When you think of the word "crowd" in French, la foule is probably the first word that comes to mind. And you'd be right! But French offers a rich tapestry of words to describe groups of people, each with its own specific nuance.

Whether you're navigating a bustling Parisian market, describing a protest, or just talking about a group of people, knowing the right word can make your French sound much more natural and precise.

Let's explore nine different ways to say "crowd" in French and understand the subtle contexts in which to use them!

The standard 'crowd' – la foule

La foule is the most standard and widely used French word for 'the crowd'. It is a feminine noun, which is important to remember for article and adjective agreement (e.g., une foule immense).

It refers to a large, dense gathering of people in a particular place, such as at a concert, a public square, or a sports event. It emphasizes the collective mass of people rather than the individuals within it.

While la foule is often neutral, it can sometimes imply a lack of order or a sense of being overwhelmed. For example, un mouvement de foule refers to a crowd surge, which has a dangerous connotation. The feeling is often one of anonymity within a large group.

Like 'crowd' in English, la foule is a collective noun. This means that even though it describes multiple people, the noun itself is singular and takes a singular verb. For example, you say La foule crie (The crowd shouts), not La foule crient.

This word is found in several common French expressions, which are useful to know:

• un bain de foule: Literally 'a crowd bath,' this means mingling with the crowd, often used for celebrities or politicians.
• se fondre dans la foule: To blend into the crowd.

💡 * Il y avait une foule immense au concert de Stromae.

• Le candidat à la présidence a pris un bain de foule pour saluer ses électeurs.
• Pour ne pas être repéré, le voleur s'est fondu dans la foule.
• La foule attendait patiemment l'ouverture des portes du stade.

The 'everybody' or 'a lot of people' – le monde

While le monde literally translates to “the world,” in everyday French, it’s often used idiomatically to refer to people. This is a classic example of a word having a common usage that differs from its primary dictionary definition.

The most common and important construction is tout le monde, which directly means “all the world.” However, its functional meaning is always “everybody” or “everyone.” It’s the standard way to express this idea in French.

A critical rule to remember is that tout le monde is treated as a singular masculine phrase. This means the verb that follows must be in the third-person singular form (like il or elle). For example, you say Tout le monde est content (Everybody is happy), not sont content.

To say “a lot of people” or “a crowd,” you use the phrase beaucoup de monde. This is different from tout le monde because it implies a large quantity, not the entirety of a group. For example, Il y a beaucoup de monde dans la rue means “There are a lot of people in the street.”

To master this concept, simply remember the distinction: tout le monde = everybody (100% of the group), while beaucoup de monde = a lot of people (a large, but not total, number). Using the correct one will make your French sound much more natural.

💡 * Tout le monde est arrivé à l'heure. (Everybody arrived on time.)

• Il y avait beaucoup de monde à la fête. (There were a lot of people at the party.)
• Est-ce que tout le monde a compris la question ? (Did everyone understand the question?)
• J'ai vu beaucoup de monde que je connaissais. (I saw a lot of people I knew.)

The 'crush' or 'jostling crowd' – la cohue

When you need to describe a chaotic, bustling crowd or a mad rush, the French word you're looking for is la cohue. This feminine noun perfectly captures the feeling of a dense, disorganized group of people or an overwhelming flood of activity.

The primary meaning of la cohue is a 'crush,' 'throng,' or 'jostling crowd.' Think of the frantic rush of shoppers during sales, a packed subway platform at rush hour, or the chaos at the school gates. It specifically implies a lack of order and a sense of being pushed or squeezed.

Figuratively, la cohue can describe a 'rush' or 'flood' of things other than people. For example, you might talk about la cohue des demandes (the rush of requests) or la cohue des souvenirs (a flood of memories), indicating an overwhelming quantity arriving all at once.

As a feminine noun, you'll always see it with la or une. It's commonly used in phrases like C'était la cohue (It was a madhouse) or Il y avait une cohue (There was a crush). Although it describes many people, the word itself is singular.

