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A2 noun #4,000 most common 11 min read

invitée

Top 4,000

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips invitée in 30 Seconds

Explanation invitée in your Level:

At the A1 level, you learn that 'invitée' means a female guest. You use it in very simple sentences like 'C'est mon invitée' (She is my guest). At this stage, you should focus on the fact that the word is feminine and ends with an 'e'. You will mostly hear it in the context of parties, like a 'fête d'anniversaire'. You don't need to worry about complex grammar yet, just remember that if the guest is a girl or woman, you add that 'e' at the end. You might also see it on a simple invitation card. It is a very useful word for basic social interactions. Remember to use 'une' or 'l'' with it.

At the A2 level, you start to use 'invitée' in more complete sentences. You learn that even though it is feminine, you say 'mon invitée' instead of 'ma invitée' to make it easier to pronounce. You can talk about different types of guests, like 'une invitée surprise'. You also learn to use the word with simple verbs in the past tense, like 'J'ai été l'invitée de ma tante'. You should be able to describe a guest using simple adjectives, such as 'une invitée sympa' or 'une invitée polie'. This level is about building comfort with the word in everyday social situations like dinners and small gatherings.

At the B1 level, you use 'invitée' to navigate more varied social and professional situations. You might talk about an 'invitée d'honneur' at a wedding or a 'conférencière invitée' at a school event. You understand the difference between 'une invitée' and 'une convive' (a dinner guest). You can handle more complex grammar, like using the word in relative clauses: 'La femme qui est notre invitée est une artiste célèbre'. You also begin to understand the cultural expectations of being an 'invitée' in France, such as bringing a small gift. Your vocabulary is expanding to include related terms like 'invitation' and 'inviter'.

At the B2 level, you use 'invitée' with nuance. You can discuss the role of an 'invitée' in the media, such as an 'invitée politique' on a news program. You are comfortable with the 'masculine precedence' rule, knowing that 'invitées' only refers to a group of women. You can use the word in more formal writing, such as a thank-you note or a formal report. You understand idiomatic expressions and can distinguish between being an 'invitée' and an 'hôte' (which can mean both guest and host). You can also use the word in the subjunctive or conditional moods: 'Il faudrait que l'invitée arrive bientôt'.

At the C1 level, you master the subtle connotations of 'invitée'. You can use it in academic or high-level professional settings, such as describing an 'invitée permanente' on a board of directors. You understand the historical and etymological roots of the word. You can write long, complex sentences where 'invitée' is the subject, requiring perfect agreement of adjectives and past participles across the sentence. You can participate in debates about social etiquette and the concept of hospitality. You also recognize the word in literature and can analyze its use to define social relationships between characters.

At the C2 level, 'invitée' is a word you use with total precision and stylistic flair. You can use it in creative writing or complex legal/administrative contexts. You understand the most obscure uses, such as 'invitée de pierre' (a reference to Don Juan). You can navigate the most formal social environments in the French-speaking world, knowing exactly when to use 'invitée' versus more specialized terms like 'récipiendaire' or 'dignitaire'. Your use of the word is indistinguishable from a native speaker, including the perfect application of all phonetic and grammatical rules in both spoken and written forms.

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips

invitée in 30 Seconds

Invitée is the feminine word for a female guest in French social and formal contexts.
You must use 'mon' instead of 'ma' before 'invitée' because it starts with a vowel.
The word is commonly used in media to introduce female experts as 'l'invitée du jour'.
In writing, the extra 'e' is essential to distinguish it from the masculine 'invité'.

The French noun invitée is the feminine form of the word for 'guest.' In its most fundamental sense, it refers to a woman or girl who has been requested to attend a social gathering, a formal event, or a private home. Understanding this word requires a dive into the heart of French social etiquette and the linguistic precision of gendered nouns. Unlike the English word 'guest,' which is gender-neutral, French demands that you specify the gender of the person being hosted. This word is not merely a label; it carries with it a set of cultural expectations regarding hospitality, known in France as l'art de recevoir. When you call someone an invitée, you are acknowledging her status as a recipient of your hospitality, which in French culture involves a specific code of conduct for both the host and the guest.

