Tête is the most common way to say “head” in French. But just like in English, there are many situations where you might use different words to describe the human head, or even things that are head-shaped or at the top of something. As you dive deeper into French, you’ll discover a rich vocabulary for all kinds of concepts, and the word “head” is no exception. Let’s explore 9 fascinating ways to say “head” in French, from everyday terms to idiomatic expressions!

The standard 'head' – tête

Tête is the most common and direct French word for 'head'.

As a noun, tête is always feminine. So you'll always use it with feminine articles like la (the) or une (a/an).

Its primary use is to refer to the anatomical head of a person or an animal.

Beyond its literal sense, tête is often used figuratively to mean 'mind,' 'intellect,' or 'thoughts,' emphasizing mental capacity or state.

Tête is incredibly versatile and appears in a multitude of French idiomatic expressions, often conveying states of mind, attitudes, or characteristics.

One popular idiom is avoir la tête sur les épaules, which literally means 'to have one's head on one's shoulders.' This signifies being sensible, realistic, or level-headed.

Another frequent expression is faire la tête, meaning 'to sulk' or 'to look grumpy.' It describes making a face that shows displeasure.

Understanding the context is crucial when encountering tête in conversation, especially with idiomatic phrases, as the meaning can shift significantly from its literal definition.

💡 * J'ai mal à la tête. (I have a headache.)

Il a la tête pleine d'idées. (He has his head full of ideas.)

Elle a la tête sur les épaules. (She's sensible/level-headed.)

Pourquoi tu fais la tête ? (Why are you sulking?)

Perdre la tête. (To lose one's mind.)

The 'skull' or informal 'head' – crâne

The French word crâne (masculine) primarily refers to the skull, the bony structure that protects the brain.

Beyond its anatomical meaning, crâne is also used informally and colloquially to mean head, often implying a tough, strong, or sometimes stubborn head.

When used informally for 'head', crâne often carries a slightly more robust or even slightly negative connotation than the neutral tête. It can be used to describe someone's mental capacity or their stubbornness, especially in a challenging context.

Crâne appears in several common French expressions, such as se casser le crâne, which literally means 'to break one's skull' but is idiomatically used to mean 'to rack one's brain' or 'to work very hard mentally' on a problem.

It's important to differentiate crâne from tête. While tête is the general, everyday word for 'head' in all contexts (e.g., mal à la tête - headache), crâne is reserved for the literal bone structure or for more informal, often figurative, uses of 'head' that emphasize its solidity or the mental effort involved.

💡 *Le médecin a examiné son crâne après la chute. (The doctor examined his skull after the fall.)*Il s'est cassé le crâne sur ce problème de maths. (He racked his brain over this math problem.)*Quel crâne ! Il a tout compris en un clin d'œil. (What a brain! He understood everything in a flash.)*Attention à ne pas te cogner le crâne en passant sous la porte. (Be careful not to hit your head passing under the door.)

The informal 'noggin' or 'dome' – caboche

Beyond the standard tête, French offers a colorful, informal term for the head: caboche. Think of it as the equivalent of 'noggin' or 'dome' in English.

Caboche is a decidedly colloquial and informal word. It refers to the head, often implying a somewhat sturdy, stubborn, or even a bit simple-minded 'head'.

You'll most often hear caboche in casual conversations, among friends or family. It can be used affectionately or with a slight hint of exasperation, depending on the context.

One common expression is avoir une bonne caboche, meaning 'to have a good head on one's shoulders' or 'to be smart'. Conversely, someone might se casser la caboche (literally 'break one's noggin'), meaning to rack one's brain.

While tête is the neutral, general term for 'head', caboche injects a more personal, often rustic or humorous tone. It's not typically used in formal settings.

Another idiom using this word is avoir la caboche dure, which means 'to be stubborn' or 'to be a hard-head', emphasizing the idea of a difficult or unyielding mind.

💡 *Il a une bonne caboche pour les maths. (He has a good head for math.)
*Quelle caboche! J'ai encore oublié mes clés. (What a blockhead! I forgot my keys again.)
*Arrête de te casser la caboche pour ça, c'est simple. (Stop racking your brain over that, it's simple.)
*Elle s'est cogné la caboche en tombant de l'échelle. (She hit her head falling off the ladder.)
*Mon grand-père a la caboche dure, il ne changera jamais d'avis. (My grandfather is stubborn, he'll never change his mind.)

The slang 'mug' or 'face' – tronche

The slang "mug" or "face" – tronche

In informal French, tronche (pronounced tronsh) is a slang term for "face" or "mug." It's often used casually, sometimes implying a distinctive or less-than-perfect appearance, but can also be neutral.

Grammatically, tronche is a feminine noun. It's important to use the correct feminine articles and adjectives with it (e.g., la tronche, une belle tronche).

This word is frequently used in idiomatic expressions, such as "avoir une sale tronche" (to have a nasty/unfriendly look) or "faire la tronche" (to sulk or pull a face).

💡 * Quelle sale tronche il a ! (What an unfriendly face he has!)

Arrête de faire la tronche, ce n'est pas grave. (Stop sulking, it's not a big deal.)

Je me suis cogné la tronche contre le mur. (I bumped my face against the wall.)

J'ai vu sa tronche à la télé hier soir. (I saw his face on TV last night.)

The very informal 'gob' or 'mug' – gueule

The very informal 'gob' or 'mug' – gueule

Gueule is a highly informal, often vulgar, French word that literally means the 'mouth of an animal.' When applied to humans, it roughly translates to 'gob,' 'mug,' or 'trap' for the face or mouth.

This term carries a strong connotation of disrespect or aggression. It's considered very coarse and should be used with extreme caution. It's far from polite and can be offensive.

