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A2 adjective 10 min read

gras

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips gras in 30 Seconds

Explanation gras in your Level:

At the A1 level, you only need to know the most basic meaning of 'gras'. It means 'fat' or 'fatty'. You will mostly see it when talking about food. For example, 'Le fromage est gras' (The cheese is fatty) or 'Les frites sont grasses' (The fries are greasy). Notice that 'gras' is for masculine things and 'grasse' is for feminine things. Even at this early stage, you might hear about 'Mardi Gras', which is a famous celebration. Just remember: if it has a lot of oil or butter, it is 'gras'. You should also know that 'en gras' means 'in bold' for when you are typing on a computer.

At the A2 level, you begin to use 'gras' in more everyday contexts like health and hygiene. You should be able to describe skin and hair types. For example, 'J'ai les cheveux gras' (I have greasy hair) or 'Ma peau est grasse' (My skin is oily). You will also learn the very common expression 'faire la grasse matinée', which means to sleep in late on a morning off. You should also start distinguishing 'gras' from 'gros'. Remember that 'gros' is about size (a big box) while 'gras' is about the substance (fatty meat). You will see 'matières grasses' on food packaging in the supermarket.

At the B1 level, you should be comfortable using 'gras' in various registers. You can use it to describe the texture of things like paint ('peinture grasse') or the fertility of soil ('terre grasse'). You will understand that 'gras' can also describe a type of laugh ('un rire gras') which is a bit coarse or vulgar. You should be aware of the adverbial uses and the fixed idiomatic expressions. For instance, 'faire ses choux gras de quelque chose' means to profit or take delight in something. Your grammar should be precise, ensuring perfect agreement between masculine and feminine plural forms (gras vs grasses).

At the B2 level, you explore the nuances of 'gras' in professional and technical contexts. In typography, you might discuss different weights of fonts ('semi-gras', 'extra-gras'). In culinary arts, you understand the role of 'corps gras' (fatty substances) in chemistry and cooking. You can use 'gras' metaphorically to describe a style of writing that is overly rich or heavy. You should also be able to navigate the social sensitivity of the word, knowing when to replace it with more polite terms like 'enrobé' or 'charnu' when describing people, and understanding the clinical use of 'adipocyte' or 'tissu adipeux' in scientific discussions.

At the C1 level, you have a deep appreciation for the idiomatic and historical depth of 'gras'. You might encounter it in classical literature to describe a 'pays gras' (a wealthy, fertile region) or in archaic expressions. You understand the subtle difference between 'graisseux' (dirty/greasy) and 'gras' (fatty/rich). You can discuss the 'gras de la jambe' (the calf/fleshy part of the leg) or use the word to describe a voice that is thick or husky ('une voix grasse'). You are also proficient in using it in art criticism, such as describing the 'empâtement' or 'gras' of a brushstroke in oil painting.

At the C2 level, you possess a native-like grasp of all facets of 'gras'. This includes its use in specialized fields like metallurgy (lubricants), law (certain types of contracts or gains), and high-level linguistics. You can debate the evolution of the word from the Latin 'crassus' and how it diverged into different meanings in Romance languages. You use the word with stylistic precision, perhaps employing it in a 'contre-emploi' or using rare idioms like 'l'avoir gras' (to be mistaken or to have it easy, depending on the region). Your use of the word is indistinguishable from that of a highly educated native speaker.

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips

gras in 30 Seconds

Gras primarily means fatty or oily, used for food (viande grasse), skin (peau grasse), and hair (cheveux gras) to indicate high lipid content.
In typography and computing, 'en gras' is the standard French term for 'bold' text, essential for document formatting and digital literacy.
The word is central to the idiom 'faire la grasse matinée', meaning to sleep in, and the cultural celebration 'Mardi Gras' (Fat Tuesday).
Learners must distinguish 'gras' (oily/fatty) from 'gros' (big/large) and remember the feminine form 'grasse' for correct grammatical agreement in sentences.