Etymological Root: The term stems from the Latin verb invitare, which meant to treat or to invite. Over centuries, the past participle invité evolved into a noun, and the feminine suffix -e was added to distinguish female guests.

In modern usage, you will encounter this word in a variety of settings. At a wedding, the invitée d'honneur might be the maid of honor or a respected elder. In the world of media, television hosts frequently introduce 'notre invitée du jour' (our guest of the day) when interviewing a female politician, author, or celebrity. This distinction is vital; using the masculine invité for a woman, while occasionally heard in very casual speech, is grammatically incorrect and misses the nuance of the language.

La ministre est l' invitée spéciale de l'émission ce soir.

The word also implies a temporary status. An invitée is someone who visits and then leaves. If she stays for an extended period without a specific invitation, she might transition from being an invitée to a résidente or locataire, though these carry very different legal and social connotations. In the context of a dinner party, being an invitée often triggers the 'quart d'heure de politesse'—the polite fifteen-minute delay expected in many French regions to allow the host final preparations. Beyond private homes, the word is used in corporate settings for 'guest speakers' (conférencières invitées) and in the hospitality industry, though hotels more frequently use cliente. However, a woman staying at a friend's house is always an invitée. The plural form invitées is used exclusively for a group of women. If there is even one male guest in the group, French grammar defaults to the masculine plural invités. This 'masculine takes precedence' rule is a cornerstone of French grammar that learners must master to use the word invitée correctly in context.

Using invitée correctly involves more than just knowing its definition; it requires careful attention to articles and adjective agreement. Since the word begins with a vowel, the definite article 'la' elides to l', resulting in l'invitée. The indefinite article remains une invitée. A common point of confusion for English speakers is the possessive adjective. Even though invitée is feminine, you must use mon, ton, or son instead of ma, ta, or sa because the word starts with a vowel. Therefore, 'my female guest' is mon invitée, not ma invitée.

Grammar Rule: Euphonic Change: The use of 'mon' before 'invitée' is to avoid the hiatus (the gap between two vowel sounds). It is a purely phonetic rule that does not change the gender of the noun itself.

In a sentence, invitée often acts as the subject or the direct object. For example, 'L'invitée est arrivée à l'heure' (The guest arrived on time). Notice how the past participle arrivée also takes an extra 'e' to agree with the feminine subject. This chain of agreement is essential for high-level French.

C'est une invitée très prestigieuse qui nous fait l'honneur de sa présence.

You can also use the word in the plural. 'Toutes les invitées portaient des robes élégantes' (All the female guests were wearing elegant dresses). If you were to say 'Tous les invités,' it would imply a mixed-gender group. Another common structure is 'être l'invitée de [quelqu'un].' For instance, 'Je suis l'invitée de Marie' (I am Marie's guest). Here, the speaker is identifying herself as the female guest. In more formal contexts, you might see 'invitée' used in the expression 'invitée de marque,' which refers to a VIP or a high-profile guest. 'Nous avons reçu une invitée de marque lors de la conférence annuelle.' This phrase elevates the status of the guest significantly. Conversely, in a casual setting, you might hear 'invitée surprise.' 'Elle était l'invitée surprise de l'anniversaire.'

En tant qu' invitée, elle n'a pas eu à payer son repas.

Finally, consider the placement of adjectives. Most adjectives follow the noun: 'une invitée charmante,' 'une invitée intelligente.' However, some short, common adjectives precede it: 'une grande invitée.' Mastery of these patterns ensures that your use of invitée sounds natural and grammatically sound.

The word invitée is ubiquitous in French life, appearing in both high-stakes professional environments and intimate domestic circles. One of the most common places to hear it is on French television and radio. Programs like 'C à vous' or 'Quotidien' regularly feature an invitée politique or an invitée culturelle. In these contexts, the word signals that the woman being interviewed is a guest of the production, lending her expertise or perspective to the day's topics.

