Examples by Level
La voiture roule sur la chaussée.
The car drives on the road.
Simple present tense. 'La' is the feminine singular definite article.
Attention, la chaussée est mouillée.
Be careful, the road is wet.
'Est' is the third person singular of 'être' (to be). 'Mouillée' is the feminine singular adjective for 'wet'.
Il y a un trou sur la chaussée.
There is a hole on the road.
'Il y a' means 'there is' or 'there are'. 'Un' is the masculine singular indefinite article.
Les enfants ne doivent pas jouer sur la chaussée.
Children must not play on the road.
'Ne doivent pas' is the negative form of 'devoir' (must). 'Jouer' is an infinitive verb.
La chaussée est large.
The road is wide.
'Large' is an adjective that agrees with 'chaussée'.
On marche sur le trottoir, pas sur la chaussée.
We walk on the sidewalk, not on the road.
'On' is an impersonal pronoun meaning 'one' or 'we'. 'Pas sur' indicates negation.
La neige couvre la chaussée.
The snow covers the road.
'Couvre' is the third person singular of 'couvrir' (to cover).
La police a fermé la chaussée.
The police closed the road.
'A fermé' is the passé composé of 'fermer' (to close).
Attention, la chaussée est glissante après la pluie.
Be careful, the road surface is slippery after the rain.
Feminine noun. 'Glissante' is the feminine adjective for 'slippery'.
Les travaux bloquent une partie de la chaussée.
The construction blocks part of the road.
'Partie' is a feminine noun, meaning 'part' or 'section'.
Il faut traverser la chaussée avec prudence.
One must cross the road carefully.
'Avec prudence' means 'with caution' or 'carefully'.
La largeur de la chaussée permet le passage de deux voitures.
The width of the road allows two cars to pass.
'Largeur' is a feminine noun, meaning 'width'.
Ne marchez pas sur la chaussée, utilisez le trottoir.
Don't walk on the road, use the sidewalk.
'Trottoir' is a masculine noun, meaning 'sidewalk'.
Des débris jonchent la chaussée après l'accident.
Debris litters the road after the accident.
'Débris' is a masculine noun, meaning 'debris'.
La chaussée est étroite dans ce vieux village.
The road is narrow in this old village.
'Étroite' is the feminine adjective for 'narrow'.
Des nids-de-poule sont apparus sur la chaussée.
Potholes have appeared on the road surface.
'Nids-de-poule' literally means 'chicken nests' but refers to potholes.
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questions'Chaussée' refers specifically to the paved surface where vehicles drive. Think of it as the 'roadway' or 'carriageway'. 'Route' is a broader term for the entire road, including shoulders, ditches, and the paved part. So, the chaussée is a component of the route.
No, 'chaussée' is strictly for the part of the road used by vehicles. A sidewalk is called a 'trottoir' in French.
It can be used for any paved road, from small streets to major highways. As long as it's the part where cars drive, it's the 'chaussée'.
A pothole is a 'nid-de-poule' (literally 'chicken's nest'). Yes, you would definitely find a 'nid-de-poule' on the 'chaussée'.
No, by definition, 'chaussée' refers to the paved part of a road. If it's an unpaved dirt track, you'd likely call it a 'chemin de terre' or just a 'chemin'.
Yes, one common expression is 'chaussée glissante', meaning 'slippery road surface'. You might see this on road signs. Another is 'chaussée déformée', which means 'uneven road surface'.
That's a good question! While both words come from the same Latin root (calx, meaning 'heel'), 'chaussée' (roadway) and 'chaussure' (shoe) are distinct in modern French. There's no direct connection in meaning.
You'd use 'chaussée' when you want to specify the part of the road where vehicles are, especially in contexts related to driving conditions, traffic, or road maintenance. For instance, 'La chaussée est mouillée' (The road surface is wet) is more precise than 'La route est mouillée' if you're talking about the driving conditions.
Yes, the plural is 'chaussées'. For example, 'Les chaussées sont en mauvais état' (The roadways are in poor condition).
It generally refers to public roads. While a driveway is paved, it's more commonly called an 'allée' or 'allée de garage'. You wouldn't typically use 'chaussée' for a private driveway.
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à l'arrière de
B2At the back of; behind.
à l'heure
B1On time, punctual.
à vrai dire
B2To tell the truth; to be honest.
abîmé
A2Damaged or spoiled.
abordable
A2Affordable, reasonably priced; accessible.
accélérateur
B2The pedal that controls the speed of a vehicle.
accident
A2Accident.
accompagné
B1Accompanied; having someone or something with you.
achat
A2Purchase, the act of buying something.
activer
B2to activate, to enable
