When you think of the word “science” in French, the term la science immediately comes to mind. It's the most direct translation and the one you'll use most often. However, the world of science is vast, covering everything from biology to computer science, from abstract knowledge to the scientific method itself.

As you advance in your French language journey, you might need more specific terms to discuss different scientific fields or concepts accurately.

Let’s explore 9 ways to say “science” in French to help you sound more like a native speaker in academic or technical conversations!

1. The general term for 'science' – la science

The most direct and common French word for 'science' is la science. It's a feminine noun, so you'll always pair it with feminine articles like la (the) or une (a/an). This term encompasses the general concept of science as a field of study and knowledge.

Just like in English, la science can refer to the entire scientific endeavor. When you want to be more specific, you often use its plural form, les sciences, as a base for broader categories. For example, 'life sciences' is les sciences de la vie, and 'social sciences' is les sciences sociales.

For individual scientific disciplines, you typically just use the specific French term for that field, which is often also a feminine noun. For instance: la physique (physics), la chimie (chemistry), or la biologie (biology).

You'll frequently see la science in compound terms. The most famous is probably la science-fiction (science fiction). Other important categories include les sciences exactes (the exact sciences, like math and physics) and les sciences humaines (human sciences/humanities).

💡 * La science a fait d'énormes progrès ces dernières années. (Science has made enormous progress in recent years.)

• J'étudie les sciences politiques à l'université. (I study political science at the university.)
• C'est un grand homme de science. (He is a great man of science.)
• La science-fiction est mon genre de film préféré. (Science fiction is my favorite movie genre.)

A specific scientific field – une discipline scientifique

To talk about a specific field of science in a formal or academic context, the French phrase you need is une discipline scientifique. This directly translates to “a scientific discipline” or “a field of science.” It’s the standard term used in universities, research papers, and official documents.

You will typically hear or read une discipline scientifique when discussing academic subjects, career paths in research, or different branches of science. For example, a university catalog would list various disciplines scientifiques that students can major in. It's more formal than just talking about la science (science) in general.

Let's break down the phrase. Discipline is a feminine noun, which is why it's preceded by une. The adjective scientifique comes after the noun, as is common in French. This adjective works for both masculine and feminine nouns, so you don't need to change its ending.

Any specific field of science can be described as une discipline scientifique. For instance, la biologie (biology), la chimie (chemistry), la physique (physics), and l'astronomie (astronomy) are all examples of disciplines scientifiques.

The word discipline on its own is versatile. You can pair it with other adjectives to describe different fields of study, such as une discipline artistique (an artistic discipline) or une discipline littéraire (a literary discipline). The key is the adjective that follows.

💡 * La biologie est une discipline scientifique qui étudie la vie.

• Il a consacré sa carrière à une discipline scientifique très spécialisée.
• Quelle discipline scientifique préférez-vous : la physique ou la chimie ?
• L'histoire des sciences retrace l'évolution de chaque discipline scientifique.

Scientific knowledge or learning – le savoir scientifique

When discussing knowledge in a more profound, theoretical, or academic sense, French uses the noun le savoir. This term goes beyond simple facts and refers to a deeper understanding or a body of learning, often acquired through study and experience.

The phrase le savoir scientifique specifically translates to 'scientific knowledge.' This isn't just about knowing a single scientific fact; it encompasses the entire body of scientific understanding, including theories, principles, and the scientific method itself. It’s a formal term used in academic and intellectual discussions.

Le savoir is the noun form of the verb savoir (to know). While savoir means 'to know a fact' or 'to know how to do something,' the noun le savoir represents the accumulated result of that knowing—a comprehensive and structured body of knowledge.

It's crucial to distinguish le savoir from la connaissance. La connaissance often refers to familiarity with a specific person, place, or piece of information (e.g., la connaissance de Paris - knowledge of Paris). In contrast, le savoir is more abstract and refers to a field of study or a deep, structured understanding (e.g., le savoir en physique - knowledge in physics).

You will often see le savoir in other important expressions. For example, le savoir-faire means 'know-how' or 'expertise,' referring to practical skills, while le savoir-vivre means 'etiquette' or 'good manners.'

