The most common way to say “plane” in French is l'avion. It's the word you'll learn in any textbook and hear in everyday conversation. But what about when you're at an airshow, reading a war novel, or just want to use some cool slang? Just like in English, French has a variety of words for different types of aircraft. Learning them will not only make you sound more like a native speaker but also help you understand the specific context of a conversation. So, buckle up! Let's take flight and explore 9 different ways to say “plane” in French.

1. The standard 'plane' – un avion

The most common and standard French word for 'plane' or 'airplane' is un avion. This is the go-to term you'll hear and use in virtually all situations.

Avion is a masculine noun. This means you will always use masculine articles with it, such as un avion (a plane) or l'avion (the plane). The l' is used instead of le because avion starts with a vowel.

The plural form is created by adding an 's': les avions (the planes) or des avions (some planes). Remember the liaison: the 's' from les or des is pronounced and links to the 'a' in avions, making it sound like /lezavjɔ̃/.

You will frequently encounter avion in set phrases. The most important one is prendre l'avion, which literally means 'to take the plane' and is the standard way to say 'to fly' as a passenger. Other common phrases include billet d'avion (plane ticket) and voyager en avion (to travel by plane).

Whether you are at the airport (l'aéroport), talking about military aircraft (un avion de chasse - a fighter jet), or discussing a delayed flight, avion is the correct and universally understood term. It fits both formal and informal contexts seamlessly.

💡 * Je vais prendre l'avion pour la première fois.

• L'avion pour Marseille est en retard.
• Avez-vous acheté vos billets d'avion ?
• On peut voir les avions décoller depuis la fenêtre.
• Le bruit des avions ne me dérange pas.

The formal/old-fashioned 'airplane' – un aéroplane

The formal/old-fashioned 'airplane' – un aéroplane

While the overwhelmingly common word for 'airplane' in modern French is un avion, you might also encounter the more formal and somewhat dated term un aéroplane. It is the direct equivalent of the English word 'aeroplane'.

This term was more prevalent in the early days of aviation. Its use evokes a sense of history, often referring to the pioneering era of flight and early 20th-century aircraft.

Today, un aéroplane is primarily used in a literary, poetic, or historical context. You would not use it to book a flight or talk about your recent vacation. Using it in casual conversation might sound deliberately quaint or overly formal.

Think of the distinction like this: un avion is your everyday 'plane' or 'airplane'. Un aéroplane is a 'flying machine' or 'aeroplane' from a classic novel or a history book. For all practical purposes, stick with un avion.

💡 * Les pionniers de l'aviation ont construit les premiers aéroplanes.

• Le musée expose un aéroplane datant de la Première Guerre mondiale.
• Dans le vieux film, le héros s'envole à bord d'un magnifique aéroplane.
• Le livre décrit en détail la mécanique de l'aéroplane de Blériot.

The general 'aircraft' – un aéronef

Un aéronef is the most comprehensive and formal French term for any machine capable of flying. It's the direct equivalent of the English word "aircraft" and serves as a broad, technical category.

This term is an umbrella that covers a wide variety of flying vehicles. It includes everything from fixed-wing planes (avions) and helicopters (hélicoptères) to gliders (planeurs), hot air balloons (montgolfières), and even drones (drones).

You will most often encounter un aéronef in technical, legal, or administrative contexts, such as in aviation regulations, news reports about the aerospace industry, or official documents. It's not typically used in casual conversation to refer to a specific plane you see in the sky.

It's important to remember that aéronef is a masculine noun. Therefore, you say un aéronef (an aircraft) or l'aéronef (the aircraft). The plural form is des aéronefs.

While un aéronef is any aircraft, un avion specifically means "airplane" or "plane." In daily conversation, you would almost always call a plane un avion. Think of it this way: every avion is an aéronef, but not every aéronef is an avion.

💡 * Le contrôle aérien suit la trajectoire de chaque aéronef dans la région. (Air traffic control is tracking the trajectory of each aircraft in the region.)

• Le musée de l'Air et de l'Espace présente une collection impressionnante d'aéronefs historiques. (The Air and Space Museum displays an impressive collection of historical aircraft.)
• Un drone est considéré comme un aéronef sans pilote à bord. (A drone is considered an unmanned aircraft.)
• La nouvelle loi s'applique à tous les aéronefs civils. (The new law applies to all civil aircraft.)

The 'airliner' – un avion de ligne

The French term for an 'airliner' or 'passenger plane' is un avion de ligne.

This phrase literally translates to 'plane of the line.' Here, avion means 'plane' or 'airplane,' and de ligne refers to a regular, scheduled route or 'line,' much like a bus line. It signifies a plane that operates on a commercial, scheduled flight path.

The term is masculine because the main noun, avion, is masculine. Therefore, you will always use masculine articles and adjectives, such as un avion de ligne or le grand avion de ligne.

💡 * L'avion de ligne pour Paris vient de décoller. (The airliner to Paris just took off.)

• Combien de passagers peut transporter cet avion de ligne ? (How many passengers can this airliner carry?)
• Nous avons réservé nos billets sur un grand avion de ligne. (We booked our tickets on a large airliner.)

The 'jet plane' – un avion à réaction or un jet

To say 'jet plane' in French, you have two primary options: the technical term un avion à réaction and the more common, anglicized term un jet.

Un avion à réaction literally translates to 'a plane with a reaction engine.' This is the formal and descriptive term you might find in technical manuals, aviation news, or official documents.

Un jet is a direct borrowing from English and is far more common in everyday spoken French. It's simple, quick, and universally understood, especially when referring to private jets (un jet privé).

For casual conversation about travel or luxury, un jet is the go-to word. Use un avion à réaction when you need to be more technical or formal. Both terms are masculine, so you'll use un or le.

