un kilo
un kilo في 30 ثانية
- Un kilo is the standard French unit for weight, equal to 1,000 grams or about 2.2 pounds.
- It is a masculine noun and always requires 'de' before the substance being measured (e.g., un kilo de sucre).
- In informal French, 'une livre' is often used to mean exactly 500 grams or half a kilo.
- The word 'kilo' is the everyday shorthand for the more formal and scientific term 'kilogramme'.
The term un kilo is the ubiquitous shorthand for un kilogramme. In the French linguistic landscape, it represents the standard unit of mass in the International System of Units (SI). While its scientific definition has evolved—from the weight of a liter of water to a physical platinum-iridium cylinder kept in Sèvres, and finally to a calculation based on the Planck constant—its daily usage remains grounded in the sensory experience of shopping and living. For an English speaker, un kilo is approximately 2.2 pounds. It is a masculine noun, and its gender is crucial because using the feminine article would be a noticeable grammatical error. In France and other Francophone countries, the metric system is not just a secondary measurement but the very fabric of commercial exchange. When you walk into a boulangerie, boucherie, or a marché en plein air, you will hear this word constantly. It is the baseline for purchasing everything from flour and sugar to potatoes and beef. The word is used both as a precise measurement and as a general indicator of weight. For example, if someone says they have 'quelques kilos à perdre' (a few kilos to lose), they are discussing their health and fitness goals. The abbreviation 'kilo' is so deeply ingrained that 'kilogramme' now sounds overly formal or purely academic in most casual conversations.
- Grammatical Category
- Masculine Noun (Nom masculin)
- Quantity Structure
- Always followed by 'de' (or d') when specifying the substance: 'un kilo de sucre'.
Historically, the introduction of the kilo was a revolutionary act. Before the French Revolution, France suffered from a chaotic system of regional measurements that varied from town to town, often leading to fraud and confusion. The 'kilogramme' was established in 1795 as part of a move toward logic and equality. Today, when a French person asks for un kilo, they are participating in a legacy of Enlightenment-era standardization. It is also worth noting that in informal speech, you might hear the plural 'kilos' used to refer to 'kilomètres' in specific contexts like cycling or driving (e.g., 'il reste dix kilos'), though this is strictly colloquial and can be confusing for learners. Generally, stick to weight. You will also encounter 'le kilo' when looking at price tags, where 'au kilo' means 'per kilogram'. This is essential for comparing values at the supermarket. Whether you are following a recipe for ratatouille or weighing your luggage at Charles de Gaulle airport, un kilo is the fundamental unit you must master.
S'il vous plaît, je voudrais un kilo de tomates bien mûres pour ma sauce.
Using un kilo correctly in a sentence requires an understanding of French quantity syntax. The most important rule is the 'de' rule. In English, we say 'a kilo of apples'. In French, it is un kilo de pommes. Note that even if 'pommes' is plural, the word 'de' does not change to 'des'. This is a common pitfall for English speakers who are used to the partitive articles (du, de la, des). Whenever a specific quantity is mentioned—like a kilo, a liter, or a gram—the article disappears, and you are left with the preposition 'de'. If the following word starts with a vowel, 'de' elides into d', as in un kilo d'abricots (a kilo of apricots). This structure is rigid and applies across all levels of formality. When you are at a market stall, you might simply say, 'J'en prendrai un kilo' (I'll take a kilo of them), where the pronoun 'en' replaces the noun phrase 'de [thing]'.
- Standard Pattern
- [Number] + kilo(s) + de + [Noun]
- Price Pattern
- [Price] + le kilo (e.g., 'Cinq euros le kilo')
Another common usage is related to body weight. In French, you don't 'weigh' a certain amount in the same way English speakers use the verb. While you can say 'Je pèse soixante kilos', it is very common to talk about gaining or losing weight using 'prendre' or 'perdre'. For example, 'J'ai pris deux kilos pendant les fêtes' means 'I gained two kilos during the holidays'. Conversely, 'Elle a perdu un kilo' means 'She lost a kilo'. When discussing measurements in recipes, precision is key. While many French recipes use grams for smaller amounts, un kilo is the standard for bulk ingredients like flour in bread making or fruit for preserves. In scientific or highly technical contexts, you should revert to the full word kilogramme to ensure there is no ambiguity, although in a lab, 'un kilo' is still understood perfectly.
