Le mot le plus courant pour exprimer l'idée de "strong" en français est "fort". Cependant, la langue française regorge de nuances et propose bien d'autres options pour décrire la force, qu'elle soit physique, mentale, ou même symbolique.

Élargir votre vocabulaire autour de ce concept vous permettra d'exprimer vos idées avec plus de précision et d'élégance, que vous parliez d'une personne robuste, d'un café corsé, ou d'une opinion bien ancrée.

Préparez-vous à explorer neuf façons différentes de dire "strong" en français, et découvrez comment les utiliser à bon escient dans diverses situations!

The standard 'strong' – fort/forte

In French, fort/forte is the most common and versatile adjective for 'strong', encompassing physical power, intensity, and capability.

As an adjective, fort/forte must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies. Here are its forms: fort - masculine singular (e.g., un homme fort), forte - feminine singular (e.g., une femme forte), forts - masculine plural (e.g., des hommes forts), fortes - feminine plural (e.g., des femmes fortes).

Its most straightforward meaning relates to physical strength, robustness, or durability. This can apply to people (un athlète fort), animals, or even objects (une table forte - a sturdy table).

Fort/forte is also widely used to describe intensity or potency. Think of a café fort (strong coffee), an odeur forte (strong smell), a bruit fort (loud noise), or a forte pluie (heavy rain).

Beyond physical and sensory intensity, fort/forte can convey skill (être fort en maths - to be good at math), a strong personality (une forte personnalité), or a powerful influence (une forte influence).

Determining the exact nuance of fort/forte is almost always straightforward due to context. Whether it's a person's muscles, a drink's flavor, or someone's academic prowess, the surrounding words will guide your understanding.

While fort can sometimes function as an adverb (e.g., parler fort - to speak loudly), the dedicated adverbial form is fortement ('strongly', 'intensely'). You'll also encounter expressions like point fort (strong point, forte) or ce n'est pas son fort (it's not his/her strong suit).

💡 * Elle est très forte en sport. (She is very good at sports.)

• J'aime le café fort le matin. (I like strong coffee in the morning.)
• Il a une forte personnalité. (He has a strong personality.)
• Le vent était très fort hier. (The wind was very strong yesterday.)
• Les murs de ce château sont forts. (The walls of this castle are strong.)

The 'robust' or 'sturdy' – robuste

The “robust” or “sturdy” – robuste

The French adjective robuste directly translates to “robust,” “sturdy,” or “strong” in English. It's a versatile word used to describe physical strength, durability, and resilience, applying to people, animals, objects, and even abstract concepts.

When referring to living beings, robuste emphasizes a strong, healthy physique or a good constitution. It suggests someone or something that is not easily weakened or prone to illness, often implying a natural, inherent strength.

For objects, robuste highlights durability and solid construction. A meuble robuste (robust piece of furniture) is well-built and designed to last, resisting wear and tear, while a structure robuste can withstand significant stress or adverse conditions.

Beyond the physical, robuste can also describe abstract concepts. For example, a santé robuste refers to excellent health, a plan robuste indicates a well-thought-out and resilient plan, and an économie robuste signifies a strong and stable economy.

While similar to fort (strong) or solide (solid), robuste often carries a connotation of inherent, enduring quality and resilience. A person might be fort for lifting weights, but robuste implies a deeper, more fundamental hardiness that helps them resist disease or hardship.

💡 * Cet arbre est très robuste, il a résisté à la tempête. (This tree is very sturdy, it withstood the storm.)

• Elle a une constitution robuste et tombe rarement malade. (She has a robust constitution and rarely gets sick.)
• Nous avons besoin d'une table plus robuste pour la salle à manger. (We need a more robust table for the dining room.)
• Malgré son âge, il est resté robuste et actif. (Despite his age, he remained robust and active.)
• L'économie du pays semble robuste cette année. (The country's economy seems robust this year.)

The 'powerful' or 'mighty' – puissant/puissante

The French adjective puissant (masculine) and puissante (feminine) directly translate to 'powerful' or 'mighty' in English. It describes something or someone possessing great strength, influence, or capability.

Like many French adjectives, puissant changes its ending to agree with the noun it modifies in both gender and number: puissant (m. singular), puissante (f. singular), puissants (m. plural), puissantes (f. plural).

