

Nous avons de grands projets pour l'avenir. (We have big plans for the future.)

Il est le plus grand de la classe. (He is the tallest in the class.)

The 'big' in terms of size, weight, or volume – gros/grosse

When you want to express something is 'big' in French, especially concerning its physical bulk, weight, or volume, the adjective to reach for is gros (masculine) or grosse (feminine).

Like most French adjectives, gros must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies. The masculine singular is gros, the feminine singular is grosse. For plural, it's gros (masculine) and grosses (feminine). It typically precedes the noun.

Its most common application is to describe something that is substantial in size, volume, or weight. Think of a heavy object, a large animal, or a thick book. It emphasizes the mass or plumpness rather than just height or length.

It's important to note that gros/grosse can also directly mean 'fat' when referring to people or animals. While descriptive, it can sometimes carry a negative or blunt connotation in this context, so choose your words carefully, especially regarding people.

Beyond physical attributes, gros/grosse can describe something important, serious, or significant in an abstract sense. For example, a 'big problem' or 'big news' would often use gros/grosse.

While both mean 'big,' gros implies bulk, weight, or thickness, whereas grand typically refers to height, length, or general expanse. A gros livre is a thick, heavy book; a grand livre could be a tall book or a book of great importance (though gros is more common for importance of volume).

💡 * Elle a un gros chien. (She has a big/chunky dog.)

J'ai lu un gros livre ce week-end. (I read a thick/voluminous book this weekend.)

C'est une grosse erreur. (It's a big/serious mistake.)

Il a pris une grosse décision. (He made a big/important decision.)

Attention, il y a une grosse araignée! (Look out, there's a big/bulky spider!)

The 'enormous' – énorme

The French adjective énorme directly translates to "enormous" or "huge" in English, and it's used to describe something of considerable size, quantity, or intensity.

You'll find énorme commonly used to express that something is exceptionally large, whether physically, conceptually, or metaphorically. It conveys a sense of magnitude.

One convenient aspect of énorme is that it is invariable in gender, meaning it stays the same whether the noun it modifies is masculine or feminine. However, like most adjectives, it does agree in number, becoming énormes in the plural.

While many French adjectives follow the noun, énorme is often placed before the noun, especially when emphasizing its size. It can also appear after the noun, though less frequently when describing physical size.

Beyond literal size, énorme is frequently used to emphasize the degree or impact of something. For instance, an "énorme problème" (huge problem) or an "énorme succès" (enormous success) doesn't just refer to physical dimensions but to significance or scale.

You'll often hear énorme in everyday expressions like "C'est énorme !" (That's huge/amazing!) to express excitement or surprise, or "un effort énorme" (a huge effort) to describe significant exertion.

💡 * Elle a une énorme maison. (She has an enormous house.)

Nous avons eu un énorme succès. (We had enormous success.)

C'est une énorme différence. (It's an enormous difference.)

Les problèmes étaient énormes. (The problems were enormous.)

J'ai ressenti une joie énorme. (I felt enormous joy.)

The 'vast' or 'large' (for space) – vaste

The French adjective vaste directly translates to 'vast' or 'large' in English, primarily referring to something that occupies a great deal of space.

Unlike other adjectives for 'large' (like grand), vaste specifically emphasizes the extent or immensity of a physical area, a concept, or even an abstract domain.

Vaste often carries a connotation of impressive scale, openness, and sometimes even a sense of being boundless or extensive, whether for a landscape, a room, or a topic of study.

As an adjective, vaste agrees in number with the noun it modifies. It has the same form for masculine and feminine singular, and takes an 's' for plural: vaste (singular) and vastes (plural).

💡 * L'océan Atlantique est vaste. (The Atlantic Ocean is vast.)

Ils vivent dans une vaste maison à la campagne. (They live in a vast house in the countryside.)

Le sujet de la philosophie est très vaste. (The subject of philosophy is very vast.)

Les vastes plaines de l'Afrique sont impressionnantes. (The vast plains of Africa are impressive.)

Elle a une vaste connaissance de l'histoire. (She has a vast knowledge of history.)

The 'ample' or 'large' (for clothing or space) – ample

The 'ample' or 'large' (for clothing or space) – ample

In French, the adjective ample directly translates to 'ample,' 'large,' or 'spacious' in English.

It is commonly used to describe clothing that is loose-fitting or generously cut, providing comfort and ease of movement.

Beyond attire, ample also refers to sufficient or generous space, time, or quantity, implying more than just enough.

The word carries a generally positive connotation, suggesting comfort, freedom, or abundance, rather than just excessive size.

An interesting grammatical point is that ample is an invariable adjective in French. This means its form does not change for gender or number, making it straightforward to use with both masculine and feminine, singular and plural nouns.

💡 * Elle porte une chemise ample et confortable. (She is wearing a loose and comfortable shirt.)

Nous avons besoin d'un espace de travail plus ample. (We need a more spacious workspace.)

Le chef a laissé une marge de temps ample pour la préparation. (The chef left ample time for preparation.)

Ses mouvements étaient amples et gracieux. (Her movements were wide/ample and graceful.)

Cette jupe est trop ample pour moi. (This skirt is too loose for me.)

The 'voluminous' or 'bulky' – volumineux/volumineuse

The French adjectives volumineux (masculine singular) and volumineuse (feminine singular) directly translate to "voluminous" or "bulky" in English. They are used to describe something that takes up a lot of space, either physically or in terms of quantity.