💡 * Le savoir scientifique est essentiel pour le progrès de l'humanité. (Scientific knowledge is essential for the progress of humanity.)

• Son savoir en histoire est impressionnant. (His knowledge of history is impressive.)
• Il faut distinguer le savoir de la simple accumulation d'informations. (One must distinguish knowledge from the simple accumulation of information.)
• La transmission du savoir est le rôle principal de l'université. (The transmission of knowledge is the main role of the university.)

1. The Process of Scientific Investigation: La Recherche Scientifique

The phrase la recherche scientifique is the formal French term for “scientific research” or “scientific investigation.” It encompasses the entire systematic process of inquiry, from forming a hypothesis to experimentation and analysis.

This term is primarily used in formal contexts such as academia, professional reports, and the news media. When you discuss studies, clinical trials, or academic papers in French, la recherche scientifique is the appropriate and precise term to use.

To talk about the action of researching, you use the verb faire, as in faire de la recherche scientifique (to do scientific research). A person who conducts this work is un chercheur (male researcher) or une chercheuse (female researcher).

It's important to note that la recherche by itself can mean “the search” or “research” in a general sense. Adding the adjective scientifique clarifies that you are referring specifically to the rigorous, methodical process of scientific discovery.

💡 * La recherche scientifique est essentielle pour comprendre l'univers.

• Elle est une chercheuse reconnue dans le domaine de la biologie marine.
• Le gouvernement investit des millions dans la recherche scientifique.
• Pour mon projet, je dois faire beaucoup de recherche sur internet, mais ce n'est pas de la recherche scientifique.

A particular branch of science – une science

When referring to a specific field of study or a particular branch of science in French, you use the noun une science. This term is essential for discussing academic subjects and areas of research.

A key point for learners is that science is a feminine noun. It must always be paired with feminine articles, such as une (a/an) or la (the). This is why specific fields are referred to as la biologie (biology), la chimie (chemistry), or la physique (physics).

While une science points to a single discipline, the term la science (with the definite article) is used to talk about the general concept of science as a whole, similar to how 'science' is used in English in a broad sense.

The plural form, les sciences, refers to multiple scientific fields collectively. You'll often see this in phrases like les sciences naturelles (the natural sciences) or les sciences sociales (the social sciences).

💡 * La biologie est une science fascinante. (Biology is a fascinating science.)

• J'étudie les sciences politiques à l'université. (I study political science at the university.)
• La chimie et la physique sont des sciences exactes. (Chemistry and physics are exact sciences.)
• Il veut devenir un expert en sciences de l'environnement. (He wants to become an expert in environmental science.)

Scientific studies, especially in an academic context – les études scientifiques

The phrase les études scientifiques is the direct and formal French equivalent for 'scientific studies.' It is the standard term used in academic, research, and professional contexts to refer to investigations in fields like biology, physics, medicine, and social sciences. You will see it in university course descriptions, research papers, and news reports on scientific breakthroughs.

Understanding the difference between singular and plural is key. Une étude scientifique refers to a single, specific study or paper (e.g., 'a study on bee populations'). The plural form, les études scientifiques, can mean either multiple studies or the general field of scientific study itself (e.g., 'He is pursuing scientific studies').

This term is primarily used in formal settings. A student would say they are doing des études scientifiques to describe their major. In casual conversation, while discussing a news article, someone might refer to une étude, but the full phrase étude scientifique adds a layer of formality and specificity.

To build your vocabulary around this topic, learn these related terms: la recherche (research), un chercheur / une chercheuse (a researcher), un laboratoire (a laboratory), and un article scientifique (a scientific article).

💡 * Une nouvelle étude scientifique montre l'impact du sommeil sur la mémoire.

• Il a consacré sa vie aux études scientifiques sur les volcans.
• Les résultats de cette étude scientifique seront publiés le mois prochain.
• Pour mon master, je dois lire de nombreuses études scientifiques en anglais.

A scientific subject in school – une matière scientifique

To talk about a school subject in French, you use the word une matière. For a science-related subject, the specific term is une matière scientifique.

