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A2 verb #7,000 most common 14 min read

clouer

Top 7,000

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips clouer in 30 Seconds

Explanation clouer in your Level:

At the A1 level, you should focus on the simplest, most literal meaning of 'clouer.' It is a regular '-er' verb, which means it follows the most common conjugation pattern in French (like 'parler' or 'manger'). You use it when you are talking about basic manual work or DIY projects. For example, if you are making a small wooden box in a craft class, you would say 'Je cloue le bois' (I nail the wood). At this stage, you don't need to worry about the complex figurative expressions. Just remember that 'un clou' is a nail and 'un marteau' is a hammer. You can practice by describing simple actions: 'Il cloue une image au mur' (He nails a picture to the wall). Focus on the present tense and the infinitive form. Remember that the 'er' at the end of 'clouer' sounds like 'ay.' It is a useful word to know if you are talking about your house or your hobbies. Even at A1, knowing this word helps you describe physical actions with precision. Try to visualize the action of hitting a nail when you say the word. This will help you remember the meaning without needing to translate it into English every time. You might also see it in simple instructions, such as 'Clouez ici' (Nail here). Keep your sentences short and direct. The goal is to understand that 'clouer' involves a nail and a hammer to fix something in place. It is a very concrete word at this level, and that makes it easier to learn. Don't worry about the passive voice yet; just focus on 'Je cloue,' 'Tu cloues,' 'Il cloue.' This will give you a solid foundation for more advanced uses later on.

At the A2 level, you can begin to expand your use of 'clouer' beyond just simple carpentry. While the literal meaning remains important, you should start learning the most common fixed expression: 'être cloué au lit.' This is a very useful phrase for daily life when you are talking about health. If you have a bad cold or the flu, you can say 'Je suis cloué au lit' to explain why you cannot go out. Notice how the word 'cloué' acts like an adjective here. At A2, you should also be comfortable with the past tense (passé composé). For example, 'J'ai cloué l'étagère hier' (I nailed the shelf yesterday). You should also notice how the preposition 'au' (to the) or 'sur' (on) is used after the verb. For instance, 'Il a cloué l'affiche sur la porte.' You are also learning that French has many verbs for 'attaching' things, and 'clouer' is the specific one for nails. You can compare it to 'coller' (to glue) or 'visser' (to screw). This helps you build a more precise vocabulary for describing how things are put together. You might also encounter the word in simple stories or news reports about home accidents. 'Il s'est cloué le doigt' (He nailed his finger) is a painful but clear example of how the reflexive form 'se clouer' can be used. At this level, you are moving from just identifying the action to using it in context to describe your state of being or your past activities. Practice making sentences that combine the verb with different objects like 'une planche,' 'une caisse,' or 'une photo.'

At the B1 level, you should be able to use 'clouer' in a variety of tenses and more complex sentence structures. You are now expected to understand and use figurative meanings more naturally. For example, you can use 'clouer' to describe being paralyzed by an emotion. 'La peur l'a cloué sur place' (Fear nailed him to the spot) is a great sentence for a B1 learner because it shows you understand how a physical verb can describe a mental state. You should also be aware of the idiom 'clouer le bec à quelqu'un.' This is a slightly more informal but very common way to say you silenced someone. You might use it when talking about a debate or an argument you had. 'Ses arguments lui ont cloué le bec.' At this level, you should also pay attention to the agreement of the past participle when using the passive voice or the 'passé composé' with a preceding direct object. For example, 'Les caisses que j'ai clouées sont là.' The 'es' at the end of 'clouées' is important for your written French. You might also start seeing 'clouer' in more formal contexts, like news articles discussing someone being 'cloué au pilori' (pilloried) by public opinion. This requires an understanding of French history and how it influences modern metaphors. You are no longer just talking about hammers and nails; you are using 'clouer' to describe social and emotional situations. You should also be able to distinguish 'clouer' from its synonyms like 'fixer' or 'immobiliser' depending on the intensity you want to convey. 'Clouer' is much more forceful and evocative than 'fixer.'

At the B2 level, your mastery of 'clouer' should include a deep understanding of its stylistic impact. You should be able to use it to create vivid imagery in your writing and speaking. For instance, instead of saying 'Il ne pouvait pas bouger,' you could say 'Il restait cloué au sol, incapable de proférer le moindre mot.' This shows a higher level of literary awareness. You should also be familiar with the causative construction 'faire clouer.' If you are managing a project, you might say 'Je vais faire clouer ces panneaux par l'équipe de maintenance.' This demonstrates your ability to use complex grammatical structures. Furthermore, you should understand the nuance of 'clouer' in different registers. While 'clouer le bec' is common, you should know when it is appropriate and when it might be too aggressive. You should also be able to recognize 'clouer' in more abstract or philosophical contexts. For example, a writer might describe a character as being 'cloué à son destin' (nailed to his fate), suggesting an inescapable situation. At B2, you are also expected to handle the agreement of the past participle perfectly, even in complex sentences with relative pronouns. You should also be able to discuss the etymology of the word if asked, linking it to 'le clou' and the Latin 'clavus.' This level of depth allows you to use the word not just as a tool for communication, but as a way to express nuance, intensity, and cultural knowledge. You can also start exploring related words in the word family, such as 'déclouer' (to unnail) and how they are used in restoration or deconstruction contexts.