This word is frequently used to describe abstract concepts, forces, or non-living things. For instance, you might hear of une puissante armée (a mighty army), une puissante influence (a powerful influence), or un puissant moteur (a powerful engine).

Puissant can also refer to people, nations, or organizations that possess significant strength, authority, or capability. Examples include un homme puissant (a powerful man) or une nation puissante (a powerful nation).

While 'fort' also means strong, puissant often carries a slightly more elevated, formal, or even grand connotation. It suggests a deeper, more inherent strength or a significant impact, rather than just physical robustness.

The word puissant is etymologically and semantically linked to the French verb pouvoir (to be able to, can) and the noun le pouvoir (power). This connection reinforces its core meaning of capability and strength.

💡 * C'est un pays très puissant sur la scène internationale. (It's a very powerful country on the international stage.)

• Elle a une voix puissante qui remplit la salle. (She has a powerful voice that fills the room.)
• Nous avons besoin d'un argument puissant pour les convaincre. (We need a powerful argument to convince them.)
• Les puissantes vagues ont frappé la côte avec force. (The mighty waves hit the coast with force.)
• Le moteur de cette voiture est très puissant. (This car's engine is very powerful.)

The 'vigorous' or 'energetic' – vigoureux/vigoureuse

The adjectives vigoureux (masculine singular) and vigoureuse (feminine singular) translate to 'vigorous,' 'energetic,' 'robust,' or 'strong' in English. They describe something possessing great vitality and strength.

Like most French adjectives, vigoureux must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies. The masculine plural is vigoureux and the feminine plural is vigoureuses. This agreement is crucial for correct usage.

This adjective is versatile and can describe a wide range of subjects. It often refers to a person's physical state or health, a plant's healthy growth, a strong effort, a lively debate, or a robust economy.

💡 * Un homme vigoureux peut soulever des poids lourds. (A vigorous man can lift heavy weights.)

• Nous avons besoin d'une action vigoureuse contre la pollution. (We need vigorous action against pollution.)
• Cette plante a une croissance très vigoureuse. (This plant has very vigorous growth.)
• Elle a mené une discussion vigoureuse sur le sujet. (She led a vigorous discussion on the topic.)
• Les athlètes vigoureux s'entraînent tous les jours. (Vigorous athletes train every day.)

The 'brawny' or 'tough' (colloquial) – costaud/costaude

The 'brawny' or 'tough' (colloquial) – costaud/costaude

The adjective costaud (masculine) and costaude (feminine) generally means 'brawny,' 'tough,' 'strong,' or 'sturdy.'

It's a colloquial term, often used to describe someone physically strong or well-built. It can also imply something is robust or solid.

Remember to adjust the ending for gender: costaud for masculine nouns and costaude for feminine nouns.

Beyond physical strength, costaud can also figuratively mean 'tough' or 'difficult' when referring to a problem or situation. For example, "C'est un problème costaud" means "It's a tough problem."

While informal, costaud/costaude is widely understood and used in everyday French. It's less formal than fort (strong) but not as slangy as some other terms.

💡 * Il est très costaud, il peut soulever des poids lourds. (He is very strong, he can lift heavy weights.)

• Cette table est costaude, elle ne bougera pas. (This table is sturdy, it won't move.)
• Elle est costaude, elle n'a peur de rien. (She is tough, she isn't afraid of anything.)
• C'est un travail costaud qui demande beaucoup d'efforts. (It's a tough job that requires a lot of effort.)

The 'solid' or 'firm' – solide

In French, the adjective solide primarily means “solid,” “firm,” “sturdy,” or “strong.” It describes something physically robust, well-built, or durable. Think of a table solide (a sturdy table) or a mur solide (a solid wall).

Beyond its physical sense, solide is also used to describe someone or something that is reliable, dependable, or resilient. For example, you might say Il a un caractère solide (He has a strong/resilient character) or C'est une entreprise solide (It's a solid/stable company).

In more informal and contemporary French, especially among younger generations, solide can be used colloquially to mean “good,” “great,” “cool,” or “impressive.” This usage is similar to how “solid” might be used in English slang to express approval or satisfaction with a situation, event, or person.

The beauty of solide lies in its versatility. Whether you're talking about a physical object, a person's character, a business, or an experience, its meaning shifts subtly with the context. Paying attention to the surrounding words will help you grasp its precise nuance, making it a truly useful word in your French vocabulary.