Ce sac de farine pèse exactement un kilo, c'est parfait pour notre recette de pain.
Les pommes de terre sont à deux euros le kilo aujourd'hui au marché.
To hear un kilo in its natural habitat, one must visit the local French markets. These markets, which take place once or twice a week in almost every French village and city neighborhood, are the epicenter of the word's usage. You will hear vendors shouting prices: 'Un kilo pour le prix d'un demi !' (A kilo for the price of a half!). Customers will lean over stalls and ask, 'Donnez-moi un kilo de ces pêches, s'il vous plaît' (Give me a kilo of those peaches, please). In this context, the word is often accompanied by gestures—pointing at the specific produce or the scale. It is also common to hear 'un petit kilo' or 'un bon kilo'. A 'petit kilo' implies a bit less than a kilo or just a small amount, while a 'bon kilo' suggests a generous portion, perhaps slightly over the mark. This reflects the social and somewhat flexible nature of market commerce compared to the clinical precision of a supermarket scanner.
In the domestic sphere, un kilo is a frequent guest in French kitchens. French culture places a high value on cooking from scratch, and most staples are sold in one-kilo bags. Sugar, flour, salt, and rice are almost always packaged this way. If you are watching a French cooking show or following a YouTube tutorial by a French chef, you will hear measurements like 'ajoutez un kilo de farine'. Beyond the kitchen, you will encounter the word in health-related discussions. The French are often conscious of their 'ligne' (figure), and conversations about 'perdre quelques kilos' are common in magazines, gyms, and social gatherings. In the news, you might hear about 'un kilo de drogue' being seized, as journalists use the term for illicit substances. Finally, at the airport, the check-in agent will tell you if your suitcase is 'un kilo trop lourd' (a kilo too heavy), a phrase every traveler fears.
Au marché, le vendeur m'a dit : « C'est trois euros le kilo, ma petite dame ! »
- Context: Supermarket
- Checking the weight of pre-packaged meat or weighing vegetables at the digital scale station.
- Context: Fitness
- Discussing weightlifting goals or weight loss progress with a trainer.
The most frequent mistake English speakers make with un kilo is related to the gender of the noun. Because many words ending in 'o' in other Romance languages might be masculine, English speakers often guess correctly, but there is a tendency to accidentally use the feminine 'une' if they confuse it with other measurement words like 'une livre' (a pound) or 'une tonne' (a ton). Always remember: Le kilo est masculin. Another major error is the misuse of the partitive article after the word. Learners often say 'un kilo des pommes' because they think they need to pluralize the 'de'. However, as established in French grammar, expressions of quantity are followed by a simple 'de' (or 'd' before a vowel). Saying 'un kilo des pommes' would actually mean 'a kilo of THE apples' (specific ones), which is rarely what is intended in a general shopping context.
Pronunciation also presents a small hurdle. The 'o' at the end of 'kilo' is a 'closed o' in French, similar to the sound in 'slow' but without the 'w' glide at the end. English speakers often add a diphthong, making it sound like 'kee-low-uh'. To sound more native, keep the 'o' short and clipped. Additionally, some learners confuse 'kilo' with 'kilomètre'. While 'kilo' can technically be a prefix for any unit (kilolitre, kilowatt), in isolation, it always refers to mass. If you mean distance, you must say kilomètre or use the slang borne. Conversely, don't use 'kilo' to mean 'kilometer' unless you are in a very specific cycling or racing subculture where this shorthand is occasionally used, as it will likely lead to confusion in everyday life. Finally, avoid using 'kilo' when you mean 'weighing scale'—that device is un pèse-personne (for people) or une balance (for objects).
Incorrect: J'ai acheté une kilo de sucre.
Correct: J'ai acheté un kilo de sucre.