💡 * Le bruit d'un avion à réaction peut être assourdissant. (The noise of a jet plane can be deafening.)

• La célèbre actrice voyage toujours en jet privé. (The famous actress always travels by private jet.)
• Le musée de l'air et de l'espace possède plusieurs avions à réaction historiques. (The air and space museum has several historic jet planes.)
• As-tu déjà volé dans un jet ? (Have you ever flown in a jet?)

The 'jumbo jet' – un gros-porteur

When you need to talk about a 'jumbo jet' or a 'wide-body aircraft' in French, the specific term used is un gros-porteur.

The term is quite literal and easy to remember once you break it down. Gros means 'big' or 'large,' and porteur means 'carrier' (from the verb porter, 'to carry'). So, a gros-porteur is simply a 'big carrier'.

In aviation, un gros-porteur refers to a wide-body airliner, which is a plane large enough to have two passenger aisles. Famous examples include the Boeing 747 and the Airbus A380. It's the standard term used in news, industry, and by aviation enthusiasts.

It's important to note that gros-porteur is a masculine noun, so you always use masculine articles like un and le. For example, you would say un gros-porteur for 'a jumbo jet' and le gros-porteur for 'the jumbo jet'.

💡 * L'Airbus A380 est un des plus grands gros-porteurs du monde.

• Les compagnies aériennes utilisent des gros-porteurs pour les vols internationaux.
• Le décollage d'un gros-porteur est toujours un spectacle impressionnant.
• L'aéroport a dû construire une nouvelle piste pour accueillir ces gros-porteurs.

The 'private plane' – un avion privé

To talk about a 'private plane' in French, the direct translation un avion privé is used. This term is common in contexts of business, luxury travel, and aviation.

The word avion is a masculine noun in French, so the masculine form of the adjective 'private', privé, is used. The structure follows the standard French noun-adjective order: un avion (a plane) privé (private).

A closely related and often interchangeable term is un jet privé, which specifically means 'a private jet'. While technically different, in everyday language, people might use either term to refer to a privately owned aircraft.

💡 * Les stars de cinéma voyagent souvent en avion privé. (Movie stars often travel by private plane.)

• L'entreprise possède son propre avion privé pour les déplacements des dirigeants. (The company owns its own private plane for executive travel.)
• Rêver d'acheter un jet privé est un cliché pour les millionnaires. (Dreaming of buying a private jet is a cliché for millionaires.)

The 'seaplane' – un hydravion

The 'seaplane' – un hydravion

The French word for 'seaplane' is un hydravion. It's a masculine noun that logically combines the Greek prefix hydro- (meaning 'water') with the common French word avion ('airplane').

This term specifically refers to an aircraft capable of taking off from and landing on a body of water. You'll encounter it when discussing travel to remote islands or lakes, in historical aviation contexts, or within adventure films and novels.

A special verb is used for a seaplane landing on water: amerrir. This is the water equivalent of atterrir (to land on the ground, from terre). The past participle is amerri.

💡 * L'hydravion a amerri près de la côte. (The seaplane landed near the coast.)

• Nous avons réservé un vol en hydravion pour voir les fjords. (We booked a seaplane flight to see the fjords.)
• Le pilote de l'hydravion est très expérimenté. (The seaplane pilot is very experienced.)

1. The Slang for 'Bird' or 'Crate': Un Coucou

The French word un coucou literally translates to a cuckoo bird. However, in everyday slang, it has taken on a couple of very different, common meanings. It's a versatile term you'll hear used both as a noun and as a friendly greeting.

One of the most common slang uses for un coucou is to describe an old, rickety, or unreliable vehicle, particularly an airplane or a car. It's the equivalent of calling something an old 'crate,' 'jalopy,' or 'clunker' in English. You'll often hear it paired with the word vieux (old), as in un vieux coucou.

Separately, Coucou! is a very popular and informal way to say 'hi' or 'hey there!' It’s a friendly, slightly playful greeting often used in text messages, emails, or when greeting friends and children. It carries a similar feeling to 'peekaboo' and is a warm way to get someone's attention.

Because the meanings are so different, context is everything. If someone is talking about their grandfather's old car, coucou means 'jalopy'. If a friend texts you Coucou !, they are simply saying 'Hi!'. And if you're in the forest in spring, you might actually be hearing the cuckoo bird!

💡 * Coucou ! Tu passes me voir ce soir ? (Hey! Are you stopping by to see me tonight?)

• On a traversé la Manche dans un vieux coucou qui tremblait de partout. (We crossed the English Channel in an old crate that was shaking all over.)
• Ma première voiture était un coucou, mais je l'adorais. (My first car was a clunker, but I loved it.)
• Le chant du coucou annonce le printemps. (The cuckoo's song announces spring.)

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

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

Our list features the most common ways to say “plane” in French, from the standard avion to more specific terms. But the world of aviation is vast, and French vocabulary includes technical jargon, historical words, and even slang that you might encounter.

You can expand your knowledge by searching online for 'vocabulaire de l'aviation' or 'argot pour avion'. This can help you discover more specialized language used by pilots, engineers, or air traffic controllers.

You might find some fascinating synonyms for avion this way. However, always remember to check a word’s specific context. A small propeller plane (un coucou) is very different from a commercial airliner (un avion de ligne).

Pay attention when you watch French movies, read the news, or listen to travel-related content. You'll start to notice the different words used for aircraft and gain a better feel for their nuances.

If you're looking for more technical vocabulary or want to understand the distinctions between different types of aircraft, the Larousse dictionary entry for avion is a great place to start.

I hope this guide has helped your French vocabulary take flight! To finish, here is a perfect quote from the celebrated French aviator and author Antoine de Saint-Exupéry: 'L'avion a révélé la vraie figure du monde.' (The airplane has unveiled the true face of the world.)