The French word gras is a versatile adjective that primarily translates to 'fat', 'fatty', 'greasy', or 'oily' in English. At its most literal level, it describes the presence of lipids or grease in a substance. However, its application spans across culinary, biological, typographic, and even metaphorical domains, making it a cornerstone of intermediate French vocabulary. In the kitchen, it is used to describe foods that are rich in butter, oil, or animal fat. Unlike the English word 'fat', which can sometimes carry a purely negative social weight when describing people, gras is often technical or descriptive, though it should still be used with care when referring to individuals. It is the root of the famous 'Mardi Gras' (Fat Tuesday), the final day of indulgence before the fasting period of Lent. Beyond food, the word is essential in the beauty and hygiene industry to describe skin or hair types that produce excess sebum. If you are looking for skincare products in a French pharmacy, you will frequently see the term 'peaux grasses' (oily skin). In the world of technology and printing, gras takes on a completely different meaning: it refers to 'bold' text. When you click the 'B' icon in a word processor, you are making the text 'en gras'. This diversity of usage highlights why understanding the context is vital for English learners.

Culinary Context: Used to describe food high in lipids, like 'viande grasse' (fatty meat) or 'un plat trop gras' (a dish that is too greasy).

Dermatological Context: Refers to oily skin or hair, such as 'cheveux gras' (greasy hair) or 'peau grasse' (oily skin).

Typographic Context: Refers to the weight of a font, specifically 'bold'. To write in bold is 'écrire en gras'.

Ce fromage est très gras, mais il est délicieux avec du pain frais.

N'oublie pas de mettre les titres de ton rapport en gras pour qu'ils soient visibles.

Après une longue journée de randonnée, j'ai les cheveux tout gras.

Le médecin m'a conseillé d'éviter les aliments trop gras pour ma santé.

Il a un rire gras qui résonne dans toute la pièce.

Using gras correctly requires attention to gender and number agreement, as it is a standard adjective. The masculine singular form is gras (the 's' is silent), the feminine singular is grasse (the 's' sound is pronounced like 'z' followed by a soft 'e'), the masculine plural remains gras, and the feminine plural is grasses. Placement is usually after the noun it modifies when describing a physical quality of an object or substance, such as 'un gâteau gras' or 'une substance grasse'. However, it can precede the noun in specific idiomatic expressions like 'la grasse matinée'. One of the most common pitfalls for English speakers is the distinction between 'gras' and 'gros'. While 'gros' means 'big' or 'large' (referring to volume or size), 'gras' specifically refers to the fat content or oily texture. If you say a person is 'gros', you are commenting on their size; if you say they are 'gras', you are commenting on their body fat composition, which is much more clinical or insulting depending on the context. In typography, remember the preposition 'en' is used: 'écrire en gras'. For culinary terms, 'matière grasse' is the standard way to say 'fat content' or 'fats' as a category of food. In agricultural contexts, 'une terre grasse' refers to fertile, clay-heavy soil that holds moisture well, showing how the word moves from 'greasy' to 'rich' in a positive sense.

Agreement Rules: Masculine: gras (singular/plural). Feminine: grasse (singular), grasses (plural).

Positioning: Usually follows the noun (e.g., 'un lait gras'), except in fixed expressions (e.g., 'faire la grasse matinée').

Adverbial Use: Can modify verbs like 'rire' (to laugh) to mean a coarse or belly-deep laugh: 'rire gras'.

Elle préfère les poissons gras comme le saumon pour ses oméga-3.

Nous avons fait la grasse matinée jusqu'à onze heures ce dimanche.

Cette crème est trop grasse pour mon visage, je préfère un gel.

Les ouvriers avaient les mains grasses à cause de l'huile de moteur.

Il faut limiter la consommation de matières grasses saturées.