At the C1 level, you are exploring the sophisticated and sometimes archaic uses of 'clouer.' You should be able to appreciate how the verb is used in classical French literature to evoke strong emotions or dramatic scenes. For example, in a 19th-century novel, 'clouer' might be used to describe the finality of death or the cruelty of a social situation. You should be able to analyze the metaphor of 'clouer au pilori' in depth, discussing how it relates to modern 'cancel culture' or media shaming. Your use of the verb should be precise and varied. You might use 'clouer' in a technical report about construction, or in a poetic description of a landscape where the mountains seem 'clouées au ciel' (nailed to the sky). You should also be aware of rare or regional variations. Your understanding of the verb's transitivity and its interaction with various prepositions should be instinctive. You can use 'clouer' to describe the 'clou du spectacle' (the highlight of the show), which, although it uses the noun, is fundamentally linked to the idea of something being 'nailed down' as the most important part. At C1, you should be able to use 'clouer' in a way that feels natural and native-like, choosing it over 'fixer' or 'attacher' specifically for its phonetic weight and its imagery of permanence. You can also play with the word in puns or creative writing, knowing exactly how your audience will perceive the force of the verb. Your ability to translate the word into English should also be nuanced; you know that 'clouer' isn't always 'to nail,' but can be 'to pin down,' 'to silence,' 'to immobilize,' or 'to floor' depending on the context.

At the C2 level, you have a complete and authoritative command of 'clouer.' You understand its full historical evolution from Latin to Old French and its various shifts in meaning over the centuries. You can use the verb in highly specialized contexts, such as discussing the 'enclouage' (pinning) of fractures in orthopedic surgery, or the 'enclouage' of cannons in military history. You are capable of using 'clouer' in a philosophical discourse to describe the 'anchoring' of concepts or the 'fixity' of human nature. Your mastery extends to the most subtle stylistic choices; you know exactly when the hard 'c' and 'l' sounds of 'clouer' will provide the right phonetic punch to a sentence. You can interpret and produce complex metaphors that use 'clouer' as a central theme, perhaps in a poem or a high-level academic essay on linguistics. You also understand the dialectal nuances and how 'clouer' might be used differently in various parts of the Francophone world, from Quebec to West Africa. You can explain the difference between 'clouer' and 'river' (to rivet) not just technically, but in terms of the different idioms they produce, such as 'river son clou' versus 'clouer le bec.' At this level, the word is a versatile instrument in your linguistic orchestra. You can use it to be blunt and forceful, or subtle and evocative. You are also a master of the grammar surrounding the verb, never faltering on complex agreements or rare tenses like the 'passé simple' ('il cloua') or the 'subjonctif imparfait' ('qu'il clouât'), which you might use in formal literary writing.

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips

clouer in 30 Seconds

Clouer is primarily a verb meaning to nail something physically, using a hammer and metal nails, often in the context of carpentry or DIY home improvement.
It is frequently used figuratively to describe being bedridden ('cloué au lit') or being paralyzed by shock or fear ('cloué sur place').
The idiom 'clouer le bec' is a common way to say you have silenced someone with a powerful argument or a surprising fact.
As a regular -er verb, it is easy to conjugate but requires careful attention to past participle agreement in passive constructions.

The French verb clouer is a foundational term that every student of the French language should master, as it seamlessly bridges the gap between literal, physical labor and highly expressive metaphorical imagery. At its most literal level, clouer means 'to nail' or 'to fasten with nails.' It is derived from the noun un clou (a nail), which itself finds its roots in the Latin word clavus. When a French speaker uses this verb in a physical context, they are describing the act of using a hammer (un marteau) to drive a metal nail into a surface, typically wood (le bois), in order to join two objects together or to secure something to a wall or floor. This action is central to the world of bricolage (DIY), a very popular hobby in France. You will encounter this word frequently in hardware stores, construction sites, and during home renovation projects.

Literal Usage: The primary use involves carpentry and construction, such as fixing a loose floorboard or hanging a heavy picture frame on a wooden beam.

Il doit clouer ces planches pour finir la clôture du jardin.

Beyond the physical act of carpentry, clouer takes on a profound metaphorical significance in French culture. Because a nail holds something firmly in place, the verb is used to describe any situation where someone or something is rendered immobile, fixed, or paralyzed. This figurative use is perhaps even more common in daily conversation than the literal one. For example, if someone is suffering from a severe illness like the flu, they might say they are cloués au lit (nailed to the bed). This does not imply a physical attachment but rather an inability to move due to physical weakness. Similarly, the verb is used to describe emotional or psychological paralysis. If you are 'cloué sur place' (nailed to the spot), you are so shocked, surprised, or frightened that you cannot take a single step.

Figurative Usage: Used to describe physical immobility due to health or psychological shock, as well as silencing an opponent in a debate.

La peur l'a cloué au sol pendant plusieurs minutes.

