The most common way to say 'to paint' in French is peindre. But what if you're painting your house, painting a masterpiece, or even 'painting a picture' with your words?

Just like in English, French has a rich vocabulary that allows for more specific and nuanced descriptions. Using the right verb can make you sound more like a native speaker and less like you're translating directly from a textbook.

Let's grab our brushes and explore nine different ways to say 'to paint' in French, so you can add a splash of color to your conversations!

The standard 'to paint' – peindre

When you want to talk about painting in French, whether it's a masterpiece or a bedroom wall, the verb you'll almost always use is peindre.

Peindre is the direct and most common equivalent of 'to paint'. It's a versatile verb that covers both the act of creating art and the practical task of applying paint to a surface.

Be aware that peindre is an irregular verb. It belongs to a group of verbs ending in -eindre that share a similar conjugation pattern. Key present tense forms include: je peins, il/elle peint, nous peignons, ils/elles peignent. Its past participle is peint, which is used in compound tenses like the passé composé (e.g., j'ai peint).

In an artistic context, you use peindre to describe the action of creating a painting. For example, Monet aimait peindre des paysages means 'Monet liked to paint landscapes'.

The verb is also used for practical applications, such as painting a house or a piece of furniture. For instance, Nous allons peindre la cuisine en bleu translates to 'We are going to paint the kitchen blue'.

From peindre come several important nouns you should know:

• la peinture: This word can mean both 'paint' (the substance) and 'a painting' (the artwork).
• un peintre / une peintre: This refers to the artist, 'a painter'.

💡 * J'ai peint ma chambre le week-end dernier. (I painted my room last weekend.)

• Elle peint un portrait de son chat. (She is painting a portrait of her cat.)
• Les enfants adorent peindre avec leurs doigts. (The children love to paint with their fingers.)
• Il faut deux couches de peinture pour bien peindre ce mur. (You need two coats of paint to paint this wall well.)

To paint again – repeindre

The French verb repeindre directly translates to 'to repaint' or 'to paint again.' It's a compound verb formed by adding the prefix re-, which signifies repetition, to the verb peindre (to paint). This structure is common in French and is a key concept for expanding your vocabulary.

The primary use of repeindre is to describe the action of applying a new layer of paint to a surface that has been previously painted. It implies either refreshing an existing color or changing the color entirely. It's the go-to verb for any discussion about redecorating or maintenance involving paint.

Good news for learners: repeindre follows the exact same irregular conjugation pattern as peindre. If you know how to conjugate peindre, you already know repeindre. For example, in the present tense, you have je repeins (I am repainting), and in the passé composé, nous avons repeint (we have repainted).

You will frequently encounter repeindre in contexts related to home improvement, art, and general maintenance. Whether it's repeindre les murs (to repaint the walls), repeindre un meuble (to repaint a piece of furniture), or repeindre une toile (to paint over a canvas), the verb is versatile for any repainting task.

While one could technically say peindre encore or peindre de nouveau (to paint again), using repeindre is much more natural and idiomatic in French. The prefix re- makes the language more fluid and concise, and mastering its use will make your French sound more authentic.

💡 * Nous devons repeindre la chambre du bébé avant sa naissance.

• Il a repeint sa vieille voiture en rouge vif.
• J'ai décidé de repeindre la clôture ce week-end car la peinture s'écaille.
• L'artiste a repeint une partie de son tableau pour corriger une erreur.

To apply a thick coat or whitewash – badigeonner

The French verb badigeonner translates to 'to coat,' 'to daub,' 'to slather,' or 'to whitewash.' It implies applying a substance, like paint or a sauce, in a thick or sometimes uneven layer.

The term originates from badigeon, a type of whitewash made from lime. Because of this, it can sometimes carry the connotation of a quick, less-than-perfect application, though its modern usage is often neutral.

One of the most frequent uses of badigeonner is in the kitchen. Cooks use it to describe brushing liquids onto food. For example, you badigeonnez (brush) pastry with egg wash, meat with marinade, or bread with melted butter to add flavor and color.

Good news for learners! Badigeonner is a regular -er verb. It follows the standard conjugation pattern of verbs like parler (to speak), making it straightforward to use in any tense once you know the basic rules.

💡 * Avant de le faire griller, il faut badigeonner le poulet d'huile d'olive. (Before grilling it, you must brush the chicken with olive oil.)