In daily French life, gras is omnipresent. In a French supermarket, you will find it on almost every food label. The term 'matières grasses' (fats) is a mandatory part of the nutritional information panel. You might hear a butcher ask if you want a piece of meat that is 'un peu gras' (a bit fatty) for extra flavor, as fat carries the taste in traditional French cooking. In a pharmacy or 'parapharmacie', the word is central to the skincare aisle. Products are categorized by skin type: 'peaux sèches' (dry), 'peaux mixtes' (combination), and 'peaux grasses' (oily). If you are at a hair salon, the stylist might mention that your roots are 'grasses' but your ends are 'sèches'. In a professional office setting, you will hear it during document preparation. A colleague might say, 'Mets cette phrase en gras' (Put this sentence in bold) to emphasize a point. In social settings, especially on weekends, you will hear the idiom 'faire la grasse matinée', which means to sleep in late. It literally translates to 'doing the fat morning', implying a rich, indulgent start to the day. During the Carnival season, especially in regions like Nice or in French-speaking Louisiana, 'Mardi Gras' is the name of the festival itself. You might also hear 'un rire gras' to describe a vulgar or heavy-handed laugh, often associated with someone who is being a bit crude. In agricultural regions, farmers talk about 'terres grasses', referring to the richness and fertility of the soil, a high compliment for land. Even in art, 'peinture à l'huile' involves 'gras sur maigre' (fat over lean), a technique where layers with more oil are applied over layers with less oil to prevent cracking.

Regarde l'étiquette : quel est le pourcentage de matières grasses ?

Je déteste avoir les cheveux gras dès le deuxième jour après le lavage.

C'est samedi ! On fait la grasse matinée ou on va au marché ?

Le titre doit être écrit en gras et centré sur la page.

Le canard est un oiseau assez gras, parfait pour le confit.

The most frequent mistake learners make is confusing gras with gros. While they sound similar, their meanings are distinct. Gros refers to size, volume, or thickness (e.g., 'un gros livre' - a big book; 'un gros chien' - a big dog). Gras refers to the substance, specifically the presence of oil or fat. If you call a meal 'gros', you mean it is a large portion; if you call it 'gras', you mean it is oily or high in calories. Another common error involves the feminine form. Many learners forget to change 'gras' to 'grasse' when describing feminine nouns like 'la peau' or 'la matinée'. The pronunciation also changes significantly: 'gras' ends in a vowel sound (the 's' is silent), whereas 'grasse' ends in a distinct 's' sound. English speakers also struggle with the typography usage. In English, we say 'in bold', but in French, you must say 'en gras'. Using 'dans le gras' or just 'gras' without 'en' is incorrect in this context. Furthermore, learners sometimes use 'gras' to mean 'heavy' in a physical sense, but 'lourd' is the correct word for weight. For instance, a heavy suitcase is 'lourde', not 'grasse'. Lastly, be careful with the idiom 'faire la grasse matinée'. It is always 'grasse' (feminine) because 'matinée' is feminine; learners often mistakenly say 'le gras matin'. Understanding these nuances prevents embarrassing social blunders and improves your fluency significantly.

Gras vs. Gros: Gras = Fatty/Oily. Gros = Big/Large. A 'gros gâteau' is a large cake; a 'gâteau gras' is a fatty cake.

Pronunciation Error: The 's' in 'gras' (masculine) is silent. The 'ss' in 'grasse' (feminine) is pronounced like an English 's'.

Faux : J'ai un gras problème. Vrai : J'ai un gros problème. (Big problem)

Faux : Elle a la peau gras. Vrai : Elle a la peau grasse. (Oily skin)

Faux : Écris ton nom gras. Vrai : Écris ton nom en gras. (Write in bold)

