When you're learning French, you'll quickly discover that 'pants' isn't as simple as one word. Depending on where you are in the French-speaking world or the specific style you're referring to, the term can change entirely! It's a common little trip-up for learners, but don't get your trousers in a twist. We're here to help you sort it out. Let’s dive into the different ways to say 'pants' in French so you'll always be perfectly dressed for any conversation.

1. The standard 'pants' or 'trousers' – un pantalon

The standard 'pants' or 'trousers' – un pantalon

Un pantalon is the most direct and widely used French word for 'pants' or 'trousers'. It's the essential, all-purpose term you'll hear and use most often.

Unlike in English where 'pants' is a plural noun, the French word pantalon is singular when referring to a single pair. You would say un pantalon (a pair of pants) and only use the plural des pantalons when talking about multiple pairs.

Pantalon is a masculine noun. Therefore, any articles or adjectives used with it must also be masculine. For example: le pantalon, un pantalon noir (a pair of black pants), ce pantalon est trop grand (these pants are too big).

This word is neutral and can be used in any context, from formal to informal. It can refer to dress slacks, casual trousers, chinos, and more, making it a reliable default choice.

To describe a specific type of pants, you can add a qualifier after pantalon:

• un pantalon de costume - suit trousers / dress pants
• un pantalon en toile - canvas pants / chinos
• un pantalon de sport - sweatpants / track pants

💡 * J'ai besoin d'un nouveau pantalon pour la fête.

• Ce pantalon bleu te va très bien.
• Où as-tu acheté ce pantalon ?
• Il a mis tous ses pantalons dans la valise.
• Je cherche un pantalon de costume gris.

The 'jeans' – un jean

One of the easiest French clothing words to learn is for 'jeans': un jean. As you can see, it's a direct loanword from English, making it instantly recognizable. However, there's a crucial grammatical difference you need to know.

The most significant difference is that in French, un jean is a singular, masculine noun. While in English we say "a pair of jeans" and consider the word plural, in French you refer to a single pair as simply un jean.

To talk about more than one pair of jeans, you use the standard plural form: des jeans. So, if you bought three pairs, you would say you bought trois jeans. If you're shopping for jeans in general, you would say you are looking for des jeans.

Because un jean is a masculine singular noun, any adjectives describing it must also be in the masculine singular form. For example, 'blue jeans' is un jean bleu, and 'old jeans' is un vieux jean.

💡 * J'ai besoin d'un nouveau jean pour la fête.

• Ce jean bleu te va très bien.
• Elle a renversé du café sur son jean.
• Les jeans de cette marque sont très confortables.

The 'slacks' or 'dress pants' – un pantalon habillé

When you need to refer to 'slacks' or 'dress pants' in French, the most accurate and widely used term is un pantalon habillé.

The term is composed of two parts: un pantalon, which means 'pants' or 'trousers,' and the adjective habillé, which means 'dressed up' or 'formal.' Literally, it translates to 'dressed-up pants,' which perfectly captures its meaning.

You would use un pantalon habillé to describe trousers worn in professional environments, for formal events like weddings or dinners, or any situation that calls for smarter attire than jeans. It refers to the style and formality level.

This phrase is crucial for distinguishing these trousers from more casual options like un jean (jeans) or un pantalon décontracté (casual pants). While un pantalon is a general term, adding habillé specifies a formal style.

Keep in mind that pantalon is a masculine noun, so the adjective must agree. It's always un pantalon habillé. The plural form is des pantalons habillés, with the adjective also taking the plural 's'.

💡 * Pour l'entretien d'embauche, il est préférable de porter un pantalon habillé.

• J'ai besoin d'un nouveau pantalon habillé pour aller avec cette veste.
• Ce pantalon est trop décontracté ; je cherche quelque chose de plus habillé.
• Elle a trouvé un pantalon habillé gris qui lui va parfaitement.

The 'leggings' – un legging

The French word for 'leggings' is a direct loanword from English: un legging. It's important to note that in French, this noun is masculine, so you'll always see it preceded by masculine articles like un or le.

A key difference from English is that French uses the singular form, un legging, to refer to a single pair of leggings. Whereas English uses the plural ('a pair of leggings'), French treats it as a single item, much like un pantalon (a pair of pants).

The plural form, des leggings, is used only when referring to multiple, separate pairs. For instance, if you were shopping for several different styles, you would say you are looking for des leggings.

This term is very common in everyday French, particularly in conversations about fashion, sports, or casual clothing. You'll hear it used just as you would in English, making it an easy vocabulary word to adopt.

💡 * J'ai acheté un nouveau legging de sport.

• Ce legging est très confortable pour rester à la maison.
• Elle cherche un legging noir pour aller avec sa tunique.
• Le magasin vend des leggings de toutes les couleurs.

The 'sweatpants' or 'joggers' – un pantalon de jogging

The 'sweatpants' or 'joggers' – un pantalon de jogging

This is the most direct and widely used term. It literally translates to 'pants of jogging.' Pantalon means 'pants' or 'trousers,' and de jogging specifies their purpose.

This term is used for the comfortable, athletic-style pants you'd wear to the gym, for a run, or simply for lounging around the house. It's a standard, neutral term suitable for any informal or sporting context.

In casual, everyday French, it's very common to shorten 'un pantalon de jogging' to just 'un jogging'. Both the full term and the abbreviation are understood to mean the same thing.

The word pantalon is masculine, so you always use masculine articles and adjectives with it, such as un pantalon de jogging or le jogging. For example, you would say 'mon nouveau jogging' (my new joggers).