Furthermore, clouer is used in the idiom clouer le bec à quelqu'un (to nail someone's beak), which means to shut someone up or to silence them with a superior argument. This usage highlights the verb's capacity to describe a sudden and total cessation of action—in this case, the action of speaking. In historical and literary contexts, clouer can also refer to the act of crucifixion or being 'cloué au pilori' (nailed to the pillory), which has evolved into a metaphor for public shaming or humiliation. Whether you are building a bookshelf, suffering from a heavy cold, or winning a heated argument, clouer provides a vivid and forceful way to describe the act of fixing something—or someone—firmly in place.

Son argument final a fini par lui clouer le bec.

Depuis hier, la grippe me cloue au lit.

L'ouvrier doit clouer le couvercle de la caisse.

Grammar Note: As a regular -er verb, it follows standard conjugation patterns. In the passive voice, the past participle 'cloué' must agree in gender and number with the subject.

Using the verb clouer correctly requires an understanding of its transitivity and the specific prepositions that often follow it. Primarily, clouer is a transitive verb, meaning it takes a direct object—the thing or person being nailed or immobilized. For example, in the sentence 'Je cloue une planche' (I nail a board), 'une planche' is the direct object. However, the meaning is often completed by a prepositional phrase indicating where the object is being nailed. The most common prepositions used with clouer are à (to) and sur (on/onto).

Direct Object Construction: Subject + clouer + Direct Object + Prepositional Phrase. Example: 'Il cloue l'affiche au mur' (He nails the poster to the wall).

Veuillez clouer cette pancarte sur le poteau indicateur.

When using clouer in a metaphorical sense, the structure remains largely the same, but the 'location' becomes more abstract. In the common expression 'être cloué au lit,' the verb is used in the passive voice or as a past participle acting as an adjective. This construction is vital for describing states of being. 'Je suis cloué au lit' uses the auxiliary verb être and requires the past participle to agree with the subject. If a woman says it, she must write 'Je suis clouée au lit.' If a group says it, they write 'Nous sommes cloués au lit.'

Passive/State Construction: Subject + être + cloué(e)(s) + au/sur/à. Example: 'Elle était clouée sur place par l'émotion' (She was nailed to the spot by emotion).

Ils ont été cloués au sol par le vent violent.

Another important structure involves the idiom 'clouer le bec à quelqu'un.' Here, the verb is followed by the direct object 'le bec' (the beak/mouth) and an indirect object introduced by 'à' (to someone). This structure is used to show who is being silenced. For example, 'Cette preuve va lui clouer le bec' (This evidence is going to shut him up). You can also use reflexive pronouns if the action is directed back at the subject, though 'se clouer' is less common except in very specific artistic or dramatic contexts, such as 'Il s'est cloué lui-même une étiquette de traître' (He nailed a label of traitor upon himself).

Tu devrais clouer le bec à ces rumeurs immédiatement.

Elle a décidé de clouer la caisse avant le départ.

Causative Use: One can also use 'faire clouer' to indicate that someone else is doing the nailing. Example: 'Je vais faire clouer ces volets' (I am going to have these shutters nailed shut).

In summary, whether you are using it literally for construction or figuratively for immobilization and silence, pay close attention to the direct object and the prepositions à and sur. Mastery of these patterns will allow you to use clouer with the same precision as a carpenter's hammer.

The verb clouer is ubiquitous in French life, appearing in contexts ranging from the mundane to the dramatic. In everyday domestic life, you will hear it most often in the context of bricolage. France has a very strong culture of 'doing it yourself,' and hardware stores like Mr. Bricolage are staples of the suburban landscape. If you are helping a French friend renovate their apartment, they might ask you, 'Peux-tu me donner le marteau ? Je dois clouer cette plinthe' (Can you give me the hammer? I need to nail this baseboard). In this setting, the word is purely functional and technical.

The DIY Context: Extremely common in home improvement conversations, workshops, and instructional videos on YouTube.

Il est interdit de clouer des affiches sur les arbres du parc.

Another very common place to hear clouer is in the doctor's office or during casual conversations about health. The expression 'cloué au lit' is the standard way to describe being incapacitated by illness. If you call your boss to say you cannot come to work, you might say, 'Je suis désolé, mais la grippe m'a cloué au lit' (I am sorry, but the flu has nailed me to the bed). It conveys a sense of total physical exhaustion and lack of mobility that 'Je suis malade' (I am sick) simply does not capture. In the realm of news and media, you will hear clouer used in more dramatic or political contexts. Journalists often use the phrase 'clouer au pilori' to describe a public figure who is being heavily criticized or 'pilloried' by the press or public opinion. For instance, 'Le ministre a été cloué au pilori après ses déclarations controversées' (The minister was pilloried after his controversial statements). This usage connects modern media scrutiny to the historical punishment of being fixed to a wooden post for public ridicule.

Media and Politics: Used to describe public shaming, silencing opponents, or being stuck in a difficult political situation.

L'opposition a réussi à clouer le bec au gouvernement sur ce dossier.

You will also hear it in sports commentary or action movies. If a player is 'cloué sur place' by a brilliant move from their opponent, it means they were unable to react because they were caught off guard. In a thriller, a character might be 'cloué par la peur' when facing a dangerous situation. Finally, in the world of literature and cinema, the image of something being nailed shut—like a coffin (un cercueil) or a door—is a powerful symbol of finality. 'Clouer le cercueil' can be used metaphorically to mean 'to put the final nail in the coffin' of a project, a relationship, or a career.