Media Context: Broadcasters use 'notre invitée' to introduce a female subject. It establishes a rapport of hospitality even in a professional journalistic setting.

In the social sphere, you will hear invitée at weddings, baptisms, and dinner parties. A hostess might say to her partner, 'L'invitée de ce soir ne mange pas de viande,' referring to a specific female guest's dietary restrictions. At large events, security or reception staff might ask, 'Êtes-vous sur la liste des invitées?' (if addressing a woman or a group of women).

Mesdames et messieurs, veuillez accueillir notre prochaine invitée.

In academic and professional circles, you will hear about the conférencière invitée (guest speaker). This is a formal title given to a woman invited to present her research or experience at a seminar or convention. It carries a high level of prestige. You might also encounter the word in legal or administrative contexts, though less frequently. For instance, in a transcript of a meeting, a woman present who is not a regular member of the committee might be listed as an invitée permanente or invitée ponctuelle.

Elle a assisté au conseil d'administration en tant qu' invitée observatrice.

In everyday conversation, the word is used to describe someone's role in a story. 'J'étais l'invitée de Sophie le week-end dernier en Bretagne.' This usage establishes the social framework of the visit. It implies that Sophie provided the lodging and meals, and the speaker was the recipient of that care. Hearing the word invitée immediately tells the listener two things: the gender of the person and their social relationship to the event or host. It is a small word that does a lot of heavy lifting in French communication.

For English speakers learning French, the word invitée presents several pitfalls, primarily related to gender agreement and phonetics. The most common mistake is failing to add the extra 'e' in writing when the guest is female. Because invité and invitée sound exactly the same, many students forget that French requires this visual distinction. This is especially important in formal letters, invitations, or reports where grammatical precision reflects your level of education.

Mistake 1: The Missing 'E': Writing 'Elle est mon invité' instead of 'Elle est mon invitée'. While the sound is the same, the first version is a gender error.

Another frequent error involves the possessive adjective. As mentioned before, students often try to say ma invitée because they know the word is feminine. However, French phonetics forbid the clash of two 'a' sounds (or 'a' and 'i'). You must use mon invitée. This is a counter-intuitive rule for beginners who associate 'mon' exclusively with masculine nouns.

Faux: C'est ma invitée. Vrai: C'est mon invitée.

A more subtle mistake is the confusion between invitée and hôte. In French, the word hôte is notoriously ambiguous because it can mean both 'host' and 'guest.' However, invitée is never ambiguous; it only means guest. If you want to be clear that someone was invited, use invitée. If you use hôte, you might need extra context to clarify who is hosting whom. Learners also struggle with the plural. If you have a group of ten women and one man, you cannot use invitées. You must use the masculine plural invités. This can feel frustrating or illogical to modern speakers, but it remains the standard rule in French grammar. Using invitées for a mixed group is a significant grammatical error.

Il y a dix femmes et un homme. On dit: 'Les invités sont là.'

Finally, avoid confusing the noun invitée with the verb inviter. 'Je l'ai invitée' (I invited her) uses the past participle, which looks like the noun but functions as part of a verb phrase. While the spelling is the same, the grammatical role is different. Misunderstanding this can lead to errors in sentence structure, such as trying to use the noun where a verb is needed.

While invitée is the most common word for a female guest, French offers several alternatives depending on the level of formality and the specific context of the visit. Understanding these synonyms helps you sound more precise and sophisticated.

Convive: This is a more formal and literary term specifically used for someone invited to a meal. Unlike 'invitée,' 'convive' is epicene (the form is the same for both genders), though you change the article: 'une convive.' It suggests a shared dining experience.
Hôte / Hôtesse: As mentioned, 'une hôte' can mean a female guest. However, 'une hôtesse' almost always refers to the woman hosting the event or a flight attendant. Be careful with this distinction.
Visiteuse: This term refers to a woman who visits a place, like a museum or a monument. It is less about a social invitation and more about the act of visiting.