The noun matière is feminine. Therefore, any adjective describing it must also be in the feminine form. This is why you say une matière scientifique and not un matière scientifique.

Examples of matières scientifiques include la physique (physics), la chimie (chemistry), and la biologie (biology). Even les mathématiques (mathematics) are often grouped with them.

💡 * Ma matière scientifique préférée est la chimie. (My favorite science subject is chemistry.)

• Je dois étudier pour mon examen dans une matière scientifique demain. (I have to study for my exam in a science subject tomorrow.)
• Les matières scientifiques sont très importantes pour devenir ingénieur. (Science subjects are very important for becoming an engineer.)

The scientific world or community – le monde scientifique

The scientific world or community – le monde scientifique

Le monde scientifique is a collective noun phrase that translates to “the scientific world” or “the scientific community.” It refers to the global network of scientists, researchers, and academic institutions as a whole.

This term is frequently used in media, academic writing, and formal discussions to talk about broad trends, discoveries, or consensus within the field of science. It treats the entire community as a single collective entity.

A very common and often interchangeable synonym is la communauté scientifique, which literally translates to “the scientific community.” Both phrases are used to refer to the same concept.

💡 * Le monde scientifique est en émoi suite à cette découverte majeure. (The scientific world is in an uproar following this major discovery.)

• Cette nouvelle théorie a été validée par le monde scientifique. (This new theory has been validated by the scientific community.)
• Son travail a eu un impact profond sur le monde scientifique. (His work had a profound impact on the scientific world.)

1. The Body of Scientific Knowledge: Les Connaissances Scientifiques

The primary French translation for 'the body of scientific knowledge' is les connaissances scientifiques. This phrase literally means 'scientific knowledge' in the plural. The use of the plural form connaissances is key, as it emphasizes that this 'body' is a collection of numerous facts, theories, discoveries, and data points.

You will most often encounter les connaissances scientifiques in formal, academic, or intellectual contexts. It's the standard term used in research papers, university lectures, scientific journals, and serious discussions about science and technology. It refers to the established, evidence-based understanding of the natural world.

While the plural form refers to the collective body of knowledge, the singular, la connaissance scientifique, refers to 'scientific knowledge' as a general concept or a specific piece of knowledge. For example, you might say l'avancement des connaissances scientifiques (the advancement of scientific knowledge - plural) but sa connaissance scientifique du sujet est limitée (his/her scientific knowledge of the subject is limited - singular).

💡 * Les connaissances scientifiques sur l'univers sont en constante évolution. (Scientific knowledge about the universe is constantly evolving.)

• Ce documentaire vise à vulgariser les connaissances scientifiques actuelles. (This documentary aims to popularize current scientific knowledge.)
• Il est crucial de fonder les décisions politiques sur des connaissances scientifiques solides. (It is crucial to base political decisions on solid scientific knowledge.)
• L'accès aux connaissances scientifiques devrait être universel. (Access to scientific knowledge should be universal.)

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

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

Our guide has covered the primary term, la science, but the world of knowledge is vast. French offers a rich vocabulary for specific scientific fields, related concepts like la connaissance (knowledge), and the various academic disciplines.

To explore further, try an online search for terme français pour followed by a specific field, like 'data science' or 'environmental studies'. This will help you find the precise terminology used by professionals.

Pay close attention to context. For instance, French often uses the plural les sciences to refer to the collective body of scientific disciplines, especially in an academic setting (e.g., la faculté des sciences). Understanding this nuance is key to sounding natural.

Immerse yourself by reading articles from publications like Sciences et Avenir or watching French documentaries. This is the best way to see how different terms for 'science' and its branches are used in real-world contexts.

For highly specialized or technical terms, a great resource is Le Grand Dictionnaire terminologique (GDT), a terminology database that provides official French terms for many scientific and technical concepts.

I hope this exploration has been enlightening. To conclude, here is a powerful thought from the brilliant scientist Marie Curie: « Dans la vie, rien n'est à craindre, tout est à comprendre. » (In life, nothing is to be feared, it is only to be understood.)