The most common way to say 'shirt' in French is une chemise. But what if you're talking about a t-shirt, a blouse, or a polo shirt? French, like English, has a variety of words for different types of tops.

Whether you're planning a shopping trip in Paris, packing for a vacation, or just want to describe your outfit with more precision, knowing the right word is key.

Let's dive into nine different ways to talk about shirts in French so you can dress your vocabulary for success!

The standard 'shirt' (with a collar and buttons) – une chemise

Une chemise is the standard French word for a shirt, but with a very specific meaning. It almost always refers to what an English speaker would call a 'dress shirt' or a 'button-down/button-up shirt'—a garment with a collar, cuffs, and a full-length opening at the front closed with buttons.

The word chemise is a feminine noun. This is a crucial piece of information for getting your articles and adjectives right. You will always see it as une chemise (a shirt) or la chemise (the shirt). The plural form is les chemises.

Here's the most important rule: a chemise is NOT a T-shirt. This is a common mistake for English speakers. If you ask for une chemise in a store, you will be shown formal or business shirts, not casual T-shirts.

So, how do you say 'T-shirt'? The French keep it simple and use the English loanword: un t-shirt. Notice that un t-shirt is a masculine noun. The distinction is clear: une chemise has buttons and a collar; un t-shirt is a casual, collarless pullover.

You would wear une chemise to work, a wedding, or a nice restaurant. You would wear un t-shirt to the park or while relaxing at home. This distinction applies to both men's and women's clothing. A woman's button-up blouse is also called une chemise or, more specifically, un chemisier.

💡 * Il doit porter une chemise et une cravate au bureau. (He has to wear a shirt and tie at the office.)

• J'ai taché ma chemise blanche avec du café. (I stained my white shirt with coffee.)
• Elle a acheté une belle chemise en soie. (She bought a beautiful silk shirt.)
• Tu devrais repasser ta chemise, elle est toute froissée. (You should iron your shirt, it's all wrinkled.)

The casual 'T-shirt' – un t-shirt

One of the simplest French clothing terms to learn is un t-shirt, which, as you've likely guessed, means 'a t-shirt'. It's a perfect example of an English loanword adopted directly into the French language.

The most important thing to remember is its gender. In French, t-shirt is a masculine noun. Therefore, you must always use the masculine articles: un t-shirt (a t-shirt) and le t-shirt (the t-shirt).

The pronunciation is very close to English, but with a French accent. The 't' sounds are softer, and the 'i' is sharper. There's no ambiguity with this word; it refers to the exact same garment.

The word t-shirt is the standard, everyday term used in all contexts, from shopping in a department store to talking about your laundry. It's the go-to word for this piece of casual wear.

You can easily describe a t-shirt by adding adjectives after it. For instance, un t-shirt à manches longues is a 'long-sleeved t-shirt', and un t-shirt à col V is a 'V-neck t-shirt'.

💡 * J'ai acheté un nouveau t-shirt blanc pour l'été.

• Il porte un t-shirt de son groupe de musique préféré.
• Ce t-shirt en coton est très confortable.
• Tu peux mettre n'importe quel t-shirt avec ce jean.

The women's 'blouse' – un chemisier

When talking about a women's button-down shirt or a more formal blouse, the specific French term you'll need is un chemisier.

Un chemisier refers to a woman's blouse, which is typically more fitted, decorative, or made of lighter fabric (like silk or cotton voile) than a standard shirt. A key point to remember is that despite being a women's garment, the noun itself is masculine: un chemisier.

It's important not to confuse un chemisier with une chemise. While une chemise is the general word for 'shirt,' it most often refers to a man's button-down dress shirt. Using un chemisier correctly shows a more nuanced understanding of French vocabulary for clothing.

You would typically use un chemisier in contexts like shopping for women's clothing, describing professional office attire, or referring to an elegant top for a special occasion. For a casual top, you would more likely use un haut or un t-shirt.

💡 * J'ai acheté un joli chemisier en soie pour la fête.

• Ce chemisier blanc va très bien avec ton pantalon noir.
• Elle cherche un chemisier à manches courtes pour l'été.
• Pour l'entretien, je pense mettre un chemisier et une jupe.

The sporty 'polo shirt' – un polo

The French word for a 'polo shirt' is simply un polo. This is a direct loanword from English, making it very easy for English speakers to remember and use correctly.

The word polo is a masculine noun in French. You will always see it preceded by masculine articles like un (a) or le (the), as in un polo or le polo. This is important for adjective agreement, such as un polo bleu (a blue polo shirt).

Just like in English, un polo refers to the specific style of collared, short-sleeved shirt often associated with sports like tennis or golf. It's used widely in both casual and sportswear contexts in France.

💡 * Il a mis un polo blanc pour aller jouer au golf.

• J'aime beaucoup ton polo, où l'as-tu acheté ?
• Pour l'uniforme de l'école, les garçons doivent porter un polo bleu.
• Ce polo est en coton.

The cozy 'sweatshirt' – un sweat

For a common and cozy piece of clothing, the French often borrow directly from English, giving us un sweat.

Un sweat is the French word for a sweatshirt. It's an anglicism, a direct borrowing from the English term 'sweatshirt,' but conveniently shortened.

Crucially, un sweat is a masculine noun in French. Always use masculine articles and agreements with it, such as un sweat, le sweat, or mon sweat.

This term is extremely common in everyday, informal French. It's the standard word you would use when talking about this type of garment in almost any casual context.

If you need to be more specific and refer to a hoodie, the term is un sweat à capuche, which literally translates to 'a sweatshirt with a hood.'