Cette défaite va clouer le cercueil de ses ambitions politiques.

Il faut clouer cette caisse pour qu'elle ne s'ouvre pas pendant le transport.

Summary of Contexts: Carpentry (literal), Health (immobilized), Debates (silencing), Sports (paralyzed by skill), and Politics (shaming).

Even though clouer is a regular verb, learners and even native speakers occasionally stumble over its usage, spelling, and nuances. One of the most frequent errors for learners is confusing clouer with visser. While both involve fastening things, visser means 'to screw.' In French culture, the distinction is important because bricolage is precise. If you say you are going to 'clouer' a shelf that actually requires screws, a French person might point out that nails won't hold the weight as well. Always ensure you are referring to a hammer and nail when using clouer literally.

Confusion with Visser: Clouer = Hammer + Nail (Permanent, forceful). Visser = Screwdriver + Screw (Secure, removable).

Ne clouez pas cette étagère, il vaut mieux la visser pour plus de solidité.

Another common mistake involves the spelling of the past participle versus the infinitive. This is a classic 'faute d'orthographe' in French. Because clouer (infinitive) and cloué (past participle) sound identical, people often write one when they mean the other. A good trick to avoid this is to substitute the verb with vendre (to sell) or vendu (sold). If 'vendre' makes sense, use 'clouer.' If 'vendu' makes sense, use 'cloué.' For example, in 'Je dois clouer,' you can say 'Je dois vendre' (clouer). In 'Je suis cloué,' you can say 'Je suis vendu' (cloué). Learners also struggle with the prepositions. A common mistake is saying 'cloué dans le lit' instead of 'cloué au lit.' While 'dans le lit' literally means 'in the bed,' the fixed expression in French specifically requires 'au lit.' Similarly, when nailing something to a wall, use 'au mur' or 'sur le mur,' but avoid 'dans le mur' unless you are driving the nail deep into the structure of the wall itself.

Preposition Errors: Incorrect: Cloué dans le lit. Correct: Cloué au lit. Incorrect: Clouer à la porte (unless referring to the surface). Correct: Clouer sur la porte.

Elle est clouée au lit depuis trois jours à cause d'une forte fièvre.

There is also a semantic pitfall regarding the verb clore (to close/shut). While they sound slightly similar in some conjugations, clouer is about fastening with nails, while clore is about ending or closing something (like a debate or a session). Do not say 'clouer la séance' when you mean 'clore la séance.' However, you can 'clouer le bec' to someone, which effectively 'clôt' (closes) their mouth. Finally, be careful with the agreement of the past participle. In the sentence 'Les planches que j'ai clouées,' the past participle 'clouées' must agree with the preceding direct object 'les planches' (feminine plural). Forgetting this agreement is a common error in written French.

Voici les caisses que l'ouvrier a clouées ce matin.

Il a failli se clouer le doigt en travaillant trop vite.

Agreement Checklist: 1. Is it with 'être'? Agree with subject. 2. Is it with 'avoir'? Agree with preceding direct object. 3. Is it an adjective? Agree with the noun it modifies.

To truly enrich your French vocabulary, it is helpful to look at words that are similar to clouer but offer different shades of meaning. The most general alternative is fixer. While clouer specifies the method (nails), fixer is a broad term that means 'to fix' or 'to attach' using any method—glue, screws, tape, or nails. If you are unsure of the method, fixer is always a safe bet. Another close relative is attacher, which usually implies using a rope, string, or belt. You wouldn't 'clouer' a dog to a post; you would 'attacher' it.

Clouer vs Fixer: Clouer is specific to nails. Fixer is the general term for attaching anything to anything.

On peut fixer le miroir avec de la colle ou le clouer au mur.

In the context of construction, you might use visser (to screw), which suggests a more secure and reversible attachment. Another technical term is cheviller, which means to use a wall plug or dowel. If you are using a staple gun, the verb is agrafer. For very heavy-duty metalwork, you might hear river (to rivet). Each of these verbs describes a specific mechanical action, and using the correct one shows a high level of language proficiency. When it comes to the metaphorical meaning of 'immobilizing,' synonyms include immobiliser, paralyser, and scotcher. Immobiliser is the most formal and neutral. Paralyser is stronger and often used for fear or traffic. Scotcher is informal and literally means 'to tape' someone to a spot, often used when someone is staring intently at something, like 'Il est scotché devant la télé' (He is glued to the TV).

Metaphorical Alternatives: Immobiliser (Neutral), Paralyser (Strong/Medical), Scotcher (Slang/Informal), Pétrifier (Frozen by fear).

La nouvelle l'a littéralement pétrifié sur place.

If you are talking about silencing someone, besides 'clouer le bec,' you could use 'faire taire' (to make quiet) or the more aggressive 'fermer la gueule à quelqu'un' (vulgarly: to shut someone's trap). 'Clouer le bec' is a perfect middle ground—vivid but not necessarily vulgar. In a professional setting, you might say 'réfuter ses arguments' (to refute their arguments). Finally, the verb enclouer exists but is very rare and specific; it originally meant to disable a cannon by driving a nail into the touchhole. Unless you are a historian or a specialized engineer, stick with clouer.

Il a réussi à faire taire les critiques avec ses résultats.

