Une étoile is the most common and direct way to say “star” in French. But what if you're talking about a movie star, a star pupil, or even seeing stars after a little bump on the head?

As you learn French and dive deeper into the culture, from gazing at the night sky over Paris to discussing your favorite celebrity, you'll want the right word at your fingertips.

Let's explore nine dazzling ways to say “star” in French!

The standard 'star' (celestial body) – une étoile

The standard and most common French word for a 'star' as a celestial body is une étoile.

Une étoile is a feminine noun. This is important for agreement with articles and adjectives, so you always say la or une étoile. It's the direct translation for the astronomical object you see in the night sky.

The plural form is des étoiles (stars) or les étoiles (the stars). Like most French nouns, you simply add an 's' to form the plural, though it is not pronounced.

You use une étoile when talking about astronomy, looking at the night sky, or referring to any specific star. For example, Le soleil est une étoile (The sun is a star).

Just like in English, une étoile can also be used figuratively to refer to a famous person or a star performer. For example, une étoile du cinéma (a movie star) or une étoile de la danse (a ballet star).

While étoile is correct for a celebrity, it's very common for French speakers to use the English loanword une star when referring to a famous person. You might hear C'est une grande star more often than C'est une grande étoile in casual conversation about a celebrity. However, for celestial bodies, you must always use étoile.

The word is part of several key French expressions:

• une étoile filante: a shooting star
• être né sous une bonne étoile: to be born under a lucky star
• avoir des étoiles dans les yeux: to have stars in one's eyes (to be full of wonder or hope)

💡 * Regarde toutes les étoiles dans le ciel ce soir !

• J'ai fait un vœu sur une étoile filante.
• Le soleil est l'étoile la plus proche de la Terre.
• Cette actrice est une véritable étoile montante.
• Il est né sous une bonne étoile, tout lui réussit.

The 'celebrity' or 'movie star' – une vedette

When you want to talk about a major celebrity, a famous performer, or a movie star in French, one classic term you'll encounter is une vedette.

Literally translating to 'star' or 'headliner', une vedette refers to the main attraction or the most famous person in a show, film, or event. It often carries a slightly more formal or traditional connotation than its modern counterpart, une star.

Interestingly, the word's origin is maritime. A vedette was originally a small patrol boat used for reconnaissance—it was out in front and visible to all. This imagery perfectly captures the idea of a celebrity being constantly in the public eye.

While the English loanword une star is very common today, une vedette is still widely used in journalism and in established expressions. For example, you will often hear the phrase voler la vedette, which means 'to steal the spotlight'.

Use une vedette to sound knowledgeable and to refer to a top-billing star, especially in the context of film, theater, or music. It adds a touch of classic French elegance to your vocabulary.

💡 * Catherine Deneuve est une grande vedette du cinéma français.

• L'acteur a volé la vedette à tout le monde lors de la cérémonie.
• Qui est la vedette principale de cette nouvelle série ?
• La vie d'une vedette n'est pas toujours facile.

The common anglicism for 'celebrity' – une star

One of the most common ways to say 'celebrity' in French is an easy one for English speakers: une star. This word is a direct borrowing from English and is widely used and understood in everyday French.

An important grammatical point to remember is that star is always a feminine noun in French, even when referring to a male celebrity. Therefore, you always use the feminine article une or la.

The term une star is used exactly like 'a star' in English, referring to a famous person, particularly in the fields of cinema, music, or sports. You might hear it on the news, read it in magazines, or use it in casual conversation.

The plural form is straightforward: des stars. For example, you could talk about les stars de Hollywood (the stars of Hollywood).

While une star is extremely common, you might also encounter the word une vedette. This is a more traditional French term for a celebrity or leading performer. While star is more international and modern, vedette is also perfectly correct, though sometimes seen as slightly more formal or traditional.

💡 * Brad Pitt est une grande star de cinéma. (Brad Pitt is a big movie star.)