💡 * J'adore ton nouveau sweat, il est très stylé. (I love your new sweatshirt, it's very stylish.)

• Il fait un peu frais, je vais mettre un sweat. (It's a bit chilly, I'm going to put on a sweatshirt.)
• Mon sweat à capuche est dans la machine à laver. (My hoodie is in the washing machine.)
• Elle a acheté un sweat gris pour faire du sport. (She bought a grey sweatshirt for working out.)

The sleeveless 'tank top' – un débardeur

The sleeveless 'tank top' – un débardeur

In French, the primary word for a 'tank top' is un débardeur. It's a masculine noun (un débardeur) and is the go-to term for the common, sleeveless shirt worn by people of all genders for sports, casual wear, or as an undershirt.

The name has a practical origin. It comes from the French word for a dockworker or stevedore, also called a débardeur, who would wear this type of garment for physical labor because it allowed for freedom of movement. The clothing adopted the name of the worker.

While débardeur is the general term, you might also hear un marcel. A marcel specifically refers to the classic, ribbed, thin-strapped undershirt-style tank top. Think of marcel as a specific type of débardeur.

Don't confuse un débardeur with a camisole or caraco. Those terms refer to more delicate, often lacy women's tops that are typically worn as lingerie or for sleeping, not as outerwear for the gym.

💡 * Il fait chaud, je vais mettre un débardeur. (It's hot, I'm going to wear a tank top.)

• J'ai besoin d'un nouveau débardeur pour la salle de sport. (I need a new tank top for the gym.)
• Elle portait un simple débardeur blanc avec un jean. (She was wearing a simple white tank top with jeans.)

The general 'top' (for women) – un haut

When talking about women's clothing in French, the most general and widely used term for a 'top' is un haut.

The word haut literally means 'high' or 'top part'. In fashion, it's a versatile noun that can refer to any kind of shirt, blouse, t-shirt, or other garment worn on the upper body. It's the perfect catch-all term.

Crucially, even though it often refers to women's clothing, the word haut is a masculine noun. Therefore, you must always use masculine articles like un or le. For example, you would say un joli haut (a pretty top).

💡 * J'aime beaucoup ton haut, où l'as-tu acheté ? (I really like your top, where did you buy it?)

• Elle cherche un haut simple pour aller avec son jean. (She's looking for a simple top to go with her jeans.)
• Ce petit haut en soie est parfait pour la soirée. (This little silk top is perfect for the evening party.)

The formal 'dress shirt' – une chemise habillée

The formal 'dress shirt' – une chemise habillée

When you need a shirt for a formal occasion like a wedding, a business meeting, or a fancy dinner, the specific term is une chemise habillée. While une chemise is the general word for 'a shirt,' adding the adjective habillée elevates it to mean a 'dress shirt.'

The word habillée comes from the verb s'habiller, which means 'to get dressed.' As an adjective, habillée means 'dressy' or 'smart.' So, the literal translation is a 'dressed-up shirt,' perfectly capturing its formal nature.

This term is essential for distinguishing between everyday shirts and those intended for formal wear. You would typically wear une chemise habillée with a suit (un costume) and a tie (une cravate).

💡 * Pour le mariage de mon frère, j'ai acheté une nouvelle chemise habillée.

• Il faut repasser ta chemise habillée avant la cérémonie.
• Une chemise habillée blanche est un classique indispensable dans une garde-robe masculine.

1. The 'undershirt' – un maillot de corps

The most traditional and specific French term for an undershirt is un maillot de corps. This literally translates to 'a jersey of the body' and refers to a garment worn directly against the skin, typically under a shirt.

The term un maillot de corps often evokes the image of a classic, sleeveless undershirt (also known as a marcel or débardeur). While perfectly correct, it can sometimes sound a bit formal or old-fashioned in casual conversation.

In contemporary French, it's very common to simply use un t-shirt when referring to a sleeved undershirt. If you want to specify the sleeveless style, the word un débardeur is the most common and modern equivalent of a 'tank top' or vest-style undershirt.

💡 * Mon grand-père porte toujours un maillot de corps en hiver. (My grandfather always wears an undershirt in the winter.)

• J'ai besoin d'acheter des t-shirts blancs à mettre sous mes chemises. (I need to buy some white t-shirts to wear under my dress shirts.)
• Il fait trop chaud, je vais juste porter un débardeur. (It's too hot, I'm just going to wear a tank top.)

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

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

Our list features the most essential words for 'shirt' in French, from the classic chemise to the casual T-shirt. But French, especially in the realm of fashion, is full of specific terms. You'll find different words for blouses, formal wear, and even regional slang that this guide might not cover!

To discover more, you can do an online search for 'comment dire polo en français québécois' to find regionalisms, or look up specific styles like 'chemise à col mao' (Mandarin collar shirt).

When you encounter a new word, pay attention to its gender (un chemisier vs. une chemise) and the context it's used in. A word you see on a high-fashion blog might not be the one you use when asking for a size at a department store.

Pay attention when you watch French films, browse French online stores, or read fashion magazines. You'll naturally pick up the subtle differences and expand your vocabulary beyond the basics.

For a deeper dive into clothing vocabulary and related expressions, the WordReference entry for 'chemise' is an excellent resource. You'll find everything from formal terms to idiomatic phrases.

I hope this article was a perfect fit for your learning needs. To close, here is a classic quote from French designer Yves Saint Laurent: Les modes passent, le style est éternel. (Fashions fade, style is eternal.)