What does nous in French mean?

What is the meaning of the word nous in French? The article explains the full meaning, pronunciation along with bilingual examples and instructions on how to use nous in French.

The word nous in French means we, us, to us, us, --, us, ourselves, ours, our turn, our move, I'll see you now, up to us to do, is ours, is all ours, You and me!, between us, Let's go!, typically French, typically local, it makes a (nice) change from, This is just between you and me, This stays between you and me, each of us, all of us, each of us, everyone of us, our house, our home, home, where we are from, where we come from, of the two of us, Heaven forbid, Heaven forbid, between us, between ourselves, till death do us part, till death us do part, time will tell, our time is limited, we are pressed for time, we only have a limited amount of time, Malgré-Nous, let's not kid ourselves, let's not make any mistakes, do unto others as you would have them do unto you, a typical French name, a typical local name, we too, we also, the two of us, we wish to inform our customers that is doing, let's not get ahead of ourselves, even with two of us, is still going to be a tall order, Today is + [date], Today's date is + [date], we are sorry to inform you that, the three of us, here we are, here we all are, ourselves, ourselves, ourselves, we ... ourselves, we, no one knows what the future holds, around here, ah the joys of, ah there's nothing like a little, What day is it?, there's nothing stopping us from doing , there's nothing preventing us from doing, meddle in things that are none of your business, between us, between ourselves, between you and me. To learn more, please see the details below.

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Meaning of the word nous

we

pronom (pronom sujet : moi et autre(s) personne(s)

(pronoun: Replaces noun--for example, "He took the cookie and ate it." "I saw you yesterday.")
Chaque été, nous allons en vacances en Italie.
We go on vacation to Italy every summer.

us

pronom (pronom objet direct)

(pronoun: Replaces noun--for example, "He took the cookie and ate it." "I saw you yesterday.")
Notre grand-mère nous voit souvent.
Our grandmother sees us often.

to us

pronom (pronom objet indirect) (indirect)

Notre grand-mère nous parle beaucoup. Nos grands-parents nous offrent toujours beaucoup de cadeaux à Noël.
Our grandparents always give us lots of Christmas presents.

us

pronom (après une préposition)

(pronoun: Replaces noun--for example, "He took the cookie and ate it." "I saw you yesterday.")
Notre grand-mère peut compter sur nous.
Our grandmother can count on us.

--

pronom (forme d'insistance)

Eux, ils vont au Portugal tous les étés. Mais nous, nous préférons aller en Italie.
They go to Portugal every summer. But we prefer to go to Italy.

us

pronom (dans les impératifs)

(pronoun: Replaces noun--for example, "He took the cookie and ate it." "I saw you yesterday.")
Appelle-nous quand tu arrives !
Call us when you arrive!

ourselves

pronom (pronom réfléchi)

(pronoun: Replaces noun--for example, "He took the cookie and ate it." "I saw you yesterday.")
Nous nous sommes enfermés dehors. Chaque matin, nous nous levons à 7 h.
Every morning, we get up at 7 am.

ours

locution adjectivale (qui nous appartient)

(pronoun: Replaces noun--for example, "He took the cookie and ate it." "I saw you yesterday.")
Ces livres sont à nous et ceux-là, à nos parents.

our turn, our move

(à notre tour)

(interjection: Exclamation--for example, "Oh no!" "Wow!")
Allez, papa, tu as assez joué à la console : à nous maintenant !

I'll see you now

(je m'occupe de vous)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")
Le médecin entra dans la salle d'attente, me regarda et lança : « À nous ! »

up to us to do

(c'est à nous de voir)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")

is ours, is all ours

([qch] nous attend)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")
Maintenant que nous avons gagné au loto, à nous la vie de château ! On part une semaine aux sports d'hiver : à nous l'air pur et les pistes de ski !

You and me!

interjection (figuré (Affrontons-nous !)

(interjection: Exclamation--for example, "Oh no!" "Wow!")

between us

locution adverbiale (tous les deux)

À nous deux, nous avons réussi à ranger toute la grange.

Let's go!

interjection (Partons !)

(interjection: Exclamation--for example, "Oh no!" "Wow!")

typically French, typically local

locution adjectivale (familier (local, typique)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")

it makes a (nice) change from

(cela change nos habitudes)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")

This is just between you and me, This stays between you and me

(C'est un secret.)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")

each of us, all of us

(nous tous)

(pronoun: Replaces noun--for example, "He took the cookie and ate it." "I saw you yesterday.")

each of us, everyone of us

nom masculin (nous tous individuellement)

our house, our home, home

locution adverbiale (dans notre maison)

Chez nous, il y a toujours un bouquet de fleurs sur la table.
At our house, there is always a bouquet of flowers on the table.

where we are from, where we come from

locution adverbiale (figuré ([qch] nous concernant) (in the place referred to)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")
Chez nous, tous les enfants deviennent agriculteurs.
Where we are from, all the children become farmers.

of the two of us

locution adverbiale (comparaison : entre nous deux)

Heaven forbid

(Dieu nous protège de cela)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")

Heaven forbid

(Dieu nous protège de cela)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")

between us, between ourselves

locution adverbiale (en privé, officieusement)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")
Entre nous, ce chanteur est vraiment minable.
Between you and me this singer is really pathetic.