It's important not to confuse la cohue with la foule. While la foule also means 'a crowd,' it is a more neutral term. A foule can be an orderly audience at a concert. A cohue, however, is almost always chaotic, disorganized, and implies a negative, overwhelming experience.

💡 * C'était la cohue dans le métro ce matin.

• On a évité la cohue des soldes en commandant en ligne.
• À la sortie de l'école, c'est toujours la grande cohue.
• Il y avait une telle cohue à l'entrée du stade que j'ai failli tomber.

The 'gathering' or 'assembly' – un attroupement

The French noun un attroupement translates to a 'gathering,' 'assembly,' or 'crowd' of people. It typically refers to a group that has formed in a public place, often spontaneously.

Unlike a neutral word like une foule (a crowd), un attroupement often carries a slightly negative or suspicious connotation. It can imply a disorderly group or one that might cause trouble, and it is frequently used from the perspective of authorities monitoring the situation.

In a legal or official context, the term is quite specific. An attroupement can be considered illegal in France if it is armed or deemed a threat to public order (trouble à l'ordre public). This gives the word a more serious weight than a simple 'gathering'.

💡 * La police a demandé à l'attroupement de se disperser. (The police asked the crowd to disperse.)

• Un attroupement s'est formé devant le lieu de l'accident. (A crowd formed in front of the accident scene.)
• Les attroupements sont interdits devant ce bâtiment officiel. (Gatherings are forbidden in front of this official building.)
• J'ai vu un petit attroupement de curieux dans la rue. (I saw a small gathering of curious onlookers in the street.)

The 'multitude' or 'great number' – une multitude

The 'multitude' or 'great number' – une multitude

Une multitude is a French noun that translates directly to 'a multitude.' It is used to describe a very large, often uncountable or impressive, quantity of people or things. It is almost always followed by the preposition de (or d' before a vowel).

This term carries a slightly more formal or literary tone than the more common beaucoup de (a lot of). Using une multitude adds emphasis and can make a description sound more dramatic or vast.

Although une multitude is a singular feminine noun, when it is followed by de and a plural noun, the verb that comes after typically agrees with the plural noun. The focus is on the many individual items within the group.

Use une multitude de when you want to convey a sense of a vast, diverse, or overwhelming number of something, going beyond what 'a lot' might imply. It's perfect for descriptive writing or when you want to make a strong impression.

💡 * Il y avait une multitude de gens au concert. (There was a multitude of people at the concert.)

• J'ai une multitude de choses à faire aujourd'hui. (I have a multitude of things to do today.)
• Le biologiste a découvert une multitude d'espèces inconnues. (The biologist discovered a multitude of unknown species.)
• Elle a répondu à une multitude de questions pendant l'interview. (She answered a multitude of questions during the interview.)

The 'mass' of people – la masse

The 'mass' of people – la masse

In French, la masse refers to a large, undifferentiated group of people, just like 'the mass' or 'the masses' in English. It's used to describe a large crowd, the general population, or a significant quantity of individuals considered as a whole.

This term is common in sociological, political, and media contexts. While often neutral, it can sometimes feel impersonal, implying a group where individual identities are lost. For example, discussing la consommation de masse (mass consumption) focuses on the collective rather than the individual.

A very common and directly borrowed expression is en masse, which means 'in a large group,' 'all together,' or 'in droves.' This phrase is used in both French and English to describe a collective action or movement.

💡 * Le candidat cherche à convaincre la masse des électeurs indécis.

• La masse des manifestants a défilé dans la rue.
• Les gens sont venus en masse pour assister au concert.
• Il est difficile de se démarquer de la masse.

The 'audience' or 'the public' – le public

The French noun le public directly translates to 'the public' or 'the audience' in English. It refers to a collective group of people, such as spectators at an event, readers of a book, or the general populace.

It is important to remember that le public is always a masculine singular noun, regardless of the gender composition of the group. Consequently, all related articles and adjectives must agree in the masculine singular form, for example: le public est attentif (the audience is attentive).