- Mistake: The 'Des' Trap
- Avoid: 'Un kilo des oranges'. Use: 'Un kilo d'oranges'.
- Mistake: Confusion with Scale
- Don't say 'Le kilo dit que je suis gros'. Say 'La balance dit que j'ai pris du poids'.
While un kilo is the standard, there are several related terms that you should know to navigate French measurements like a pro. The most formal version is un kilogramme. You will see this on official documents, food packaging, and in scientific texts. For smaller amounts, un gramme (one gram) is used. There are 1,000 grams in a kilo. In recipes, you will often see '500g' or '250g'. A very common traditional alternative is une livre. Historically, a 'livre' was about 489 grams, but since the adoption of the metric system, the French have redefined 'une livre' to mean exactly 500 grams (half a kilo). If you ask for 'une livre de beurre' at a market, the vendor will give you exactly 500g. It is a very 'French' way of shopping and shows a higher level of fluency.
For larger weights, you have un quintal (100 kilos) and une tonne (1,000 kilos). 'Une tonne' is often used figuratively in French, just like in English: 'J'ai une tonne de travail' (I have a ton of work). In terms of verbs, peser is the verb meaning 'to weigh'. If you want to talk about the act of weighing something, you use le pesage or the verb peser. Another related word is la masse (mass), which is used in physics to distinguish between mass and weight (poids). In everyday life, 'poids' and 'masse' are used interchangeably, but 'poids' is much more common. If you are buying something very light, like saffron or expensive spices, you might deal in milligrammes. Understanding these increments helps you understand the scale of un kilo as the 'middle ground' of daily measurements.
- Kilo vs. Livre
- 1 Kilo = 1000g. 1 Livre = 500g. Both are used daily in markets.
- Kilo vs. Gramme
- Use 'gramme' for precision (e.g., spices, jewelry). Use 'kilo' for bulk (e.g., vegetables, flour).
Je n'ai pas besoin d'un kilo entier, une demi-livre suffira largement pour cette sauce.
حقيقة ممتعة
The kilo is the only SI base unit that includes a prefix (kilo-) in its name. This is because the 'gramme' was originally considered the base, but it was too small for practical use as a standard.
دليل النطق
- Adding a 'w' sound to the end (kilo-w)
- Pronouncing the 'n' in 'un' as a hard consonant
- Using a feminine 'une' instead of 'un'
أمثلة حسب المستوى
Je voudrais un kilo de pommes.
I would like a kilo of apples.
Uses 'un kilo de' followed by a plural noun without 'des'.
Le sucre coûte un euro le kilo.
Sugar costs one euro per kilo.
'Le kilo' is used here to mean 'per kilo'.
Voici un kilo de riz.
Here is a kilo of rice.
Simple demonstrative 'voici' with the noun phrase.
C'est un kilo de farine ?
Is it a kilo of flour?
Question using 'C'est' and a quantity.
Il faut un kilo de sel.
A kilo of salt is needed.
'Il faut' expresses necessity followed by the quantity.
Prenez un kilo de bananes.
Take a kilo of bananas.
Imperative form of 'prendre'.
Un kilo, c'est trop.
A kilo is too much.
'C'est trop' follows the noun to express excess.
Donnez-moi un kilo d'oranges.
Give me a kilo of oranges.
'De' becomes 'd'' before the vowel in 'oranges'.
J'ai acheté un kilo de viande pour le dîner.
I bought a kilo of meat for dinner.
Past tense 'ai acheté' with the quantity.
Cette boîte pèse un kilo.
This box weighs one kilo.
The verb 'peser' (to weigh) used in the present tense.
Ajoutez un kilo de pommes de terre à la soupe.
Add a kilo of potatoes to the soup.
'Pommes de terre' is a compound noun, but the 'de' rule still applies.
Il a perdu un kilo cette semaine.
He lost a kilo this week.
'Perdre' is the standard verb for losing weight.
Je vais prendre un kilo de tomates cerises.
I'm going to take a kilo of cherry tomatoes.
Near future 'vais prendre'.
Voulez-vous un kilo ou une livre ?