💡 * Ce pont est très solide. (This bridge is very solid/sturdy.)

• Il a une santé solide. (He has solid/robust health.)
• C'était un concert solide hier soir ! (It was a solid/great concert last night!)
• Son argument est très solide. (His argument is very solid/strong.)
• Tu as fait du travail solide, bravo ! (You did some solid/excellent work, well done!)

The 'resilient' or 'resistant' – résistant/résistante

The French word résistant/résistante translates to "resilient" or "resistant" in English. It describes something or someone that can withstand difficult conditions, pressure, or damage, or someone who opposes an authority.

This versatile word can function as both an adjective and a noun. As an adjective, it describes a quality (e.g., un matériau résistant - a resistant material). As a noun, it can refer to a person who is resilient, or specifically, a member of a resistance movement (e.g., un résistant - a resistance fighter).

Like many French adjectives and nouns, résistant/résistante agrees in gender and number with the word it modifies or refers to. The masculine singular form is résistant, the feminine singular is résistante, the masculine plural is résistants, and the feminine plural is résistantes.

💡 * Ce tissu est très résistant à l'eau. (This fabric is very water-resistant.)

• Elle a fait preuve d'une résilience impressionnante, c'est une personne très résistante. (She showed impressive resilience, she's a very resilient person.)
• Les résistants ont mené des actions courageuses pendant la guerre. (The resistance fighters carried out courageous actions during the war.)
• Nous cherchons des plantes résistantes au froid. (We are looking for cold-resistant plants.)
• Il est connu pour son esprit résistant face à l'adversité. (He is known for his resilient spirit in the face of adversity.)

The 'muscular' – musclé/musclée

The "muscular" – musclé/musclée

The French adjective for 'muscular' is musclé. Like many French adjectives, it changes form to agree with the noun it describes. The masculine singular is musclé, and the feminine singular is musclée.

For plural nouns, you'll add an 's': musclés for masculine plural and musclées for feminine plural. This agreement is crucial for correct usage in sentences.

You'll often hear or read musclé when describing a person's physique, an animal, or even a particular body part. It implies strength and well-developed muscles, often as a result of physical activity.

💡 * Il est très musclé après des années d'entraînement. (He is very muscular after years of training.)

• Elle a des bras musclés. (She has muscular arms.)
• Ce chat est étonnamment musclé pour sa taille. (This cat is surprisingly muscular for its size.)
• Les athlètes musclés se préparaient pour la compétition. (The muscular athletes were preparing for the competition.)

The 'firm' or 'resolute' (often for character) – ferme

The French adjective ferme translates directly to 'firm' or 'resolute' in English. It describes something that is strong, stable, or unwavering.

When applied to a person's character, ferme signifies someone who is determined, unwavering, and steadfast in their beliefs or decisions. It conveys a sense of strong will and resolve.

Beyond character, ferme can also describe physical attributes. For instance, a 'firm' object, a 'firm' grip, or 'firm' ground would use this adjective.

As an adjective, ferme is unique in that it is invariable in gender (meaning it doesn't change for masculine or feminine nouns) but does agree in number. So, you'd say un homme ferme (a firm man) and une femme ferme (a firm woman), but des décisions fermes (firm decisions).

💡 * Il a une volonté ferme. (He has a firm will.)

• Elle a pris une décision ferme. (She made a firm decision.)
• Nous devons rester fermes face à l'adversité. (We must remain resolute in the face of adversity.)
• Le sol est ferme ici. (The ground is firm here.)
• J'ai donné une poignée de main ferme. (I gave a firm handshake.)

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

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

Our list features the most common ways to say “strong” in French. But there are other terms, from old-fashioned ones, to regional ones, to up-and-coming slang ones this middle-aged author might not even be aware of!

You can also do an online search for “comment dire fort en ___” followed by a specific Francophone country or region.

You might find some interesting synonyms for fort on this list. Of course, make sure to check a word’s definition and try to see it used in context before you use it.

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

And if you’re looking for ways to talk about different kinds of strength, or words about being strong in French, the WordReference entry for fort is a great place to start!

I hope you found this article helpful. Here’s what I think is a perfect quote to finish it with, courtesy of Mahatma Gandhi: La force ne vient pas d'une capacité physique. Elle vient d'une volonté indomptable. (Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will.)