till death do us part, till death us do part

(en attendant la séparation de la mort)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")

time will tell

(nous verrons avec le temps)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")

our time is limited, we are pressed for time, we only have a limited amount of time

(il nous reste peu de temps)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")

Malgré-Nous

nom masculin invariable (incorporé de force) (French history: WWII)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)
Les Malgré-Nous étaient des Alsaciens et Mosellans incorporés de force dans l'armée allemande.
The Malgré-Nous were the men of the Alsace-Moselle region of France who were forcibly enlisted in the German army during the Second World War.

let's not kid ourselves

(soyons objectifs) (informal)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")
Ne nous leurrons pas, ça sera insuffisant.

let's not make any mistakes

(soyons-en sûrs)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")

do unto others as you would have them do unto you

(être respectueux)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")
La bible nous apprend qu'il ne faut pas faire aux autres ce qu'on aimerait pas qu'on nous fasse.

a typical French name, a typical local name

nom masculin (familier (nom à consonance nationale)

(noun: Refers to person, place, thing, quality, etc.)

we too, we also

(nous partageons cette situation)

Vous partez en Bretagne ? Nous aussi !

the two of us

(tous les deux)

(pronoun: Replaces noun--for example, "He took the cookie and ate it." "I saw you yesterday.")
Il n'y a que nous deux qui connaissions cette machine.

we wish to inform our customers that is doing

(formule polie pour annoncer [qch])

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")
Nous informons notre aimable clientèle que nous fermerons exceptionnellement nos portes à 19 h ce soir.
We wish to inform our customers that we will be closing earlier than usual, at 7 pm this evening.

let's not get ahead of ourselves

(ce n'est pas notre préoccupation)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")
- Dans quel hôtel dormirons-nous ? - Nous n'en sommes pas encore là, je n'ai pas les billets d'avion.

even with two of us, is still going to be a tall order

interjection (cela demande du monde)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")
Pour monter cette armoire, nous ne sommes pas trop de deux.
Even with two of us, getting this wardrobe upstairs is still going to be a tall order.

Today is + [date], Today's date is + [date]

(date du jour)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")
Nous sommes le 25 mars 2014.
Today (or: today's date) is the 25th of March, 2014.

we are sorry to inform you that

(annonce pénible)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")
Nous sommes au regret de vous annoncer la fermeture des forums.
We are sorry to inform you that the forums are closing.

the three of us

(tous les trois)

(pronoun: Replaces noun--for example, "He took the cookie and ate it." "I saw you yesterday.")
Il n'y a que nous trois qui ayons déjà participé à cette épreuve.
When shall we three meet again... (Macbeth).

here we are, here we all are

(nous y sommes arrivés, c'est le moment)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")

ourselves

pronom (pronom emphatique personnel)

(pronoun: Replaces noun--for example, "He took the cookie and ate it." "I saw you yesterday.")
J'ai l'impression que nous ne nous connaissons pas nous-mêmes au final.

ourselves

pronom (tout seuls)

(pronoun: Replaces noun--for example, "He took the cookie and ate it." "I saw you yesterday.")
Nous avons tricoté ces pulls nous-mêmes.

ourselves

pronom (nous en personne)

(pronoun: Replaces noun--for example, "He took the cookie and ate it." "I saw you yesterday.")
Nous sommes venus nous-même livrer le meuble.

we ... ourselves

pronom (pronom sujet emphatique)

(pronoun: Replaces noun--for example, "He took the cookie and ate it." "I saw you yesterday.")
Nous-mêmes ne savions pas ce que vous allions faire.
We don't know ourselves what you're going do.

we

pronom (littéraire (pronom emphatique de modestie ou majesté) (royal)

(pronoun: Replaces noun--for example, "He took the cookie and ate it." "I saw you yesterday.")
« Nous-même pensons qu'un impôt supplémentaire est possible » dit le Roi.

no one knows what the future holds

(on ne peut prédire son futur)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")
Il est jeune plein de rêve et d'aventure mais nul ne sait ce que l'avenir nous réserve.

around here

locution adverbiale (là où nous habitons)

(adverb: Describes a verb, adjective, adverb, or clause--for example, "come quickly," "very rare," "happening now," "fall down.")
Par chez nous, on dit dîner pour le midi et souper pour le soir.

ah the joys of, ah there's nothing like a little

(quand on ressent un sentiment)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")
ⓘCette phrase n'est pas une traduction de la phrase originale. Since he got a new girlfriend, Julien's stopped going out clubbing and started doing housework - Ah the joys of love! (or: Ah there's nothing like a little love!)

What day is it?

(question pour la date du jour) (day of the week)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")
Quel jour sommes-nous ? demanda le professeur

there's nothing stopping us from doing , there's nothing preventing us from doing

(il est possible de)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")

meddle in things that are none of your business

locution verbale (s'occuper des affaires des autres)

(verbal expression: Phrase with special meaning functioning as verb--for example, "put their heads together," "come to an end.")

between us, between ourselves, between you and me

(soit dit en passant)

(expression: Prepositional phrase, adverbial phrase, or other phrase or expression--for example, "behind the times," "on your own.")

Let's learn French

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