Their most common usage is to refer to physical objects that are large, cumbersome, or occupy a significant amount of space. Think of oversized luggage, bulky furniture, or a large package that's difficult to carry. It emphasizes the object's spatial dimension rather than its weight.

Beyond physical objects, volumineux/volumineuse can also describe non-physical things that are extensive, substantial, or large in quantity. This often applies to abstract concepts like data, documents, reports, or even a workload, indicating a large amount or scale.

As adjectives, volumineux and volumineuse must agree in gender and number with the noun they modify. For masculine nouns, use volumineux (singular) or volumineux (plural). For feminine nouns, use volumineuse (singular) or volumineuses (plural).

💡 * Cette valise est très volumineuse, je ne peux pas la fermer. (This suitcase is very bulky, I can't close it.)

Le rapport final était volumineux, avec plus de 200 pages. (The final report was voluminous, with over 200 pages.)

Nous avons collecté des données volumineuses pour cette étude. (We collected voluminous data for this study.)

Ces meubles sont trop volumineux pour notre petit appartement. (This furniture is too bulky for our small apartment.)

The 'considerable' or 'significant' – considérable

The French adjective considérable translates to 'considerable' or 'significant' in English. It is used to describe something of great size, amount, importance, or extent, indicating that it's worth taking into account.

You'll often hear considérable when referring to large quantities (e.g., une somme considérable - a considerable sum), important impacts (e.g., un impact considérable - a significant impact), or notable differences. It emphasizes that something is noteworthy due to its magnitude or importance.

As an adjective, considérable must agree in number with the noun it modifies. It is invariable in gender, meaning it remains considérable for both masculine and feminine singular nouns, and becomes considérables for plural nouns of either gender (e.g., une amélioration considérable, des efforts considérables).

💡 * Il y a eu un changement considérable dans son attitude. (There has been a considerable change in his attitude.)

Elle a fait des progrès considérables en français. (She has made significant progress in French.)

Le coût du projet est considérable. (The cost of the project is considerable.)

Nous avons reçu des dons considérables pour l'association. (We received considerable donations for the association.)

La différence entre les deux options est considérable. (The difference between the two options is significant.)

The 'imposing' or 'grand' – imposant/imposante

The 'imposing' or 'grand' – imposant/imposante

As an adjective, imposant (masculine) or imposante (feminine) describes something that is 'imposing,' 'grand,' 'impressive,' or 'majestic.' It conveys a sense of awe or respect due to size, presence, or significance.

This word often refers to physical scale, like a large building, monument, or natural landscape. It can also describe a person's commanding presence or the profound nature of an idea, evoking a feeling of solemnity or respect.

Remember that, like all French adjectives, imposant must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies. For example, une structure imposante (a grand structure) or des bâtiments imposants (imposing buildings).

💡 * Le Mont Blanc est une montagne vraiment imposante.

C'est un homme d'une stature imposante.

L'architecture de cette cathédrale est très imposante.

Ils ont construit un nouveau stade imposant pour les jeux.

Sa voix grave et son calme le rendaient particulièrement imposant.

The 'colossal' or 'gigantic' – colossal/colossale

The French adjectives colossal (masculine singular) and colossale (feminine singular) directly translate to “colossal” or “gigantic” in English. They are used to describe something of immense size, scale, or importance, often evoking a sense of awe or overwhelming presence.

Like many French adjectives, colossal and colossale must agree in gender and number with the noun they modify. The masculine plural form is colossaux, and the feminine plural is colossales. Note the irregular plural for masculine nouns ending in -al often change to -aux in the plural, like animal (animal) becoming animaux (animals).

These terms are frequently applied to physical objects like statues, buildings, or natural formations, but can also describe abstract concepts such as efforts, challenges, or successes. For instance, you might refer to un effort colossal (a colossal effort) or une tâche colossale (a colossal task).

While colossal and colossale convey a strong sense of magnitude, other adjectives like énorme (enormous), gigantesque (gigantic), or immense (immense) can also be used, sometimes with slight differences in nuance. Colossal often emphasizes a striking, almost monumental scale, suggesting something truly exceptional in size or impact.

💡 * La statue de la Liberté est une œuvre colossale. (The Statue of Liberty is a colossal work.)

Ils ont fait des efforts colossaux pour terminer le projet. (They made colossal efforts to finish the project.)

Cette entreprise a réalisé des profits colossaux. (This company achieved colossal profits.)

La tâche qui nous attend est colossale. (The task awaiting us is colossal.)

Les murs de cette ancienne forteresse étaient colossaux. (The walls of this ancient fortress were colossal.)

Are there other ways to say 'big' in French?

Our list features the most common ways to say 'big' in French. But the French language is rich with nuances, including old-fashioned terms, regional expressions, and up-and-coming slang that even this author might not be fully aware of!

To explore further, you can always do an online search for 'comment dire grand en ___' followed by a specific Francophone country or region.

You might discover some interesting alternatives for grand or gros on your journey. As always, make sure to check a word’s definition and try to see it used in context before you incorporate it into your vocabulary.

Pay close attention as you read, watch, and listen to things in French — you're bound to encounter different ways to describe size.

And if you’re looking for a comprehensive list of synonyms or related terms for 'big' in French, the WordReference entry for grand is an excellent starting point!

I hope this article has broadened your understanding of how to express 'big' in French. Remember, language is a vast and wonderful thing, always offering new ways to say what you mean.

9 ways to say "big" in French