• Le festival de Cannes attire des stars du monde entier. (The Cannes festival attracts stars from all over the world.)
• Elle rêve de devenir une star de la chanson. (She dreams of becoming a singing star.)
• C'est qui, ta star de foot préférée ? (Who is your favorite soccer star?)

The 'leading light' or 'ace' in a field – un as

The 'leading light' or 'ace' in a field – un as

The French noun un as literally translates to "an ace," as in the playing card. Figuratively, it describes a person who is an expert, a champion, or a 'whiz' in a specific domain or activity. It's a common way to praise someone's exceptional skill.

Un as is a masculine noun. Even when referring to a female, the noun itself remains masculine. For example, you would say, "Marie est un as en maths" (Marie is a math whiz).

This expression is often followed by the prepositions en or de (or du, de la) to specify the area of expertise. For instance, "un as du volant" (an ace driver) or "un as en cuisine" (an ace in the kitchen).

💡 * C'est un as du bricolage, il peut tout réparer. (He's a DIY ace, he can fix anything.)

• Ma sœur est un as en physique. (My sister is a physics whiz.)
• Il est devenu un as de la négociation. (He became an ace negotiator.)
• Tu es un véritable as pour organiser des fêtes ! (You're a real ace at organizing parties!)

The 'headliner' of a show or event – la tête d'affiche

When you want to talk about the main star or the 'headliner' of an event in French, the go-to expression is la tête d'affiche.

Literally, this phrase means 'the head of the poster.' This paints a clear picture: the person whose name and face are biggest on the promotional poster (l'affiche) is the main attraction.

This term is extremely common in the world of entertainment. You'll hear it used for concerts, music festivals, movies, and theater plays to refer to the most famous performer or act.

The phrase la tête d'affiche is a feminine noun. It's often used with the verb être (to be), as in être la tête d'affiche, which means 'to be the headliner'.

The plural form is les têtes d'affiche. You can also use it with verbs like partager (to share), for example, partager la tête d'affiche means 'to co-headline'.

💡 * Stromae était la tête d'affiche du festival. (Stromae was the headliner of the festival.)

• Qui est la tête d'affiche du film ce soir ? (Who is the headliner of the movie tonight?)
• C'est un grand honneur d'être la tête d'affiche de cet événement. (It's a great honor to be the headliner of this event.)
• Les deux groupes partageront la tête d'affiche pour le concert. (The two bands will co-headline the concert.)

The 'sea star' – une étoile de mer

The French term for 'sea star' or 'starfish' is une étoile de mer. This translates literally and beautifully to 'a star of the sea', making it quite easy to remember.

The key to using this term correctly is remembering its gender. Étoile (star) is a feminine noun, so the entire phrase is feminine. Always use feminine articles, such as une étoile de mer (a sea star) or l'étoile de mer (the sea star).

To form the plural, you add an 's' to étoile, but de mer remains unchanged. The correct plural is des étoiles de mer. For example, Il y a beaucoup d'étoiles de mer sur cette plage (There are many sea stars on this beach).

Unlike some vocabulary, étoile de mer is the standard and universal term used in all contexts, from scientific to casual conversation. There isn't a common slang equivalent, so this is the only phrase you'll need.

💡 * J'ai trouvé une jolie étoile de mer sur la plage.

• Les enfants adorent observer les étoiles de mer dans les aquariums.
• L'étoile de mer a cinq bras, mais certaines espèces en ont plus.
• Ne touchez pas les étoiles de mer, elles sont fragiles.

The 'shooting star' – une étoile filante

The phrase for a 'shooting star' in French is une étoile filante.

This term literally translates to 'a star spinning' or 'a star shooting by.' The word étoile means 'star,' and filante is the present participle of the verb filer, which can mean 'to dash' or 'to shoot off.' The noun étoile is feminine, which is why we use the feminine article une.

In France, just as in many other cultures, it is a popular tradition to make a wish (faire un vœu) when you see a shooting star. It's a magical moment often associated with luck and dreams coming true.