Elle a décidé de visser les charnières plutôt que de les clouer.

Action Comparison: Clouer: Fast, noisy, permanent. Visser: Precise, strong, removable. Coller: Invisible, chemical, clean.

How Formal Is It?

Formal

"Les critiques ont cloué le projet au pilori lors de la conférence."

Neutral

"Il doit clouer ces planches pour réparer la clôture."

Informal

"Elle lui a vraiment cloué le bec avec sa réponse !"

Child friendly

"On va clouer une petite maison pour les oiseaux."

Slang

"Je suis trop cloué, je ne peux plus bouger."

Fun Fact

The Latin root 'clavus' is also related to the word 'clavis' (key), suggesting a shared concept of something that 'locks' or 'fixes' things in place. This is why we have 'clavier' (keyboard) and 'conclave' in the same broad family.

Pronunciation Guide

UK /klu.e/

US /klu.e/

The stress is evenly distributed, with a slight emphasis on the final syllable 'er'.

Rhymes With

jouer nouer louer avouer dévouer secouer échouer vouer

Common Errors

Pronouncing the final 'r' (it is silent).
Making the 'ou' sound like 'ow' as in 'cow'.
Pronouncing 'cl' like 'sl'.
Making the final 'e' sound like 'ee'.
Adding a 'y' sound between the 'ou' and the 'e'.

Difficulty Rating

Reading 2/5

The word is common and easy to recognize in text, especially in DIY or health contexts.

Writing 3/5

Requires attention to past participle agreement and the 'er' vs 'é' spelling distinction.

Speaking 2/5

Easy to pronounce as it follows regular French phonetics.

Listening 2/5

The 'cl' and 'ou' sounds are distinct and usually clear in speech.

What to Learn Next

Prerequisites

un clou un marteau le bois le lit fixer

Learn Next

visser coller immobiliser le pilori le bec

Advanced

river cheviller enclouer un stigmate

Grammar to Know

Regular -er verb conjugation

Je cloue, tu cloues, il cloue, nous clouons, vous clouez, ils clouent.

Past participle agreement with 'être'

Elle est clouée au lit (feminine singular agreement).

Past participle agreement with preceding direct object

Les planches qu'il a clouées (agreement with 'les planches').

Passive voice construction

L'affiche a été clouée par l'ouvrier.

Infinitive after modal verbs

Tu dois clouer ce morceau de bois.

Examples by Level

Je cloue le bois avec un marteau.

I nail the wood with a hammer.

Present tense of a regular -er verb.

Il cloue une affiche sur le mur.

He nails a poster on the wall.

Use of the preposition 'sur'.

Nous clouons la caisse.

We are nailing the crate shut.

First person plural conjugation.

Tu cloues cette planche ?

Are you nailing this board?

Simple question structure.

Elle cloue sa photo préférée.

She is nailing her favorite photo.

Subject-verb-object structure.

Ils clouent les volets.

They are nailing the shutters.

Third person plural conjugation.

Voulez-vous clouer ceci ?

Do you want to nail this?

Infinitive after 'vouloir'.

Ne cloue pas ton doigt !

Don't nail your finger!

Imperative negative form.

La grippe m'a cloué au lit pendant une semaine.

The flu nailed me to the bed for a week.

Passé composé with 'avoir'.

J'ai cloué le tapis au sol pour qu'il ne glisse pas.

I nailed the carpet to the floor so it doesn't slip.

Purpose clause with 'pour que'.

Elle est restée clouée sur place par la surprise.

She remained nailed to the spot by surprise.

Past participle used as an adjective with agreement.

Est-ce que tu as déjà cloué quelque chose ?

Have you ever nailed something?

Passé composé with 'déjà'.

Il faut clouer ces planches ensemble.

These boards must be nailed together.

Impersonal 'il faut' + infinitive.

Nous avons cloué les décorations de Noël.

We nailed the Christmas decorations.

Passé composé plural.

Elle a cloué son sac à dos au mur par erreur.

She nailed her backpack to the wall by mistake.

Adverbial phrase 'par erreur'.

Peux-tu clouer ce cadre pour moi ?

Can you nail this frame for me?

Modal verb 'pouvoir' + infinitive.

Son argument a fini par lui clouer le bec.

His argument finally shut him up.

Idiomatic expression 'clouer le bec'.

Les ouvriers ont cloué les fenêtres avant la tempête.

The workers nailed the windows shut before the storm.

Plural subject and object.

Elle était clouée au lit par une migraine atroce.

She was bedridden by an excruciating migraine.

Passive voice with 'être' and agreement.

La peur l'avait cloué au sol, incapable de crier.

Fear had nailed him to the ground, unable to scream.

Plus-que-parfait tense.

Il a cloué l'affiche si haut que personne ne peut la lire.

He nailed the poster so high that no one can read it.

Consecutive clause with 'si... que'.

Nous devrions clouer ces caisses avant de les envoyer.

We should nail these crates shut before sending them.

Conditional mood for suggestion.

Elle s'est cloué le pied en marchant sur un vieux bois.

She nailed her foot by stepping on an old piece of wood.

Reflexive construction for an accident.

Ils ont été cloués au pilori par la presse locale.

They were pilloried by the local press.

Metaphorical use of 'clouer au pilori'.