Depending on the context, you might want to use a word that is more specific than gras. If you are discussing food and want to sound more sophisticated, you might use onctueux. This word translates to 'creamy' or 'smooth' and usually has a positive connotation, like a rich chocolate mousse or a velvety soup. If something is literally covered in oil, huileux is a more precise term. For describing someone's physical build in a more clinical or biological way, adipeux (adipose) is used, primarily in medical contexts like 'tissu adipeux' (fatty tissue). When describing a person who is pleasantly plump, dodu or enrobé are much kinder than gras. In terms of synonyms for 'greasy' in a negative sense, graisseux is often used for things like dirty engine parts or unwashed hair. For soil, instead of 'terre grasse', you might hear fertile or riche. Conversely, the antonyms of gras are also useful. The most direct opposite is maigre (lean/thin), used for meat ('viande maigre') or people. For skin or hair, the opposite is sec (dry). In typography, the opposite of 'gras' (bold) is 'maigre' or 'léger' (light/thin). Understanding these alternatives allows you to fine-tune your descriptions and avoid repetitive language.

Gras vs. Huileux: 'Gras' is a general term for fat content; 'Huileux' specifically implies the presence of oil (liquid lipids).

Gras vs. Onctueux: 'Gras' can be negative (greasy); 'Onctueux' is almost always positive (creamy/rich).

Gras vs. Maigre: 'Gras' (fatty) is the direct opposite of 'Maigre' (lean) when referring to meat or body composition.

Cette sauce est très onctueuse grâce à l'ajout de crème fraîche.

Il préfère manger de la viande maigre pour surveiller son cholestérol.

Le mécanicien a les mains graisseuses après avoir réparé le moteur.

Utilisez une police légère pour le corps du texte et du gras pour les titres.

Le tissu adipeux sert de réserve d'énergie pour le corps humain.

How Formal Is It?

Formal

"L'apport en matières grasses doit être régulé."

Neutral

"Cette viande est un peu grasse."

Informal

"T'as les cheveux tout gras, mec !"

Child friendly

"Ne touche pas ça, c'est tout gras !"

Slang

"Il s'en met plein le gras."

Fun Fact

The word 'crass' in English comes from the same Latin root, but while English kept the meaning of 'coarse' or 'stupid', French used it to describe physical fatness and richness.

Pronunciation Guide

UK /ɡʁɑ/

US /ɡʁɑ/

The stress is on the only syllable.

Rhymes With

bras pas cas bas dégât plat rat chat

Common Errors

Pronouncing the 's' in the masculine singular form (it should be silent).
Using a light English 'r' instead of the French uvular 'r'.
Confusing the pronunciation with 'gros' (which has an 'o' sound).
Not pronouncing the 's' sound in the feminine 'grasse'.
Pronouncing 'gras' and 'grasse' the same way.

Difficulty Rating

Reading 2/5

Easy to recognize in context, especially on food labels.

Writing 3/5

Requires remembering the silent 's' and feminine 'grasse'.

Speaking 3/5

Must distinguish from 'gros' and handle the uvular 'r'.

Listening 2/5

Generally clear, but can be confused with 'gros' if spoken quickly.

What to Learn Next

Prerequisites

beurre huile peau matin gros

Learn Next

onctueux maigre santé nutrition typographie

Advanced

adipocyte lipide stéatose onctuosité empâtement

Grammar to Know

Adjective Agreement

Un gâteau gras, une tarte grasse.

Adjective Placement

Une viande grasse (after the noun).

Preposition 'En' with Typography

Le titre est en gras.

Plural of adjectives ending in 's'

Un garçon gras -> des garçons gras (no change).

Feminine formation

Gras becomes grasse (double the 's' and add 'e').

Examples by Level

Ce jambon est très gras.

This ham is very fatty.

Gras is an adjective modifying the masculine noun jambon.

Le beurre est gras.

Butter is fatty.

Simple subject-verb-adjective structure.

Les frites sont grasses.

The fries are greasy.

Grasses is the feminine plural form matching frites.

C'est un plat gras.

It is a fatty dish.

Adjective follows the noun plat.

Écris le titre en gras.

Write the title in bold.

'En gras' is the fixed expression for 'in bold'.

Il n'aime pas le lait gras.

He doesn't like full-fat milk.

Gras here refers to the fat content of the milk.