Do you want a kilo or a pound (500g)?
Contrasting the metric kilo with the traditional 'livre'.
Ce sac contient un kilo de café.
This bag contains a kilo of coffee.
The verb 'contenir' followed by the quantity.
Il me faut un kilo d'oignons.
I need a kilo of onions.
'Il me faut' is a common way to express personal need.
Il reste environ un kilo de pâtes dans le placard.
There is about a kilo of pasta left in the cupboard.
'Environ' adds a nuance of approximation.
Le bagage ne doit pas dépasser un kilo de plus.
The luggage must not exceed one more kilo.
'Dépasser' (to exceed) used with a measurement.
Chaque kilo compte quand on fait de la randonnée.
Every kilo counts when you go hiking.
'Chaque kilo' highlights the importance of individual units.
J'ai commandé un kilo de miel artisanal.
I ordered a kilo of artisanal honey.
Using 'un kilo' for liquids sold by weight.
Il a pris un kilo pendant les vacances de Noël.
He gained a kilo during the Christmas holidays.
'Prendre' used for gaining weight.
On peut acheter un kilo de plumes ou un kilo de plomb.
One can buy a kilo of feathers or a kilo of lead.
Comparing the mass of different densities.
Le prix du kilo a augmenté cette année.
The price per kilo has increased this year.
'Le prix du kilo' is a common economic phrase.
Elle a besoin d'un kilo de laine pour tricoter ce pull.
She needs a kilo of wool to knit this sweater.
'Besoin de' followed by 'un kilo'.
La cargaison pèse exactement un kilo de moins que prévu.
The shipment weighs exactly one kilo less than expected.
'De moins que' used for comparisons of weight.
Un kilo de cette substance peut alimenter toute la ville.
A kilo of this substance can power the whole city.
Hypothetical use in a scientific or sci-fi context.
Il est difficile de perdre ce dernier kilo superflu.
It is difficult to lose that last stubborn kilo.
'Superflu' (superfluous) describes the extra weight.
Le prototype du kilo est conservé précieusement à Sèvres.
The kilo prototype is carefully kept in Sèvres.
Refers to the 'Grand K', the historical standard of mass.
Vendez-vous ces produits au kilo ou à l'unité ?
Do you sell these products by the kilo or by the unit?
'Au kilo' vs 'à l'unité'.
La pression est de un kilo par centimètre carré.
The pressure is one kilo per square centimeter.
Technical usage in engineering (kg/cm²).
Un kilo d'uranium contient une énergie colossale.
A kilo of uranium contains colossal energy.
Scientific context regarding energy density.
Elle s'est battue pour perdre chaque kilo après sa grossesse.
She fought to lose every kilo after her pregnancy.
'Chaque kilo' used to emphasize effort.
La redéfinition du kilo marque un tournant dans la métrologie.
The redefinition of the kilo marks a turning point in metrology.
High-level vocabulary like 'métrologie' and 'tournant'.
Le poids des mots pèse parfois plus qu'un kilo de plomb.
The weight of words sometimes weighs more than a kilo of lead.
Metaphorical comparison using the physical kilo as a reference.
L'incertitude sur la masse du kilo étalon devenait problématique.
The uncertainty regarding the mass of the standard kilo was becoming problematic.
'Kilo étalon' refers to the standard reference unit.
On ne peut pas comparer un kilo de plumes à un kilo d'idées.
One cannot compare a kilo of feathers to a kilo of ideas.
Philosophical use of measurement units.
L'exportation se chiffre en millions de kilos par an.
Exports amount to millions of kilos per year.
'Se chiffrer en' is a formal way to express numerical value.
Le kilo est l'ancre de notre système de commerce mondial.
The kilo is the anchor of our global trade system.
Metaphorical description of economic standards.
Il a fallu des siècles pour stabiliser la définition du kilo.
It took centuries to stabilize the definition of the kilo.
'Il a fallu' with a duration and a purpose.
La précision au microgramme près est requise pour ce kilo.
Precision to the nearest microgram is required for this kilo.
Technical precision description.
L'immuabilité du kilo reposait jadis sur un artefact physique.