💡 * J'ai acheté un nouveau pantalon de jogging pour le sport.

• Le week-end, j'aime bien porter un jogging confortable à la maison.
• Il a mis un jogging et des baskets pour aller courir.
• Ce pantalon de jogging est trop grand pour moi.

The 'shorts' – un short

One of the easiest French clothing terms for English speakers to learn is un short, which means 'shorts'. This word is a direct loanword from English, referring to the same item of clothing: trousers that end at or above the knee.

The most crucial point to remember is the difference in number. In English, 'shorts' is a plural noun (we say 'a pair of shorts'). However, in French, un short is singular and refers to a single garment. This is a very common mistake for learners.

If you need to talk about more than one pair of shorts, you simply use the standard French plural form: des shorts. For instance, you might say J'ai acheté deux shorts (I bought two pairs of shorts).

The term un short is used universally across the French-speaking world for all types of shorts, from casual denim to athletic wear. Unlike some English loanwords, there isn't a more 'native' French alternative in common circulation, making this a straightforward vocabulary word to use correctly.

💡 * Il fait chaud, je vais mettre un short. (It's hot, I'm going to put on shorts.)

• J'ai besoin d'un nouveau short pour faire du sport. (I need a new pair of shorts for playing sports.)
• Elle a emballé trois shorts pour ses vacances. (She packed three pairs of shorts for her vacation.)
• Ce short bleu te va très bien ! (Those blue shorts look great on you!)

The 'underwear' (for the British English speakers) – un slip or une culotte

In French, the general term 'underwear' is broken down by gender. The two most common words you'll encounter are un slip for men's briefs and une culotte for women's panties or knickers. It's crucial to use the correct term for the right context.

Un slip is a masculine noun that specifically refers to men's briefs. While it looks like the English word 'slip' (a type of women's undergarment), its meaning in French is entirely different and is almost exclusively used for men's underwear.

Une culotte is a feminine noun and is the standard term for women's panties or knickers. You would use this word when referring to most types of women's everyday underwear.

💡 * Il doit acheter un nouveau slip. (He needs to buy new briefs.)

• Elle cherche une culotte en dentelle. (She is looking for lace panties.)
• Mon fils ne veut porter que des slips de super-héros. (My son only wants to wear superhero briefs.)
• J'ai acheté un lot de trois culottes en coton. (I bought a pack of three cotton panties.)

The slang 'pants' – un froc

For a very common, informal way to say 'pants' in French, you can use un froc. This is a classic slang term you'll hear in everyday conversation.

Un froc is the direct slang equivalent of 'pants' or 'trousers.' It's a masculine noun, so you'll always see it as le froc or un froc. While the standard term is un pantalon, using un froc makes your French sound more natural and colloquial.

This word belongs firmly in the realm of informal language (langage familier). You would use it with friends, family, or in any casual setting, but you should avoid it in formal situations like a job interview or a business meeting.

You might also encounter the expression baisser son froc, which literally means 'to pull down one's pants.' Figuratively, it means 'to back down,' 'to give in,' or 'to chicken out' when faced with a challenge or confrontation.

💡 * J'ai mis mon vieux froc pour jardiner.

• Il a acheté un froc tout neuf pour la soirée.
• Ne baisse pas ton froc, défends tes idées !
• C'est juste un froc, ne t'inquiète pas pour la tache.

The Old-Fashioned Slang for 'Pants': Un Futal

One of the classic, old-fashioned slang words for 'pants' or 'trousers' in French is un futal. It's a masculine noun and is the informal equivalent of the standard word, un pantalon. While it's not as common today, especially among younger speakers, it's a word you might hear from older generations or see in older films.

The term futal belongs to argot, the French slang register. Using it gives your speech a very informal, slightly dated, and perhaps working-class flavor. Think of it like the English word 'slacks' or 'britches'—perfectly understandable but carrying a specific, somewhat vintage connotation. Its plural form is des futals.

While primarily used on its own, you might encounter it in phrases like enfiler son futal (to slip on one's pants) or se saper un beau futal (to dress up in nice pants). However, its main function is simply as a direct, informal substitute for pantalon.

💡 * J'ai besoin d'un nouveau futal, le mien est troué. (I need new pants, mine has a hole in it.)

• Allez, enfile ton futal, on est en retard ! (Come on, put your pants on, we're late!)
• Mon grand-père l'appelle toujours un 'futal', jamais un 'pantalon'. (My grandfather always calls them 'pants' [futal], never 'trousers' [pantalon].)
• Il a payé ce futal une fortune. (He paid a fortune for those pants.)

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

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

Our list features the most common ways to say “pants” in French. But of course, French is a language rich with nuance, and you'll find other terms for specific styles, from regional slang to high-fashion vocabulary.

You can also do an online search for a specific type of pants, like “comment dire ‘sweatpants’ en français” or “traduction ‘slacks’.” You'll often find the answer is a specific term like un pantalon de jogging or a loanword from English.

Context is key. While un pantalon works in almost any situation, using a more precise word like un jean, un legging, or un short will make your French sound much more authentic and descriptive.

Pay attention as you read French fashion magazines, browse online shops, or watch French movies. You’ll start to notice all the different ways people refer to what they're wearing on their legs.

And if you’re looking for more vocabulary related to clothing, the WordReference entry for pantalon is a fantastic starting point to see it used in various expressions and contexts.

I hope this article was a good fit for your French learning journey. To finish, here's a perfect quote from the legendary French designer Yves Saint Laurent: 'Les modes passent, le style est éternel.' (Fashions fade, style is eternal.)