Le fromage est trop gras pour moi.

The cheese is too fatty for me.

Adverb 'trop' modifies the adjective 'gras'.

Demain, c'est Mardi Gras !

Tomorrow is Fat Tuesday!

Proper noun phrase.

J'ai les cheveux gras aujourd'hui.

I have greasy hair today.

Plural masculine agreement with cheveux.

Elle utilise un savon pour peau grasse.

She uses a soap for oily skin.

Feminine singular agreement with peau.

Dimanche, nous faisons la grasse matinée.

On Sunday, we are sleeping in late.

Fixed expression 'faire la grasse matinée'.

Évitez de manger trop gras le soir.

Avoid eating too much fat in the evening.

Gras is used here as a noun/concept for fatty food.

Cette viande a beaucoup de gras.

This meat has a lot of fat.

Here 'gras' is used as a masculine noun meaning 'fat'.

Le texte est plus lisible en gras.

The text is more readable in bold.

Comparative structure with 'en gras'.

Il a les mains grasses après le repas.

He has greasy hands after the meal.

Feminine plural agreement with mains.

C'est une crème solaire non grasse.

It is a non-greasy sunscreen.

Negation of the adjective.

Le mécanicien a essuyé ses mains grasses sur un chiffon.

The mechanic wiped his greasy hands on a rag.

Descriptive adjective in a narrative sentence.

Cette terre est grasse et idéale pour le jardinage.

This soil is rich/clayey and ideal for gardening.

Metaphorical/Agricultural use meaning fertile.

Il a poussé un rire gras après la plaisanterie.

He gave a coarse laugh after the joke.

Idiomatic use of 'gras' to describe a sound/attitude.

Le saumon est considéré comme un poisson gras.

Salmon is considered a fatty fish.

Classification adjective.

Il faut d'abord appliquer les couleurs maigres, puis les grasses.

You must first apply lean colors, then fatty ones.

Technical term in oil painting (gras sur maigre).

Les titres en gras attirent l'attention du lecteur.

Titles in bold catch the reader's attention.

Prepositional phrase acting as an adjective.

Elle a fait ses choux gras de cette information exclusive.

She made the most of this exclusive information.

Idiom: 'faire ses choux gras de'.

Le brouillard était si gras qu'on ne voyait rien.

The fog was so thick that we couldn't see anything.

Metaphorical use for density.

L'excès de tissus gras peut entraîner des problèmes de santé.

Excess fatty tissue can lead to health problems.

Scientific/Medical context.

Ce fromage possède un taux de matière grasse de quarante pour cent.

This cheese has a fat content of forty percent.

Formal/Technical term 'matière grasse'.

Le style de cet écrivain est un peu trop gras et chargé.

This writer's style is a bit too heavy and loaded.

Literary criticism.

On utilise souvent un lubrifiant gras pour les charnières.

A greasy lubricant is often used for hinges.

Technical/Industrial use.

La voix du chanteur était devenue grasse et fatiguée.

The singer's voice had become thick and tired.

Describing the quality of a sound.

Les pays gras de la Beauce sont célèbres pour leur blé.

The fertile lands of Beauce are famous for their wheat.

Traditional/Literary use for fertile regions.

Elle a souligné les mots-clés en gras pour la présentation.

She highlighted the keywords in bold for the presentation.

Professional context.

Le bouillon est trop gras, il faut le dégraisser.

The broth is too fatty; it needs to be skimmed.

Culinary verb 'dégraisser' related to 'gras'.

Le contraste entre les traits fins et les traits gras crée un dynamisme.

The contrast between thin lines and thick lines creates dynamism.

Artistic/Graphic design context.

Il a l'accent gras des gens de la campagne.

He has the thick accent of country people.

Describing a regional or heavy accent.

La peinture flamande est réputée pour son usage du gras.

Flemish painting is renowned for its use of oiliness/richness.

Noun use in art history.

Certains acides gras essentiels ne sont pas produits par l'organisme.