The immutability of the kilo formerly rested on a physical artifact.
Literary terms like 'immuabilité' and 'jadis'.
La constante de Planck permet désormais de dématérialiser le kilo.
The Planck constant now allows for the dematerialization of the kilo.
Advanced scientific terminology.
Le kilo, bien que banal, est le fruit d'une quête scientifique acharnée.
The kilo, though commonplace, is the result of a relentless scientific quest.
Concessive clause using 'bien que'.
On observe une dérive de la masse du kilo de quelques microgrammes.
A drift in the mass of the kilo of a few micrograms is observed.
'Dérive' (drift) used in a technical observational sense.
Le kilo est le seul vestige du système métrique originel encore en usage.
The kilo is the only vestige of the original metric system still in use.
'Vestige' implies a historical remnant.
La souveraineté d'une nation passait autrefois par la maîtrise du kilo.
A nation's sovereignty formerly involved the mastery of the kilo.
Historical and political analysis.
L'universalité du kilo transcende les frontières culturelles et linguistiques.
The universality of the kilo transcends cultural and linguistic borders.
Abstract philosophical statement.
Sous l'apparente simplicité du kilo se cache une complexité quantique.
Beneath the apparent simplicity of the kilo lies a quantum complexity.
Inversion of subject and verb for stylistic effect.
تلازمات شائعة
العبارات الشائعة
— To weigh exactly one kilo (often said of produce).
Cette pastèque doit bien faire son kilo.
— A figurative, poetic way to express a lot of affection.
Je t'envoie un kilo d'amour.
تعبيرات اصطلاحية
— To have a huge amount of something (often abstract).
Il en a des kilos, de la patience !
Informal— To carry around extra body weight.
Il traîne quelques kilos depuis l'hiver.
Informal— To be worth very little or to be ridiculous (variation of 'des clous').
Son explication vaut son kilo de cacahuètes.
Informal— To be enough or to be significant.
Ça va faire le kilo pour aujourd'hui.
Colloquial— A classic riddle about density and perception.
C'est le vieux piège du kilo de plumes.
General— To work very hard or sweat a lot.
Il a perdu des kilos de sueur sur ce projet.
Metaphorical— To have the advantage or upper hand (rare/regional).
Il a le kilo dans cette affaire.
Slang— To be obsessed with weight loss.
Elle passe son temps à compter les kilos.
Commonعائلة الكلمة
الأسماء
الأفعال
الصفات
مرتبط
أصل الكلمة
Derived from the Greek word 'khilioi', meaning 'thousand'.
المعنى الأصلي: A thousand (units).
Indo-European (via Greek and Modern Latin).Summary
Un kilo is a masculine noun used for measuring mass. It is indispensable for shopping and cooking in France. Remember the structure: [Number] + kilo(s) + de + [Noun]. Example: 'Je voudrais deux kilos de pommes.'
- Un kilo is the standard French unit for weight, equal to 1,000 grams or about 2.2 pounds.
- It is a masculine noun and always requires 'de' before the substance being measured (e.g., un kilo de sucre).
- In informal French, 'une livre' is often used to mean exactly 500 grams or half a kilo.
- The word 'kilo' is the everyday shorthand for the more formal and scientific term 'kilogramme'.
محتوى ذو صلة
مزيد من كلمات food
à base de
B1على أساس؛ مصنوع من مكون أساسي معين.
à la boulangerie
A2At the bakery.
à la carte
A2طلب أطباق فردية من القائمة بدلاً من وجبة محددة السعر.
à la charcuterie
A2At the deli; where cold meats and prepared foods are sold.
à la coque
A2Soft-boiled (for eggs).
à la demande
B1On demand; upon request.
à la poêle
A2مطبوخ في المقلاة؛ مقلي في المقلاة.
à la poissonnerie
A2At the fishmonger's; where fresh fish is sold.
à la vapeur
A2مطبوخ بالبخار؛ على البخار.
à l'apéritif
B1في وقت فاتح الشهية؛ ما يقدم قبل الوجبة الرئيسية.