When you want to say something is made of stone in French, you use the phrase en pierre. It's like saying "of stone" in English.
You can use en pierre to describe a house, a wall, or even a statue. For example, a house made of stone would be une maison en pierre.
Remember, it stays the same whether the noun is masculine or feminine, and whether it's singular or plural. Just put en pierre after the noun you're describing.
§ Understanding 'en pierre' as an adjective
Many English speakers learning French get tripped up by how adjectives work, especially when it comes to materials. 'En pierre' literally means 'in stone' but acts as an adjective meaning 'made of stone.' The biggest mistake is trying to make 'pierre' agree in gender or number with the noun it describes. Don't do this! 'En pierre' is invariable. It never changes.
- DEFINITION
- Made of stone.
§ Mistake 1: Changing 'pierre' to agree with the noun
This is the most common error. Because 'pierre' is a feminine noun in French, learners often try to change 'en pierre' to match the gender and number of the noun it modifies. For example, if you have 'une maison' (a house, feminine singular), you might be tempted to say 'une maison en pierres' or 'une maison en pierre' with a feminine 'pierre' even though it’s already a noun. If you have 'des murs' (walls, masculine plural), you might think 'des murs en pierres' is correct. This is incorrect. 'En pierre' remains fixed.
C'est une église en pierre.
Translation hint: It's a church (feminine singular) made of stone.
Ils ont des murs en pierre.
Translation hint: They have walls (masculine plural) made of stone.
§ Mistake 2: Using 'de pierre' instead of 'en pierre'
While 'de' can indicate origin or composition in some contexts, for materials that something is made of, 'en' is the correct preposition. Using 'de pierre' might be understood, but it's not the natural or grammatically correct way to express 'made of stone' in French.
Elle a une cheminée en pierre.
Translation hint: She has a fireplace (feminine singular) made of stone.
Incorrect: Elle a une cheminée de pierre.
§ Mistake 3: Overthinking simple descriptions
Sometimes learners try to find a single adjective like 'stony' in English. While French does have 'pierreux' (stony, rocky), it's used to describe terrain or soil, not an object made from carved or built stone. For describing an object built from stone, 'en pierre' is almost always the phrase you need.
Use 'en pierre' for: a house made of stone, a wall made of stone, a statue made of stone.
Use 'pierreux' for: rocky ground, stony soil.
Le sentier est très pierreux.
Translation hint: The path is very stony/rocky.
Le pont est en pierre.
Translation hint: The bridge is made of stone.
§ Key takeaway
To avoid mistakes with 'en pierre,' always remember these points:
- It is invariable: 'en pierre' never changes, no matter the gender or number of the noun it describes.
- Use 'en' for materials: it's 'en pierre,' not 'de pierre.'
- Distinguish from 'pierreux': 'en pierre' for objects made of stone, 'pierreux' for stony/rocky ground.
Mastering this small phrase will make your French sound much more natural and correct. Keep practicing, and you'll get it right every time!
Beispiele nach Niveau
La vieille église du village est entièrement construite en pierre.
The old village church is entirely built of stone.
Nous avons visité un magnifique château en pierre pendant nos vacances.
We visited a magnificent stone castle during our vacation.
Les murs en pierre de la maison retiennent bien la fraîcheur en été.
The stone walls of the house keep it cool in summer.
Elle a acheté une petite sculpture en pierre pour son jardin.
She bought a small stone sculpture for her garden.
Le pont en pierre qui traverse la rivière est très ancien.
The stone bridge crossing the river is very old.
J'adore l'aspect rustique des maisons en pierre de cette région.
I love the rustic look of the stone houses in this region.
Ils ont décidé de construire une terrasse en pierre derrière leur maison.
They decided to build a stone terrace behind their house.
Les chemins en pierre de la forêt sont parfaits pour une randonnée.
The stone paths in the forest are perfect for a hike.
Wortfamilie
Substantive
Verben
Verwandte Inhalte
Mehr home Wörter
à disposition
B1Available for use; at one's disposal.
à distance de
B1At a certain distance from something.
à droite de
B1To the right of; on the right side of.
à gauche de
B1To the left of; on the left side of.
à gaz
A2Powered by gas; gas-powered.
à la maison
A2At home; in one's place of residence.
à l'écart
B1Away from others; apart; aside.
à l'étage
B1On an upper floor of a building; upstairs.
à l'extérieur
A2On or to the outer side or surface of something.
à l'intérieur
A2In or to the inner part or interior of something.