Le suspect est resté cloué sur place quand la police est arrivée.

The suspect remained frozen on the spot when the police arrived.

Use of 'rester' + past participle.

Cette preuve irréfutable va clouer le bec à tous les détracteurs.

This irrefutable evidence will shut up all the detractors.

Future tense with 'aller' and indirect object.

Il a été cloué au lit tout l'hiver à cause de complications.

He was bedridden all winter due to complications.

Passive voice with a duration phrase.

On ne peut pas clouer le progrès, quoi qu'on en dise.

We cannot stop progress, whatever people may say.

Metaphorical use meaning 'to stop' or 'to fix'.

Les planches qu'il a clouées hier se sont déjà détachées.

The boards he nailed yesterday have already come loose.

Past participle agreement with preceding direct object.

Elle a cloué son destin à celui de cette petite entreprise.

She tied her fate to that of this small company.

Abstract metaphorical usage.

Le froid intense a cloué les navires au port.

The intense cold nailed the ships to the port.

Personification of 'le froid'.

Il s'est fait clouer le bec lors du débat télévisé.

He got his mouth shut during the televised debate.

Passive reflexive construction 'se faire' + infinitive.

L'écrivain cloue ses personnages dans une réalité sans issue.

The writer traps his characters in a reality with no way out.

Literary metaphorical usage.

Sa réponse cinglante a cloué le bec à l'assemblée tout entière.

His biting response silenced the entire assembly.

Adjective 'cinglante' modifying the subject.

Les souvenirs sont cloués dans sa mémoire comme des stigmates.

The memories are nailed into his mind like stigmata.

Simile with 'comme'.

Il a fallu clouer le cercueil de leurs illusions perdues.

They had to nail shut the coffin of their lost illusions.

Extended metaphor.

La crise économique a cloué au sol de nombreux secteurs industriels.

The economic crisis has grounded many industrial sectors.

Metaphor for economic paralysis.

Elle se sentait clouée à cette terre ingrate par le devoir.

She felt tied to this ungrateful land by duty.

Passive feeling with 'se sentir'.

Qu'on le cloue au pilori s'il a vraiment menti !

Let him be pilloried if he really lied!

Subjunctive mood for a wish/command.

Les affiches, bien que clouées solidement, furent arrachées par le vent.

The posters, although firmly nailed, were torn away by the wind.

Concessive clause with 'bien que'.

Le texte sacré cloue la vérité dans un dogme immuable.

The sacred text fixes the truth within an unchangeable dogma.

High-level philosophical metaphor.

Il cloua l'adversaire par une répartie dont lui seul avait le secret.

He floored the opponent with a comeback only he knew the secret of.

Passé simple for literary narrative.

Cette décision cloue définitivement le sort de la région.

This decision definitively seals the fate of the region.

Metaphor for finality and destiny.

L'artiste cherchait à clouer l'instant fugace sur la toile.

The artist sought to pin the fleeting moment onto the canvas.

Metaphor for artistic capture.

Sa condition sociale le clouait à une existence de labeur.

His social condition tied him to a life of toil.

Sociological metaphor of immobilization.

On ne saurait clouer l'esprit humain dans des carcans idéologiques.

One cannot trap the human spirit in ideological shackles.

Use of 'ne saurait' for impossibility.

Il fut cloué par une douleur si vive qu'il en perdit connaissance.

He was struck by a pain so sharp that he lost consciousness.

Passive voice with 'par' indicating cause.

Les accusations, bien que sans fondement, le clouèrent au pilori médiatique.

The accusations, although groundless, pilloried him in the media.

Passé simple with plural subject.

Common Collocations

clouer une planche

clouer au mur

cloué au lit

cloué sur place

clouer le bec

clouer au pilori

clouer une caisse

clouer le cercueil

clouer les ailes

clouer au sol

Common Phrases

être cloué au lit

— To be bedridden due to illness or injury. It suggests a total lack of mobility.

Je ne peux pas venir, je suis cloué au lit par la grippe.

clouer le bec à quelqu'un

— To silence someone effectively, usually by an unanswerable argument. It is a vivid and slightly aggressive idiom.

Elle lui a cloué le bec avec une seule phrase.

rester cloué sur place

— To be unable to move because of shock, fear, or surprise. It paints a picture of being frozen.

À l'annonce de la nouvelle, il est resté cloué sur place.

clouer au pilori

— To publicly shame or criticize someone. It refers to the historical punishment of the pillory.

Le politicien a été cloué au pilori après le scandale.

clouer les volets

— To nail the shutters shut, often done before a storm or when leaving a house for a long time.

Ils ont cloué les volets de la maison de campagne pour l'hiver.

clouer une affiche

— To fix a poster or notice to a wall or board using nails. A common sight in public spaces.

Il est interdit de clouer une affiche sur ce monument.

clouer le cercueil de

— To put the final nail in the coffin of something. To end something definitively.

Cette décision va clouer le cercueil de notre collaboration.

être cloué au sol

— To be grounded (for an aircraft) or to be pinned to the ground by a physical force.

Tous les vols sont cloués au sol à cause de la neige.

clouer un dossier

— To finalize or 'close' a case or file in a very definitive way. Less common but used in business.

