The most common way to say 'bridge' in French is un pont. You'll see it everywhere, from the famous Pont Neuf in Paris to simple river crossings. But what about a footbridge, a viaduct, or even a metaphorical bridge between two ideas? French, with its characteristic precision, has a variety of words for these structures.

Learning these different terms will not only enrich your vocabulary but also help you describe the world around you with more accuracy, just like a native speaker would.

Ready to build a stronger connection with the French language? Let’s explore 9 ways to say “bridge” in French!

1. The standard 'bridge' – un pont

Un pont is the most direct and universally understood French word for a 'bridge'. It covers any structure built to cross an obstacle like a river, valley, or road.

A key point for learners: pont is a masculine noun. This dictates the articles you must use with it. For 'a bridge', you say un pont. For 'the bridge', you say le pont.

The plural form is regular: ponts. You would use it with plural articles like des ponts (bridges/some bridges) or les ponts (the bridges). Remember that the final 's' is silent in French pronunciation.

Beyond its literal meaning, pont is central to a very common French cultural expression: faire le pont. This means 'to make the bridge' and refers to taking an extra day off to connect a public holiday to the weekend. For instance, if a holiday falls on a Thursday, many people will faire le pont by taking Friday off to create a four-day weekend.

Pont is used just as 'bridge' is in English, whether you're giving directions (traversez le pont), describing a landmark (le Pont d'Avignon), or specifying a type (un pont-levis - a drawbridge).

💡 * Le Pont Neuf est le plus ancien pont de Paris.

• Pour aller à l'île, il faut prendre ce petit pont en bois.
• Jeudi est un jour férié, donc beaucoup de gens vont faire le pont vendredi.
• Les ponts de la ville sont illuminés la nuit.
• Attention, le pont est fermé à la circulation.

The 'footbridge' or 'gangway' – une passerelle

The 'footbridge' or 'gangway' – une passerelle

The primary meaning of une passerelle is a physical structure. It refers to a small, narrow bridge intended for pedestrians, what we call a 'footbridge' in English. You would use this word to describe a walkway over a small river, a busy road, or railway tracks.

The term's usage also extends to travel. Une passerelle is the 'gangway' or 'jet bridge' that connects a dock to a ship or a terminal gate to an airplane, allowing passengers to board.

Beyond its literal, physical meaning, passerelle is very commonly used in a figurative sense. It describes a 'bridge,' 'link,' 'pathway,' or 'gateway' between two different concepts, fields, or stages.

For instance, you might talk about une passerelle entre deux cultures (a bridge between two cultures) or an academic program that offers une passerelle allowing students to switch to a different field of study. It implies a connection that facilitates transition.

💡 * Pour traverser le canal, il faut emprunter la petite passerelle métallique.

• Les passagers se dirigent vers la passerelle pour embarquer dans l'avion.
• Ce diplôme offre une passerelle vers des études de médecine.
• L'art peut être une passerelle entre différentes générations.

The 'viaduct' – un viaduc

The French word for 'viaduct' is un viaduc. This is a masculine noun, so it uses masculine articles like un (a/an) and le (the). This is a key piece of grammar to remember when using the word in a sentence.

Good news for English speakers: viaduc is a direct cognate. It looks almost identical and has the exact same meaning, referring to a long, bridge-like structure that carries a road or railway over a valley or ravine. This makes it a very easy vocabulary word to learn.

Forming the plural is simple and follows the standard rule. To talk about more than one viaduct, you just add an 's': des viaducs. For example, les viaducs de la région means 'the viaducts of the region'.

You will typically encounter the word viaduc when discussing geography, travel, architecture, or engineering. France has many famous and beautiful viaducts, making this a useful word for tourists and those interested in French infrastructure.

A perfect real-world example is le Viaduc de Millau, an iconic cable-stayed bridge in Southern France. Mentioning it can be a great way to practice your vocabulary: J'ai vu des photos du Viaduc de Millau (I saw photos of the Millau Viaduct).

💡 * Le train passe sur un immense viaduc.

• La construction du viaduc a pris plusieurs années.
• Nous avons traversé le Viaduc de Millau en voiture.
• Cette région est célèbre pour ses anciens viaducs romains.

1. The 'drawbridge' – un pont-levis

The French term for a 'drawbridge' is un pont-levis. This is the specific word used when referring to the classic movable bridge found at the entrance of a medieval castle or fortress.

The term is a compound noun, logically combining pont, meaning 'bridge,' and levis, which derives from the verb lever ('to lift' or 'to raise'). It literally translates to a 'lift-bridge,' perfectly capturing its function.

As a noun, pont-levis is masculine, so it is always preceded by articles like un or le. The plural form is des ponts-levis, following the rule for many compound nouns where only the primary noun (pont) takes the plural 's'.

You will most often encounter un pont-levis when discussing history, particularly the Middle Ages, or when visiting a château fort (fortified castle) in France. It's essential vocabulary for describing historical architecture and fortifications.

💡 * Le chevalier a traversé le pont-levis pour entrer dans le château.

• Le roi a ordonné de relever le pont-levis pour la nuit.
• Le vieux château avait un pont-levis en bois au-dessus des douves.
• Les ponts-levis étaient un élément de défense essentiel au Moyen Âge.

The 'suspension bridge' – un pont suspendu

The French term for a 'suspension bridge' is a straightforward and literal translation: un pont suspendu. This makes it a relatively easy piece of vocabulary to learn for English speakers.

Let's break down the components. Pont is a masculine noun meaning 'bridge,' which is why it uses the masculine article un. The word suspendu is the past participle of the verb suspendre ('to suspend') acting as an adjective. As an adjective, it must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies.