As a collective noun, le public treats the group as a single entity. It is commonly used when discussing the reactions or opinions of an audience at a concert, a play, a sporting event, or when referring to public opinion in general.

💡 * Le public a beaucoup aimé le spectacle. (The audience really liked the show.)

• Ce nouveau produit s'adresse à un public jeune. (This new product is aimed at a young audience.)
• L'opinion du public est très importante pour les politiciens. (Public opinion is very important for politicians.)
• L'artiste a salué le public avant de quitter la scène. (The artist greeted the audience before leaving the stage.)

The 'rally' or 'planned gathering' – un rassemblement

The 'rally' or 'planned gathering' – un rassemblement

Un rassemblement translates to "a gathering," "an assembly," or "a rally." It refers to a group of people coming together in a public space for a shared, often organized, purpose.

This term is very versatile. While it is frequently used for political protests or demonstrations (un rassemblement politique), it can also describe any planned public gathering, such as a festival, a memorial, or a large family reunion. It implies more organization than a simple crowd (une foule).

The associated verb is se rassembler, which means "to gather" or "to assemble." For example, Les gens se rassemblent sur la place means "The people are gathering in the square."

💡 * Un rassemblement de protestation a eu lieu devant le parlement. (A protest rally took place in front of the parliament.)

• Chaque année, il y a un grand rassemblement de voitures anciennes dans notre ville. (Every year, there is a large gathering of vintage cars in our town.)
• La police a dispersé le rassemblement illégal. (The police broke up the illegal gathering.)

1. The Informal 'Bunch of People': Un Tas de Gens

Let's break down this common informal expression. Un tas literally means "a pile" or "a heap," and de gens means "of people." So, the literal, and rather amusing, translation of un tas de gens is "a pile of people."

In everyday French, un tas de gens is a colloquial way to say "a bunch of people," "a lot of people," or "a ton of people." It emphasizes a large, unspecified number of individuals in a casual, conversational manner.

This phrase belongs firmly in the informal register. It's perfect for chatting with friends or in relaxed situations. For more formal or neutral contexts, you would be better off using alternatives like beaucoup de monde (a lot of people) or une foule (a crowd).

Grammatically, even though un tas (a pile) is singular, the expression refers to multiple people. Therefore, the verb that follows should be in the plural form. For example, you would say Un tas de gens sont venus (A bunch of people came), not est venu.

💡 * Il y avait un tas de gens à la fête hier soir.

• Je ne sors pas aujourd'hui, il y a un tas de gens en ville pour le festival.
• Un tas de gens pensent que l'hiver sera rude cette année.
• Regarde ! Un tas de gens font la queue pour ce nouveau restaurant.

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

Are there other ways to say “crowd” in French?

Our list features the most common ways to say “crowd” in French, from the general la foule to the more specific le public. But French, like any language, is rich with synonyms and context-specific terms that can add precision and color to your vocabulary.

The best way to discover these nuances is through immersion. When you watch French news reports, movies, or read articles, pay attention to how groups of people are described. You might encounter words like une cohue (a crush, a throng) during a sale, or un attroupement (an assembly, sometimes unauthorized).

To explore further, you can use an online dictionary and search for synonyms of foule. This will often provide a list of related words with specific examples of their usage, helping you understand the subtle differences between them.

Don't be afraid to listen for these words in real life or in media. Understanding when to use la foule versus la multitude (a multitude) or le monde (everyone) is a sign of a deepening understanding of the French language and culture.

For an excellent breakdown of synonyms and contextual uses, the Larousse or WordReference entries for foule are fantastic starting points. They often include forum discussions where native speakers debate the finest points of each word.

I hope this article has been a helpful guide. Describing the world around you is a key part of fluency, and now you have a more varied toolkit for talking about groups of people. As the French proverb says, L'union fait la force (Unity is strength) – a fitting thought when considering a crowd! Bonne continuation !