You'll encounter gueule in various idiomatic expressions, often indicating frustration or anger. For instance, ferme ta gueule means 'shut your gob/trap,' and avoir de la gueule can mean to have a strong, imposing presence or character.

Given its vulgarity, gueule is strictly for very informal settings, typically among close friends who understand and accept its tone, or when deliberately aiming to be provocative. Avoid it in any formal or polite conversation.

💡 * Ferme ta gueule ! (Shut your gob!)

Il a une drôle de gueule ce matin. (He's got a funny mug this morning.)

Quelle gueule tu fais ! (What a face you're pulling!)

Ne me casse pas la gueule ! (Don't beat me up! / Don't give me a hard time!)

The 'brain' or 'intellect' (metonymically 'head') – cerveau

In French, the word cerveau directly translates to 'brain.' It refers to the physical organ inside your skull that controls your thoughts, emotions, and bodily functions.

Beyond its literal anatomical meaning, cerveau is often used metonymically to represent intellect, intelligence, or the mind itself. This is similar to how English speakers might use 'brain' or 'head' to refer to a person's mental capacity.

You'll frequently hear cerveau in expressions that highlight mental effort or intelligence. For instance, 'se creuser le cerveau' means 'to rack one's brain,' and 'être le cerveau d'une opération' means 'to be the mastermind of an operation.'

While cerveau is the brain, it's important not to confuse it with tête, which means 'head' (the entire part). So, you'd say 'J'ai mal à la tête' (I have a headache), but 'Mon cerveau est fatigué' (My brain is tired).

💡 * Le cerveau humain est incroyablement complexe. (The human brain is incredibly complex.)

Elle a un cerveau brillant pour les sciences. (She has a brilliant mind for science.)

Qui est le cerveau de cette invention? (Who is the mastermind behind this invention?)

Je me suis creusé le cerveau pour résoudre ce problème. (I racked my brain to solve this problem.)

The 'head' (as in leader) or 'chief' – chef

The French word chef translates directly to "chief" or "head," always referring to a leader or a person in charge. It signifies authority and responsibility within a group or organization.

This term is widely used across various fields, from professional settings like chef de projet (project manager) and chef de cuisine (head chef) to more general leadership roles such as chef d'équipe (team leader) or chef d'entreprise (company head/CEO).

Crucially, chef is always a masculine noun, regardless of the gender of the person it refers to. So, whether it's a male or female leader, you will always say le chef.

💡 * Le chef de l'entreprise a annoncé les nouveaux objectifs. (The head of the company announced the new objectives.)

Elle est la chef de cuisine de ce restaurant étoilé. (She is the head chef of this Michelin-starred restaurant.)

Mon chef m'a demandé de préparer le rapport pour demain. (My boss asked me to prepare the report for tomorrow.)

Le chef d'orchestre a salué le public après le concert. (The conductor greeted the audience after the concert.)

The 'face' (sometimes referring to the head's appearance) – visage

The 'face' (sometimes referring to the head's appearance) – visage

In French, visage is a widely used and somewhat formal term for 'face' or 'countenance'. It's a common and versatile word.

While la face exists, visage is generally preferred when referring to a human face, often implying a sense of dignity or a more complete aspect of a person's appearance. It's less clinical and more common than face when talking about people.

Visage can also describe the overall appearance of someone's head or their expression, conveying emotions or characteristics. It's frequently used in literature and more refined speech to evoke a person's inner state.

💡 *Son visage était pâle de fatigue. (His face was pale with fatigue.)
*Elle avait un visage souriant. (She had a smiling face.)
*Le visage de l'enfant exprimait la joie. (The child's face expressed joy.)
*Il a un visage familier. (He has a familiar face.)

The 'face' or 'countenance' (sometimes referring to the head's appearance) – figure

In French, the word figure can be used to refer to the 'face' or 'countenance,' often emphasizing the overall appearance or expression of the head.

Unlike visage, which is the most common and neutral term for 'face,' figure often carries a nuance related to the expression, aspect, or mien of a person's face. It can describe the way someone looks, conveying emotions or an overall impression.

Figure tends to be more formal or literary than visage. You might encounter it in older texts, poetry, or when describing someone's appearance with a certain gravitas or artistic flair.

The word figure also appears in several common French expressions, such as faire bonne figure (to put a brave face on it, to make a good impression) or à la figure de quelqu'un (to someone's face).

💡 * Elle avait une figure sereine malgré les difficultés. (She had a serene countenance despite the difficulties.)

La figure de l'enfant était rougie par le froid. (The child's face was reddened by the cold.)

Il n'a pas osé lui dire la vérité en pleine figure. (He didn't dare tell her the truth to her face.)

Malgré la défaite, l'équipe a fait bonne figure. (Despite the defeat, the team put on a brave face/made a good impression.)

Sa figure était méconnaissable après l'accident. (His face was unrecognizable after the accident.)

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

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

Our list features the most common ways to say “head” in French. But French, like any language, is rich with expressions and slang terms, some of which might refer to the head in different contexts!

To explore further, you can do an online search for “expressions avec tête” or “argot français tête” to discover interesting nuances and regional variations.

You might find some interesting terms or expressions related to tête. As always, make sure to check a word’s definition and try to see it used in context before you use it, especially with slang!

Pay attention as you read, watch, and listen to things in French — you may discover various idiomatic ways to refer to the head or use it in expressions.

And if you’re looking for more specific terms or expressions involving the head, the WordReference entry for tête is an excellent resource for idiomatic phrases and nuances!

I hope you found this article helpful in understanding the French word for “head” and its nuances. To conclude, here’s a thought from Montaigne that perfectly fits our discussion: “La tête ne demande qu'à être bien faite, non bien pleine.” (The head only asks to be well-formed, not well-filled.)

9 ways to say "head" in French