Nous devons clouer ce dossier avant la fin de la semaine.

clouer par la douleur

— To be incapacitated by sharp, sudden pain. It emphasizes the intensity of the sensation.

Il a été cloué par une douleur soudaine dans le dos.

Often Confused With

clouer vs visser

To screw. Use a screwdriver for 'visser' and a hammer for 'clouer'.

clouer vs clore

To close. 'Clore une séance' is to end a meeting; 'clouer' is to nail.

clouer vs coller

To glue. A chemical bond versus a mechanical one with nails.

Idioms & Expressions

"Clouer le bec à quelqu'un"

— To silence someone with a sharp or brilliant reply. It implies the other person has nothing left to say.

Elle a cloué le bec à son adversaire lors du débat.

informal

"Être cloué au lit"

— To be incapacitated by illness. It is the standard way to say you are too sick to get up.

Depuis lundi, je suis cloué au lit avec une forte fièvre.

neutral

"Clouer au pilori"

— To expose someone to public contempt or ridicule. Often used in political journalism.

Le ministre a été cloué au pilori par tous les journaux.

formal

"Rester cloué sur place"

— To be unable to move due to an intense emotion like fear or surprise.

Quand elle a vu l'accident, elle est restée clouée sur place.

neutral

"Clouer le cercueil de quelque chose"

— To bring about the definitive end of a project, hope, or career.

Cet échec va clouer le cercueil de ses rêves d'artiste.

metaphorical

"Clouer les ailes à quelqu'un"

— To stop someone from advancing or being ambitious; to 'clip someone's wings'.

Le manque de budget a cloué les ailes à ce projet innovant.

literary

"Être cloué au sol"

— Used for planes that cannot take off, or metaphorically for a person unable to act.

Le brouillard a cloué tous les avions au sol.

neutral

"Clouer par la peur"

— To be completely paralyzed by terror.

Il était cloué par la peur devant le chien enragé.

neutral

"Clouer un argument"

— To present an argument so strong that it cannot be contested.

Elle a cloué son argument avec des statistiques précises.

neutral

"Se clouer une étiquette"

— To give oneself a reputation that is hard to get rid of.

En agissant ainsi, il s'est cloué une étiquette de menteur.

metaphorical

Easily Confused

clouer vs clouter

Both come from 'clou'.

Clouer is to fasten with nails; clouter is to decorate or stud with nails (like a studded belt or a pedestrian crossing).

On cloue une caisse, mais on cloute un blouson en cuir.

clouer vs enclouer

Very similar spelling.

Enclouer is a technical, often historical term for disabling something by driving a nail into it.

Les soldats ont dû enclouer les canons avant de battre en retraite.

clouer vs couler

Anagram of clouer.

Couler means to flow or to sink. It has nothing to do with nails.

L'eau coule dans la rivière, mais on cloue le bois.

clouer vs clouer vs fixer

Both mean to attach.

Fixer is general; clouer is specific to nails. You can fixer with glue, but you can't clouer with glue.

Fixez le miroir, ne le clouez pas car il pourrait se casser.

clouer vs clouer vs river

Both involve metal fasteners.

River is to rivet (metal to metal); clouer is to nail (usually wood).

On rive les ailes d'un avion, on cloue les planches d'une cabane.

Sentence Patterns

Je cloue [objet].

Je cloue la planche.

Je suis cloué au lit.

Je suis cloué au lit avec la grippe.

[Sujet] a cloué le bec à [Personne].

Il a cloué le bec à son frère.

[Sujet] est resté cloué sur place.

Elle est restée clouée sur place par la peur.

Clouer [Sujet] au pilori.

La presse a cloué le suspect au pilori.

Clouer [Concept] dans [Contexte].

Le poète cloue l'éternité dans ses vers.

Il faut clouer [objet] sur [surface].

Il faut clouer l'affiche sur la porte.

Se faire clouer le bec.

Il s'est fait clouer le bec rapidement.

Word Family

Nouns

Verbs

Adjectives

How to Use It

frequency

Common in both literal and figurative speech.

Common Mistakes

Using 'clouer' for screws. → visser
You use a hammer for 'clouer' and a screwdriver for 'visser'. They are not interchangeable in French.
Je suis cloué dans le lit. → Je suis cloué au lit.
The idiomatic expression for being bedridden always uses the preposition 'au'.
Elle est cloué au lit. → Elle est clouée au lit.
The past participle must agree with the feminine subject 'elle'.
Clouer la séance. → Clore la séance.
To end a meeting is 'clore'. 'Clouer' is only for nails or figurative immobilization.
Pronouncing the final 'r' in 'clouer'. → Pronounce it as 'clou-ay'.
In -er verbs, the 'r' is silent in the infinitive form.

Tips

Past Participle Agreement

When using 'cloué' with 'être', always match the gender and number of the subject. Example: 'Elles sont clouées sur place'.

Hammer and Nail

Always associate 'clouer' with 'marteau' (hammer) and 'clou' (nail) to keep the literal meaning clear.

Silencing Others

Use 'clouer le bec' when someone has been totally silenced by a brilliant argument. It is very vivid.

Being Sick

Use 'cloué au lit' instead of just 'malade' to show that you are really incapacitated and cannot leave your bed.