Certain essential fatty acids are not produced by the body.

Biochemical terminology.

Le poète évoque la grasse humidité des soirées d'automne.

The poet evokes the heavy dampness of autumn evenings.

Poetic/Evocative use.

Il s'est fait du gras sur le dos de ses associés.

He got rich at the expense of his partners.

Idiomatic/Metaphorical use for illicit profit.

La texture grasse de l'argile permet un modelage précis.

The fatty texture of the clay allows for precise modeling.

Material science/Sculpture context.

Le journal a publié un article assez gras sur la vie privée du ministre.

The newspaper published a rather coarse article about the minister's private life.

Describing content that is vulgar or sensationalist.

L'onctuosité de ce velouté provient de l'équilibre des corps gras.

The creaminess of this soup comes from the balance of fatty substances.

High-level culinary discourse.

L'herméneutique de son œuvre révèle un substrat sémantique assez gras.

The hermeneutics of his work reveals a rather rich semantic substrate.

Highly academic/Metaphorical use.

Il convient d'analyser la répartition des graisses et du gras viscéral.

It is appropriate to analyze the distribution of fats and visceral fat.

Specialized medical terminology.

Le terroir, par sa nature grasse, confère au vin une structure puissante.

The terroir, through its rich nature, gives the wine a powerful structure.

Oenological (wine study) context.

La duplicité du personnage est soulignée par son parler gras et mielleux.

The character's duplicity is emphasized by his coarse and syrupy speech.

Literary character analysis.

La typographie en gras-italique est ici utilisée par pur maniérisme.

The bold-italic typography is used here out of pure mannerism.

Expert typographic discussion.

Elle a l'habitude de rire gras pour masquer son malaise en société.

She has a habit of laughing coarsely to hide her social unease.

Psychological/Behavioral description.

L'industrie sidérurgique requiert des agents gras d'une grande pureté.

The steel industry requires fatty agents of high purity.

Industrial/Chemical engineering context.

Common Collocations

matière grasse

cheveux gras

peau grasse

en gras

poisson gras

acide gras

rire gras

corps gras

terre grasse

foie gras

Common Phrases

Faire la grasse matinée

— To sleep in late in the morning. Literally 'to do the fat morning'.

Le dimanche, j'adore faire la grasse matinée jusqu'à midi.

Mardi Gras

— Fat Tuesday; the day before Ash Wednesday celebrated with carnivals. A day of indulgence.

Nous avons mangé des crêpes pour Mardi Gras.

Se faire du gras

— To make a profit, often easily or dishonestly. Literally 'to make fat for oneself'.

Il s'est fait du gras sur cette vente immobilière.

Le gras de la jambe

— The fleshy part of the leg, usually the calf.

Il a une crampe au gras de la jambe.

Faire ses choux gras de

— To delight in something or to profit from it.

La presse fait ses choux gras de ce scandale.

L'avoir gras

— To be wrong or to be in a comfortable but unearned position (slang/regional).

Si tu penses que c'est facile, tu l'as gras !

Parler gras

— To speak in a vulgar or coarse manner.

Il parle un peu gras quand il est avec ses amis.

Un mot gras

— A coarse or vulgar word.

Évite de dire des mots gras devant les enfants.

Tuer le veau gras

— To celebrate a return or a happy event with a feast (biblical origin).

Pour son retour, ses parents ont tué le veau gras.

Être en pays gras

— To be in a wealthy or fertile region where food is abundant.

Ici, on est en pays gras, on ne manquera de rien.

Often Confused With

gras vs gros

Gros means big/large; gras means fatty/oily.

gras vs grâce

Grâce means grace or thanks to; gras is fatty.

gras vs gris

Gris means the color gray.

Idioms & Expressions

"Faire la grasse matinée"

— To sleep in late.

J'ai fait la grasse matinée tout le week-end.

neutral

"Faire ses choux gras de"

— To make the most of something for one's own benefit.