💡 * Regarde le ciel ! J'ai vu une étoile filante ! (Look at the sky! I saw a shooting star!)

• Fais un vœu, une étoile filante vient de passer. (Make a wish, a shooting star just passed by.)
• C'est la première fois que je vois une étoile filante aussi brillante. (It's the first time I've seen such a bright shooting star.)

The 'star' of the show (the main attraction) – le clou du spectacle

The French expression le clou du spectacle literally translates to “the nail of the show.” Figuratively, it signifies the main event, the highlight, or the most anticipated moment of a performance, gathering, or any situation. It's the part that everyone waits for and remembers.

This idiom originates from the world of 19th-century Parisian cabarets. The clou was the final and most popular act that was guaranteed to be a success, effectively 'nailing' the show and leaving the audience impressed. It was the centerpiece that held the entire performance together.

While its roots are in entertainment, le clou du spectacle is now used in many contexts to describe the most remarkable part of any event. It can refer to the fireworks display at a festival, a key announcement in a presentation, or the most impressive feature of a new product.

💡 * Le feu d'artifice était le clou du spectacle de la fête nationale. (The fireworks were the highlight of the national holiday.)

• La visite de la pyramide du Louvre fut le clou de notre voyage à Paris. (The visit to the Louvre pyramid was the high point of our trip to Paris.)
• Son discours passionné a été le clou du spectacle de la conférence. (His passionate speech was the main event of the conference.)
• Pour les enfants, le clou du spectacle était l'arrivée du Père Noël. (For the children, the star of the show was the arrival of Santa Claus.)

1. The 'Lucky Star' – Sa Bonne Étoile

The French expression sa bonne étoile literally translates to “his/her good star.” Idiomatically, it means “lucky star” and refers to a metaphorical star that guides a person, bringing them good fortune and protecting them from harm. It’s a poetic way to describe someone who seems naturally lucky or destined for success.

The word sa is a possessive adjective and changes depending on who the “lucky star” belongs to. You must match it to the subject:

• ma bonne étoile (my lucky star)
• ta bonne étoile (your lucky star)
• sa bonne étoile (his/her lucky star)
• notre bonne étoile (our lucky star)
• votre bonne étoile (your [plural/formal] lucky star)
• leur bonne étoile (their lucky star)

This expression is most frequently paired with a few key verbs:

• Avoir une bonne étoile: To have a lucky star (i.e., to be lucky).
• Suivre sa bonne étoile: To follow one's lucky star (i.e., to follow one's destiny or intuition).
• Croire en sa bonne étoile: To believe in one's lucky star.

💡 * Elle a trouvé un travail formidable, elle doit avoir une bonne étoile. (She found a wonderful job, she must have a lucky star.)

• Il a quitté son emploi pour voyager et suivre sa bonne étoile. (He left his job to travel and follow his lucky star.)
• Même quand les choses sont difficiles, je crois en ma bonne étoile. (Even when things are difficult, I believe in my lucky star.)
• Notre équipe a gagné à la dernière minute ; c'était notre bonne étoile ! (Our team won at the last minute; it was our lucky star!)

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

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

Our list features the most common ways to say 'star' in French, from the celestial to the celebrity. But the French language has a whole galaxy of other terms, from scientific jargon to poetic expressions and modern slang.

You can also do an online search for specific contexts, like "comment dire 'shooting star' en français" or searching for vocabulary related to astronomy or cinema.

You might find some interesting synonyms for étoile on this list. Always remember to check a word’s definition and context. For instance, you wouldn't use une vedette to talk about a star in the sky!

Pay attention as you read, watch, and listen to things in French — you may discover different ways to talk about stars in songs, poems, and movies.

And if you’re looking for more words related to stars and space, the Larousse dictionary entry for étoile is a great place to start your exploration!

I hope this guide was helpful. To finish, here is a perfect quote from Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's Le Petit Prince: « Les étoiles sont éclairées pour que chacun puisse un jour retrouver la sienne. » (The stars are lit up so that everyone can one day find their own.)