ER vs É

Use the 'vendre/vendu' test. 'Je vais clouer' (vendre) vs 'Je suis cloué' (vendu).

Grounding Planes

Remember 'cloué au sol' for any situation where transport is stopped, like planes in a storm.

Safety First

In a DIY context, 'clouer' is permanent. If you want to take it apart later, use 'visser' (to screw).

Bricolage Culture

Knowing 'clouer' will help you in French hardware stores, which are huge and very popular.

Silent R

Never pronounce the 'r' at the end of 'clouer'. It should sound exactly like 'cloué'.

Dramatic Effect

Use 'clouer sur place' in stories to show extreme shock. It makes your descriptions more professional.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of a 'CLOUd' that is 'CLOU-er' (closer) to the ground, so you 'CLOU-er' (nail) it down so it doesn't float away. Or imagine a 'CLUE' that is so good it 'nails' the suspect.

Visual Association

Visualize a giant hammer hitting a bright silver nail into a wooden bed. This will help you remember both the literal 'nailing' and the expression 'cloué au lit' (nailed to the bed).

Word Web

Clou Marteau Bois Lit Bec Pilori Immobile Passage clouté

Challenge

Try to use 'clouer' in three different ways today: once for a physical object, once for a health situation, and once for an argument.

Word Origin

The verb 'clouer' comes from the Old French 'cloer', which was derived from the noun 'clou' (nail). The noun 'clou' itself originates from the Latin 'clavus', meaning a nail, peg, or even a purple stripe on a tunic. The transition from Latin to French involved the softening of the 'v' and the evolution of the vowel sounds.

Original meaning: To fasten with a metal spike.

Indo-European > Italic > Romance > French

Cultural Context

Be careful when using 'clouer au pilori' or 'clouer le bec' as they can be quite strong or aggressive depending on the tone.

The English equivalent 'to nail' is also used figuratively (e.g., 'you nailed it!'), but in French, 'clouer' is more about immobilization than success. For 'you nailed it,' French would use 'Tu as assuré' or 'C'est tout à fait ça.'

The song 'Le Déserteur' by Boris Vian mentions the act of refusing to go to war, which can be linked to being 'cloué' by duty. In Victor Hugo's 'Les Misérables', the concept of being fixed to one's social destiny is a recurring theme. The 'passage clouté' (studded crossing) is the traditional French term for a pedestrian crossing, originally marked with large metal nails.

Practice in Real Life

Real-World Contexts

Bricolage (DIY)

clouer une planche
un marteau pour clouer
clouer solidement
clouer au mur

Santé (Health)

être cloué au lit
la grippe me cloue
cloué par la douleur
rester cloué

Débat (Debate)

clouer le bec
clouer un argument
être cloué par la réponse
clouer au pilori

Émotion (Emotion)

cloué sur place
cloué par la peur
cloué par la surprise
rester cloué

Transport (Transport)

cloué au sol
avions cloués
navires cloués au port
clouer les caisses

Conversation Starters

"As-tu déjà dû clouer quelque chose toi-même à la maison ?"

"Quelle maladie t'a déjà cloué au lit pendant longtemps ?"

"Est-ce que tu as déjà réussi à clouer le bec à quelqu'un dans une discussion ?"

"Préfères-tu clouer ou visser quand tu fais du bricolage ?"

"Qu'est-ce qui pourrait te clouer sur place par la surprise ?"

Journal Prompts

Décrivez une fois où vous étiez cloué au lit. Qu'avez-vous fait pour passer le temps ?

Racontez une situation où vous avez vu quelqu'un se faire clouer au pilori sur les réseaux sociaux.

Si vous deviez clouer une capsule temporelle dans le sol, que mettriez-vous à l'intérieur ?

Écrivez sur un moment où la peur ou la surprise vous a cloué sur place.

Expliquez pourquoi, selon vous, il est parfois nécessaire de clouer le bec à certaines rumeurs.

Frequently Asked Questions

10 questions

No, you should use 'visser' for screws. 'Clouer' specifically refers to using nails and a hammer. Using the wrong word might lead to confusion during a DIY project.

It is informal and can be perceived as aggressive. It is best used among friends or when describing a heated debate where one side clearly won. In formal settings, use 'réfuter' or 'faire taire'.

'Alité' is a more formal, medical term meaning 'confined to bed.' 'Cloué au lit' is the everyday idiomatic expression that emphasizes the feeling of being unable to move.

You must add an 'e' at the end: 'Elle est clouée au lit.' The pronunciation remains the same, but the spelling must agree with the feminine subject.

Yes, 'clouer au sol' is the standard term for grounding aircraft, whether due to weather, technical issues, or regulations.

Yes, the noun is 'le clouage' or 'le cloutage' (if it involves studs). 'Le déclouage' is the act of removing nails.

It is better to say 'clouer au mur' or 'clouer sur le mur.' 'Dans le mur' implies the nail is completely buried inside the wall structure.

It is an old term for a pedestrian crossing. Before white stripes were painted, crossings were marked with large metal studs (clous) in the road.

Yes, it is a regular -er verb. It follows the same pattern as 'parler', 'manger', and 'aimer'.

It means to do or say something that definitively ends a situation, project, or hope. It is the equivalent of 'the final nail in the coffin'.