In a professional context, you might use participante (participant) if the woman is attending a workshop or seminar. While she is technically an invitée of the organization, participante emphasizes her active role in the event.

Chaque convive a reçu un petit cadeau de bienvenue à table.

If the guest is staying overnight, you might use the phrase personne hébergée in formal or administrative documents, though this sounds very cold and clinical compared to the warmth of invitée. In the media, 'l'intervenante' (the contributor/speaker) is often used interchangeably with invitée to describe a woman providing expert commentary. There is also the word cliente, which is used when the 'invitation' is actually a paid service, such as at a restaurant or hotel. Calling a paying customer an invitée might be done in very high-end luxury marketing to make the customer feel more like a personal guest, but in standard French, cliente is the correct term for a business relationship. Finally, consider compagne if the woman is the guest because she is accompanying someone else. 'Il est venu avec sa compagne.' While she is an invitée, her primary identification in that sentence is her relationship to the other guest.

How Formal Is It?

Formal

"Nous sommes honorés d'accueillir notre invitée de marque."

Neutral

"L'invitée est arrivée avec un peu de retard."

Informal

"C'est mon invitée pour la soirée, sois cool !"

Child friendly

"Regarde, nous avons une invitée pour le goûter !"

Slang

"C'est l'invi de mon pote."

Fun Fact

The word 'invitation' and 'invitée' share the same root as 'vies', an old word for life, suggesting that inviting someone is giving them life or energy.

Pronunciation Guide

UK /ɛ̃.vi.te/

US /ɛ̃.vi.te/

In French, stress is evenly distributed, but slightly more emphasis may fall on the last syllable 'tée'.

Rhymes With

Santé Liberté Été Beauté Côté Dictée Jetée Montée

Common Errors

Pronouncing the final 'e' as a separate syllable (it is silent).
Failing to make the 'in' nasal.
Pronouncing the 't' too softly like an English 'd'.
Over-emphasizing the 'v' sound.
Adding a 'y' sound at the end like 'invitay-ee'.

Difficulty Rating

Reading 2/5

Easy to recognize in text due to the 'e' suffix.

Writing 4/5

Requires remembering the 'e' and the 'mon' vs 'ma' rule.

Speaking 3/5

Easy to pronounce but sounds identical to the masculine form.

Listening 3/5

Context is needed to know if the speaker means 'invité' or 'invitée'.

What to Learn Next

Prerequisites

Inviter Fête Ami Maison La

Learn Next

Hôte Invitation Recevoir Cadeau Politesse

Advanced

Convive Récipiendaire Dignitaire Amphitryon Hébergement

Grammar to Know

Feminine Agreement

L'invitée est fatiguée (extra 'e' on adjective).

Possessive Adjectives with Vowels

Mon invitée (not ma invitée).

Past Participle Agreement

Elle a été invitée (extra 'e' on participle).

Elision

L'invitée (not la invitée).

Masculine Plural Dominance

Les invités (for a mixed group).

Examples by Level

Elle est mon invitée.

She is my guest.

Uses 'mon' instead of 'ma' because 'invitée' starts with a vowel.

C'est une invitée sympa.

She is a nice guest.

Adjective 'sympa' follows the noun.

L'invitée arrive à huit heures.

The guest is arriving at eight o'clock.

Definite article 'la' becomes 'l''.

Voici une invitée pour toi.

Here is a guest for you.

Simple introduction.

Est-elle l'invitée ?

Is she the guest?

Simple question structure.

L'invitée mange une pomme.

The guest is eating an apple.

Subject-verb-object.

Une invitée est ici.

A guest is here.

Indefinite article 'une'.

Merci, chère invitée.

Thank you, dear guest.

Feminine adjective 'chère'.

Elle est l'invitée surprise de la fête.

She is the surprise guest of the party.

Compound noun phrase.

Nous attendons une invitée importante.

We are waiting for an important guest.

Adjective 'importante' agrees with feminine noun.

Mon invitée a apporté des fleurs.

My guest brought flowers.