• J'ai badigeonné le mur du garage avec une peinture anti-humidité. (I coated the garage wall with a moisture-resistant paint.)
• Pour une croûte dorée, badigeonnez la pâte de jaune d'œuf. (For a golden crust, brush the dough with egg yolk.)
• L'artiste a badigeonné la toile de couleurs vives. (The artist daubed the canvas with bright colors.)

To daub or smear – barbouiller

The French verb barbouiller primarily means 'to daub,' 'to smear,' or 'to smudge.' It conveys the idea of applying a substance like paint, ink, or even food in a messy, clumsy, or untidy manner.

You would use barbouiller to describe a child making a mess with paint, someone getting mud on their clothes, or applying makeup carelessly. The reflexive form, se barbouiller, means to get oneself dirty, such as se barbouiller le visage de confiture (to smear one's face with jam).

Beyond its literal meaning, barbouiller can mean 'to scribble' or 'to scrawl' illegibly. More commonly, you'll hear the expression avoir le cœur barbouillé, which means 'to feel queasy' or 'nauseous,' as if your stomach is all mixed up.

Good news for learners: barbouiller is a regular -er verb. It conjugates just like common verbs such as parler (to speak), making it straightforward to use in any tense once you know the standard endings.

💡 * L'artiste a barbouillé la toile de couleurs vives. (The artist daubed the canvas with bright colors.)

• Attention, tu vas te barbouiller avec la sauce tomate ! (Be careful, you're going to get tomato sauce all over yourself!)
• Il a barbouillé son nom au bas de la page. (He scrawled his name at the bottom of the page.)
• Après le tour de manège, j'avais le cœur barbouillé. (After the carousel ride, I felt queasy.)

1. To Dye or To Stain: Teindre

The French verb teindre is a versatile word that translates to both 'to dye' (intentionally changing color) and 'to stain' (accidentally coloring something). It's the go-to verb for any process that involves imparting color onto a surface or fabric.

Teindre is an irregular verb, part of a group of verbs ending in -eindre like peindre (to paint) and éteindre (to extinguish). Its conjugation pattern is important to learn. For example, in the present tense: je teins, tu teins, il teint, nous teignons, vous teignez, ils teignent. The past participle is teint.

You use teindre when speaking about a deliberate action of changing color. This is the most common usage, especially for things like dyeing hair, coloring fabrics for clothes, or tinting materials like wood or leather.

Conversely, teindre also perfectly describes accidental coloring. If you spill wine on a carpet, you can say that the wine has stained (a teint) the carpet. In this context, it carries the same meaning as the verb tacher (to stain, to spot).

The related noun is la teinture, which means 'dye,' 'stain,' or 'tincture.' You might buy une teinture pour les cheveux (a hair dye) or use une teinture pour le bois (a wood stain).

💡 * Elle veut se teindre les cheveux en bleu.

• Attention, le jus de cerise teint les vêtements de manière permanente.
• J'ai teint un vieux t-shirt en noir pour lui donner une nouvelle vie.
• Le vin rouge a teint la nappe blanche.

To coat a surface – enduire

The French verb enduire means to coat, cover, or smear a surface with a substance. It implies applying a layer of something, often thick or viscous, onto something else. Think of it as the go-to verb for plastering, greasing, or spreading.

A primary context for enduire is in construction and home improvement (bricolage). It's the specific term for applying plaster, sealant, or a protective coating. For instance, you would enduire un mur de plâtre (to coat a wall with plaster) or enduire du bois (to coat wood with a finish).

In the kitchen, enduire is used for actions like greasing a pan or brushing a glaze onto food. You might enduire un moule de beurre (grease a pan with butter) before baking a cake or enduire le poulet d'huile (coat the chicken with oil) before roasting.

Remember that enduire is an irregular verb. It follows the same conjugation pattern as conduire (to drive). Its past participle is enduit, which can also be used as a noun (un enduit) to mean 'a coating' or 'plaster'.

💡 * L'artisan va enduire le mur avant de le peindre.

• N'oubliez pas d'enduire le plat de cuisson avec de l'huile.
• Elle s'est enduit le corps de crème solaire à la plage.
• Pour protéger le métal, il faut l'enduire d'une couche antirouille.

To paint with watercolors – aquareller

The specific French verb for painting with watercolors is aquareller. It is derived directly from the noun aquarelle, which means 'watercolor' as a medium or 'a watercolor painting' as a finished piece.

