River in French

The word for “river” in French is:

rivière or fleuve

Both mean “river,” but they are used differently depending on the river's size and destination.

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1. rivière – small or medium river

• Feminine noun

• Typically a river that flows into another river

• Used for inland or regional rivers

Example:
La rivière traverse le village.
The river flows through the village.

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2. fleuve – large river that flows into the sea or ocean

• Masculine noun

• Reserved for major rivers like the Seine, Loire, or Rhône

Example:
Le fleuve se jette dans la mer Méditerranée.
The river flows into the Mediterranean Sea.

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Summary Table

English	French	Notes
River	rivière	Flows into another river (feminine)
River	fleuve	Flows into the sea (masculine)

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Related Vocabulary

• le cours d’eau – watercourse

• le lit de la rivière – riverbed

• la berge – riverbank

• le courant – current

• une inondation – flood

• source – source / spring

• embouchure – river mouth

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10 usage examples with translations

1. La rivière est très calme aujourd’hui.
   The river is very calm today.

2. Le fleuve traverse plusieurs pays.
   The river flows through several countries.

3. Ils se baignent dans la rivière en été.
   They swim in the river in summer.

4. Le fleuve Amazone est l’un des plus longs du monde.
   The Amazon River is one of the longest in the world.

5. Il y a un pont au-dessus de la rivière.
   There’s a bridge over the river.

6. La Seine est un fleuve célèbre en France.
   The Seine is a famous river in France.

7. La rivière déborde après de fortes pluies.
   The river overflows after heavy rain.

8. Ils pêchent dans le fleuve depuis des années.
   They’ve been fishing in the river for years.

9. La source de la rivière se trouve dans la montagne.
   The river’s source is in the mountains.

10. L’embouchure du fleuve est située près de la côte.
    The river mouth is located near the coast.