Il fait ses choux gras des erreurs de ses concurrents.

idiomatic

"Rire gras"

— To laugh in a coarse, vulgar, or loud way.

Son rire gras dérangeait les autres clients du restaurant.

informal

"Se faire du gras"

— To get rich, often through questionable means.

Certains politiciens cherchent juste à se faire du gras.

informal

"Mardi Gras"

— The festival of Fat Tuesday.

Le carnaval de Nice est célèbre pour Mardi Gras.

neutral

"Un pays gras"

— A rich, fertile land.

La Normandie est un pays gras avec beaucoup de vaches.

literary

"Le gras de l'été"

— The height or the hottest part of summer (less common).

Nous sommes dans le gras de l'été.

poetic

"Avoir le cœur gras"

— To be insensitive or narrow-minded (archaic).

Il a le cœur gras et ne comprend pas la souffrance d'autrui.

archaic

"Le gras du bras"

— The fleshy part of the upper arm.

Elle m'a pincé le gras du bras.

informal

"Manger gras"

— To eat a diet rich in fats.

Manger gras n'est pas bon pour le cœur.

neutral

Easily Confused

gras vs gros

Similar spelling and sound.

Gros refers to volume/size (a big man). Gras refers to the fat content (a fatty piece of meat).

Il est gros (He is big). C'est gras (It is fatty).

gras vs graisse

It is the noun form.

Gras is the adjective (fatty); graisse is the noun (fat/grease).

La graisse de canard est grasse.

gras vs huileux

Similar meaning.

Huileux specifically refers to oil; gras is a broader term for any fat.

Une tache huileuse sur la table.

gras vs crasse

Similar sound and same Latin root.

Crasse means filth or dirt; gras means fatty.

Il y a de la crasse sur ce vieux mur.

gras vs grand

Starts with 'gra'.

Grand means tall or great; gras means fatty.

Un grand homme n'est pas forcément un homme gras.

Sentence Patterns

C'est [adjective].

C'est gras.

J'ai les [part of body] gras.

J'ai les cheveux gras.

Faire la grasse matinée.

Nous faisons la grasse matinée.

Mettre [noun] en gras.

Mets le texte en gras.

Un [noun] trop gras.

Un repas trop gras.

Le taux de matière grasse.

Le taux de matière grasse est élevé.

Un rire gras.

Il a un rire gras.

Faire ses choux gras de [something].

Elle fait ses choux gras de cette affaire.

Word Family

Nouns

Verbs

Adjectives

How to Use It

frequency

Common in daily life (food, hygiene, work).

Common Mistakes

Using 'gras' for a big object. → C'est un gros bâtiment.
Gras is for fat content, gros is for size.
Saying 'en gros' for bold text. → Écris en gras.
'En gros' actually means 'roughly' or 'in bulk' in French. 'En gras' is for bold.
Pronouncing the 's' in 'un plat gras'. → Un plat gra (silent s).
The final 's' in masculine singular adjectives is usually silent.
Forgetting to double the 's' in 'grasse'. → Une matinée grasse.
The feminine form requires 'ss' to maintain the 's' sound.
Using 'gras' to mean heavy. → Ma valise est lourde.
Gras is oily/fatty, lourd is heavy in weight.

Tips

Agreement

Always check if the noun is feminine (grasse) or plural (grasses). Masculine singular and plural are both 'gras'.

Gras vs Gros

Gras = Fatty. Gros = Big. If you want to say a book is big, say 'un gros livre'. If you want to say a pizza is greasy, say 'une pizza grasse'.

Mardi Gras

Remember this holiday to help you remember that 'gras' means fat. It's the day of eating fat before Lent.

Bold Text

In any software translated into French, the 'B' for Bold is often replaced by a 'G' for Gras.

Skin Types

Look for 'peaux grasses' on labels if you have oily skin, or 'non gras' if you want oil-free products.

Sleeping In

Use 'faire la grasse matinée' to impress locals when talking about your weekend plans.