Aquareller is a regular -er verb, which means it follows the standard conjugation pattern for this group. For example, in the present tense, it conjugates as j'aquarelle, tu aquarelles, il/elle aquarelle, and so on. This makes it relatively easy to use once you know the basic -er verb endings.

While aquareller is correct, it is also very common to use the phrase peindre à l'aquarelle (literally, 'to paint with watercolor'). This alternative is frequently used in everyday language. For instance, you can say Je peins un portrait à l'aquarelle just as you would say J'aquarelle un portrait.

💡 * Elle aquarelle des paysages pendant son temps libre. (She paints landscapes with watercolors in her free time.)

• J'ai appris à aquareller quand j'étais enfant. (I learned to paint with watercolors when I was a child.)
• Les artistes de rue aquarellent souvent des scènes de la ville. (Street artists often paint city scenes with watercolors.)
• Pour ce projet, nous devons aquareller une nature morte. (For this project, we have to paint a still life with watercolors.)

1. To depict or portray – dépeindre

The verb dépeindre translates to 'to depict,' 'to portray,' or 'to describe.' A helpful tip for conjugation is that it follows the same pattern as peindre (to paint), which makes sense as dépeindre essentially means to 'paint a picture' with words or art.

Use dépeindre when describing something or someone in a detailed and vivid manner. It implies creating a clear, often artistic, image in the mind of the audience, whether through writing, speech, or visual art.

Beyond literal descriptions, dépeindre is frequently used figuratively to portray abstract concepts like an atmosphere, an emotion, or a complex situation. For example, a journalist might dépeindre the political climate of a country.

The past participle is dépeint. Be mindful of agreement rules. For instance, in La tristesse dépeinte sur son visage était évidente (The sadness depicted on her face was obvious), dépeinte agrees with la tristesse.

💡 * L'artiste a dépeint un paysage magnifique. (The artist depicted a magnificent landscape.)

• Dans son roman, il dépeint la société de son époque. (In his novel, he portrays the society of his time.)
• Pouvez-vous me dépeindre l'homme que vous avez vu ? (Can you describe the man you saw to me?)
• La situation qu'elle a dépeinte était pire que ce que j'imaginais. (The situation she portrayed was worse than I imagined.)

1. The Act of Creating a Painting: Faire une Peinture

The phrase faire une peinture literally translates to 'to make a painting.' It combines the incredibly versatile verb faire (to do/make) with the noun une peinture (a painting). This phrasing specifically highlights the act of creating a single, tangible piece of art.

You would use faire une peinture when the focus is on the object being created. It's suitable for discussing a specific project, an assignment, or the process of bringing one particular painting into existence. It answers the question, 'What are you making?' with 'A painting.'

While faire une peinture is perfectly correct, it's important to know that the verb peindre (to paint) is often a more common and natural-sounding choice for the general activity. For example, instead of 'J'aime faire des peintures' (I like to make paintings), a native speaker would more likely say 'J'aime peindre' (I like to paint). Use faire une peinture when you want to emphasize the noun—the finished work itself.

💡 * Pour mon cours d'art, je dois faire une peinture d'un paysage.

• L'artiste a passé des mois à faire une peinture pour le musée.
• Faire une peinture à l'aquarelle est plus difficile que je ne le pensais.
• Il a décidé de faire une peinture de son chat.

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

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

Our guide has covered the most common verbs for “to paint” in French, especially the versatile verb peindre. But like a painter's palette, the French language has many shades of meaning. You'll find different terms depending on whether you're painting a masterpiece, a house, or even your face.

To discover more specific terms, you can search online for phrases like “verbe pour peindre un mur” (verb for painting a wall) or “comment dire 'apply makeup' en français.” This will help you find the most precise word for any context.

You might find some interesting synonyms on a dictionary site like Larousse or WordReference. As always, check the word's definition and look for example sentences to understand how it's used before trying it yourself.

Pay attention as you immerse yourself in French culture. Read about art from the Louvre, watch French home improvement shows, or listen to descriptions in documentaries. You’ll start to notice the subtle differences in how French speakers talk about painting.

If you want to explore related artistic terms, the WordReference entry for peindre is a fantastic starting point. It can lead you to words for sketching, coating, and depicting, expanding your creative vocabulary.

I hope this article has helped you paint a clearer picture of this topic. To finish, here's an inspiring quote from the French Post-Impressionist painter Paul Cézanne: Une œuvre d'art qui n'a pas commencé dans l'émotion n'est pas une œuvre d'art. (A work of art which did not begin in emotion is not a work of art.)