Since pont is masculine, the adjective remains in its base form, suspendu. If you were talking about multiple bridges, the phrase becomes des ponts suspendus, with both the noun and the adjective taking a final 's' to indicate the plural.

You can use un pont suspendu in any context where you would say 'a suspension bridge' in English, whether you're discussing engineering, travel, or describing a landscape. It is the standard, formal term.

💡 * Le Golden Gate Bridge est un pont suspendu de renommée mondiale.

• La construction d'un pont suspendu est un exploit d'ingénierie.
• Nous avons traversé un magnifique pont suspendu au-dessus de la vallée.
• Les ponts suspendus sont à la fois élégants et fonctionnels.

The 'cable-stayed bridge' – un pont à haubans

In French, a 'cable-stayed bridge' is called un pont à haubans. This is the direct and technical term used in engineering and everyday language to describe this specific type of bridge structure, characterized by cables connected directly to one or more towers.

Let's break down the term: pont means 'bridge', and haubans refers to the 'stays' or 'cables'. The preposition à in this context means 'with', so the literal translation is 'a bridge with stays'. This helps in remembering the vocabulary by understanding its components.

A crucial grammar point: pont is a masculine noun. Therefore, you must always use the masculine articles un (a/an) or le (the). For example, you would say le pont à haubans when referring to a specific one.

Don't confuse un pont à haubans with un pont suspendu (a suspension bridge). The key difference is the cable design. In a cable-stayed bridge, cables run directly from the tower to the deck. In a suspension bridge, the deck hangs from vertical cables attached to a main, sweeping cable.

💡 * Le viaduc de Millau est un exemple spectaculaire de pont à haubans.

• Les ingénieurs ont conçu un nouveau pont à haubans pour traverser la vallée.
• La vue depuis le pont à haubans était incroyable.
• On peut voir les haubans qui soutiennent le tablier du pont.

The 'aqueduct' (for water) – un aqueduc

The French word for an 'aqueduct' is un aqueduc. This word is a direct cognate, making it simple for English speakers to recognize. It is a masculine noun, so it is always preceded by un or le.

Un aqueduc specifically refers to a structure, often resembling a bridge, constructed to convey water across a valley or other obstacle. It is most commonly used in historical and architectural contexts, particularly when discussing Roman engineering.

You will frequently encounter this word when learning about historical sites in France, such as the famous Pont du Gard, which is a well-preserved Roman aqueduct. The term is tied to the rich Gallo-Roman history of the country.

💡 * Le Pont du Gard est un aqueduc romain construit au premier siècle. (The Pont du Gard is a Roman aqueduct built in the first century.)

• Les touristes admiraient la grandeur de l'ancien aqueduc. (The tourists admired the grandeur of the ancient aqueduct.)
• Cet aqueduc transportait l'eau de la source jusqu'à la ville de Nîmes. (This aqueduct transported water from the source to the city of Nîmes.)

The 'pontoon' or 'floating bridge' – un ponton

The 'pontoon' or 'floating bridge' – un ponton

The French masculine noun un ponton primarily refers to a floating structure used as a dock, pier, or landing stage for boats. If you've ever walked along a marina or tied up a small boat, you've been on un ponton.

In a more specific context, often military or engineering, un ponton can also mean a pontoon bridge (un pont de pontons), which is a temporary bridge supported by floating platforms. This is a direct parallel to the English term.

This is a key vocabulary word for any activities related to water, from sailing (la voile) to fishing (la pêche). The context of being near a port, lake, or river will almost always indicate you're talking about a floating dock or walkway.

💡 * Le bateau est amarré au ponton.

• Attention, le ponton est glissant quand il est mouillé.
• Nous avons marché jusqu'au bout du ponton pour admirer le coucher du soleil.
• L'armée a rapidement installé un ponton pour traverser la rivière.

The 'transporter bridge' – un pont transbordeur

The French term for a 'transporter bridge' is un pont transbordeur. This refers to a specific type of bridge where a suspended platform, called une nacelle (a gondola), carries a segment of road across a river or harbor. The high, fixed structure allows tall ships to pass underneath, making it an ingenious piece of engineering.

Let's break down the name. Pont is the common French word for 'bridge'. The adjective transbordeur derives from the verb transborder, which means 'to transport across' or 'to transfer from one ship to another'. Therefore, the name literally and accurately describes its function: a 'bridge that transports across'.

While not a common term in daily conversation due to the rarity of these bridges, it's essential for discussing French heritage and engineering. France is home to the world's last operational transporter bridge of its kind, the Pont transbordeur de Rochefort, which is a famous historical monument (monument historique). You might encounter this term when reading about French landmarks, history, or engineering.

💡 * Le pont transbordeur de Rochefort est une attraction touristique majeure.

• Nous avons traversé la Charente sur la nacelle du pont transbordeur.
• L'ingénieur a expliqué le fonctionnement unique d'un pont transbordeur.
• Autrefois, Marseille avait aussi un célèbre pont transbordeur.

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

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

Our list features the most common ways to say “bridge” in French, with un pont being the most essential. However, French also has more specific terms for different structures, from simple footbridges to massive viaducts.

To expand your vocabulary, you can do an online search for “types de ponts en français” to discover architectural and engineering terms.

You might find interesting words like passerelle (footbridge) or viaduc (viaduct). Before using them, always check the precise definition and look for examples to understand the context.

Pay attention as you watch French films, read books, or travel through Francophone regions. Notice the famous bridges, like the Pont Neuf in Paris or the Pont du Gard, and how they are described.

If you're looking for more technical terms or related expressions, the WordReference entry for pont is a fantastic resource to explore.

I hope this article has helped you build a bridge to better understanding. To finish, here is a fitting proverb: Il faut bâtir le pont selon la rivière. (One must build the bridge according to the river.) This reminds us to adapt our communication to the situation, a key skill in language learning.