Flavor

In a restaurant, a 'poisson gras' (like salmon or tuna) is usually more expensive and flavorful than a 'poisson maigre' (like cod).

Silent S

The 's' in 'gras' is silent. Don't say 'grass' when you mean masculine 'gras'!

Oil Painting

If you study art, 'gras' refers to the oil content in paints. Higher oil content means more 'gras'.

Soil

'Terre grasse' is a compliment to a farmer; it means the land is fertile and full of life.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of 'Mardi Gras'. You eat 'fat' (gras) on that day. Or think of 'grass' that is 'greasy'—Gras looks like grass but sounds like 'grah'.

Visual Association

Imagine a piece of bacon with a thick white strip of fat. That white part is 'le gras'.

Word Web

beurre huile frites peau cheveux gras bold Mardi Gras matinée

Challenge

Try to use 'gras' in three different ways today: once for food, once for typography, and once for the morning idiom.

Word Origin

Derived from the Latin 'crassus', which meant thick, fat, or dense.

Original meaning: Thick or solid in substance.

Romance (Latin)

Cultural Context

Avoid calling people 'gras' directly as it is considered rude or clinical; use 'enrobé' for a more polite description.

English speakers often find 'Mardi Gras' to be the most familiar use of the word.

Le Foie Gras (French delicacy) Mardi Gras (Carnival) Grasse (The town in France, though spelled with an 'e', it's a famous perfume capital).

Practice in Real Life

Real-World Contexts

Cooking

matière grasse
viande grasse
poisson gras
faire revenir dans le gras

Beauty/Skin

peau grasse
cheveux gras
racines grasses
anti-gras

Typography

en gras
mettre en gras
police grasse
caractère gras

Health

acides gras
tissu gras
manger moins gras
trop de gras

Leisure

grasse matinée
faire la grasse
Mardi Gras
rire gras

Conversation Starters

"Est-ce que tu préfères faire la grasse matinée le samedi ou le dimanche ?"

"Quels sont les aliments gras que tu trouves les plus délicieux ?"

"Est-ce que tu écris souvent tes notes importantes en gras ?"

"Penses-tu que la cuisine française est trop grasse en général ?"

"Quel type de shampooing utilises-tu pour éviter les cheveux gras ?"

Journal Prompts

Décris ton petit-déjeuner idéal pour une grasse matinée parfaite.

Est-ce que tu penses qu'il est important de limiter les matières grasses dans ton alimentation ? Pourquoi ?

Raconte une fois où tu as dû nettoyer quelque chose de très gras (comme un moteur ou une poêle).

Quelle est ta fête de Mardi Gras préférée ou comment aimerais-tu la célébrer ?

Explique pourquoi, selon toi, on utilise le mot 'gras' pour l'écriture en gras.

Frequently Asked Questions

10 questions

Yes, it can be quite rude or clinical. It is better to use 'enrobé', 'costaud', or 'fort' to describe someone's weight politely. 'Gras' focuses on the body fat itself.

'Gras' is the adjective for fatty or oily. 'En gras' is the specific prepositional phrase used in typography to mean 'in bold'.

No, the opposite of 'gras' for skin is 'sec'. So you would say 'peau sèche' for dry skin and 'peau grasse' for oily skin.

The 'a' is short, and the 'ss' makes a clear 's' sound. It sounds similar to the English word 'grass' but with a French 'r'.

Not necessarily. In French cooking, 'le gras, c'est la vie' (fat is life) is a common saying, meaning fat provides flavor. However, for health, 'trop gras' is negative.

Literally 'to do the fat morning'. It implies a morning that is rich and thick with sleep and indulgence.

No, 'en gras' is an adverbial phrase and does not change. 'Les titres sont en gras'.

It is the technical term for fat content or fats as a food category, found on all nutritional labels in France.

Yes, 'une voix grasse' can mean a thick, husky, or sometimes a vulgar-sounding voice.

It is a luxury food product made of the liver of a duck or goose that has been specially fattened.