Bedeutung
Reduce one's body mass, often for health reasons.
Kultureller Hintergrund
The French often use the term 'faire attention' (to pay attention) as a euphemism for trying to lose weight. It's considered more discreet. In Quebec, you might hear 'perdre des livres' (to lose pounds) instead of kilos, reflecting the proximity to the US imperial system. Belgians use 'perdre du poids' similarly to France, but the focus on 'santé' is often balanced with the cultural love for 'frites' and 'bière'. In Swiss French, 'perdre du poids' is standard, but there is a high emphasis on outdoor activities like hiking to achieve this goal. In some West African cultures, losing weight can sometimes be viewed negatively as a sign of poor health or lack of resources, though this is changing in urban areas.
Use 'du'
Always remember the partitive article 'du'. Saying 'perdre poids' sounds like 'lose weight' in English but is grammatically incorrect in French.
Silent letters
The 'd' and 's' in 'poids' are never pronounced. It sounds exactly like 'pois' (peas) or 'poix' (pitch).
Bedeutung
Reduce one's body mass, often for health reasons.
Use 'du'
Always remember the partitive article 'du'. Saying 'perdre poids' sounds like 'lose weight' in English but is grammatically incorrect in French.
Silent letters
The 'd' and 's' in 'poids' are never pronounced. It sounds exactly like 'pois' (peas) or 'poix' (pitch).
Specify the amount
If you want to say how much you lost, replace 'du poids' with the number: 'J'ai perdu 2 kilos'.
Be sensitive
Weight can be a sensitive topic. Use 'perdre du poids' as it is more clinical and less judgmental than 'maigrir'.
Teste dich selbst
Fill in the missing partitive article.
Je mange moins de sucre pour perdre ___ poids.
'Poids' is masculine singular, so we use 'du' (de + le).
Choose the correct negative form.
Il ne veut pas...
In a negative sentence, 'du' changes to 'de'.
Complete the dialogue with the correct form of 'perdre du poids'.
A: Pourquoi tu ne prends pas de gâteau ? B: Parce que j'ai décidé de ______.
After 'décidé de', we use the infinitive form.
Match the phrase to the most appropriate context.
Context: A doctor giving advice.
This is the most formal and professional option.
Match the French phrase with its English equivalent.
Match the pairs.
Direct translation of the collocation.
🎉 Ergebnis: /5
Visuelle Lernhilfen
Perdre vs Prendre
Aufgabensammlung
5 AufgabenJe mange moins de sucre pour perdre ___ poids.
'Poids' is masculine singular, so we use 'du' (de + le).
Il ne veut pas...
In a negative sentence, 'du' changes to 'de'.
A: Pourquoi tu ne prends pas de gâteau ? B: Parce que j'ai décidé de ______.
After 'décidé de', we use the infinitive form.
Context: A doctor giving advice.
This is the most formal and professional option.
Ordne jedem Element links seinen Partner rechts zu:
Direct translation of the collocation.
🎉 Ergebnis: /5
Häufig gestellte Fragen
12 Fragen'Perdre du poids' is the process of losing mass, while 'maigrir' is the result of becoming thin. 'Perdre du poids' is slightly more formal.
No, that would mean 'to lose THE weight', which doesn't make sense in this context. Use 'du'.
It always ends in 's', but it functions as a singular uncountable noun in this phrase.
In France, you use kilos: 'J'ai perdu 2,5 kilos'. In Quebec, you can say 'J'ai perdu 5 livres'.
Yes, unless you are their doctor. It is better to wait for them to bring it up.
Yes, you can say a suitcase needs to 'perdre du poids' to meet airline requirements.
The opposite is 'prendre du poids' (to gain weight).
Yes, 'poids' /pwa/ rhymes with 'bois' (wood) /bwa/.
Only in the negative: 'Je ne veux pas perdre de poids'.
'Mincir' is more about becoming 'mince' (slender) and has a more aesthetic connotation.
The noun is 'la perte de poids'.
Yes, especially in combat sports where athletes must 'perdre du poids' to reach a weight class.
Verwandte Redewendungen
Prendre du poids
contrastTo gain weight
Garder la ligne
similarTo stay slim
Faire un régime
builds onTo go on a diet
Maigrir à vue d'œil
specialized formTo lose weight very quickly
S'affiner
similarTo become more slender
Faire le poids
relatedTo be good enough / to make weight