Past tense 'a apporté'.

C'est l'invitée de mon frère.

She is my brother's guest.

Possessive phrase with 'de'.

L'invitée ne boit pas d'alcool.

The guest does not drink alcohol.

Negative construction.

Elle est l'invitée de la semaine.

She is the guest of the week.

Time expression.

Je suis l'invitée de Julie ce soir.

I am Julie's guest tonight.

Identifying as the guest.

Les invitées sont dans le salon.

The female guests are in the living room.

Plural feminine form.

L'invitée d'honneur va prononcer un discours.

The guest of honor is going to give a speech.

Specific title 'invitée d'honneur'.

Chaque invitée doit confirmer sa présence.

Each guest must confirm her presence.

Use of 'chaque'.

Elle a été invitée par le directeur.

She was invited by the director.

Passive voice with feminine agreement.

C'est une invitée de marque pour notre gala.

She is a distinguished guest for our gala.

Idiomatic 'de marque'.

L'invitée a semblé apprécier le dîner.

The guest seemed to enjoy the dinner.

Verb 'sembler' followed by infinitive.

Nous avons une invitée mystère ce soir.

We have a mystery guest tonight.

Mystery guest concept.

L'invitée s'est assise à côté de moi.

The guest sat down next to me.

Reflexive verb with feminine agreement.

Elle était l'invitée principale du séminaire.

She was the main guest of the seminar.

Adjective 'principale'.

L'invitée a souligné l'importance de ce projet.

The guest emphasized the importance of this project.

Formal verb 'souligner'.

Bien qu'elle soit l'invitée, elle a aidé en cuisine.

Although she is the guest, she helped in the kitchen.

Subjunctive after 'bien que'.

L'invitée politique a répondu aux questions difficiles.

The political guest answered the difficult questions.

Compound noun with professional adjective.

Toutes les invitées étaient ravies de la soirée.

All the female guests were delighted with the evening.

Plural agreement of 'toutes' and 'ravies'.

L'invitée a été accueillie avec beaucoup de chaleur.

The guest was welcomed with a lot of warmth.

Passive voice with abstract noun.

Elle ne se sentait pas comme une invitée, mais comme une amie.

She didn't feel like a guest, but like a friend.

Reflexive verb in the imperfect.

L'invitée de pierre est un concept littéraire.

The stone guest is a literary concept.

Literary reference (Don Juan).

Il est rare qu'une invitée refuse ce genre d'offre.

It is rare for a guest to refuse this kind of offer.

Subjunctive after 'il est rare que'.

L'invitée a fait preuve d'une grande éloquence lors du débat.

The guest showed great eloquence during the debate.

Idiomatic 'faire preuve de'.

En tant qu'invitée permanente, elle assiste à toutes les réunions.

As a permanent guest, she attends all the meetings.

Formal administrative status.

L'invitée a su captiver l'auditoire dès les premières minutes.

The guest knew how to captivate the audience from the first minutes.

Verb 'savoir' used for ability.

L'invitée d'honneur a été célébrée pour son œuvre humanitaire.

The guest of honor was celebrated for her humanitarian work.

Passive voice with complex complement.

Elle a agi en invitée discrète, observant tout sans rien dire.

She acted as a discreet guest, observing everything without saying anything.

Adverbial phrase 'en invitée'.

L'invitée a décliné poliment l'invitation à prolonger son séjour.

The guest politely declined the invitation to extend her stay.

Formal vocabulary 'décliner'.

L'invitée a apporté une perspective rafraîchissante à la discussion.

The guest brought a refreshing perspective to the discussion.

Metaphorical usage.

Nul n'aurait pu deviner que l'invitée était en réalité une espionne.

No one could have guessed that the guest was actually a spy.

Conditionnel passé and literary 'nul'.

L'invitée s'est immiscée dans la conversation avec une subtilité déconcertante.

The guest meddled in the conversation with disconcerting subtlety.

High-level reflexive verb 's'immiscer'.

La présence de cette invitée de marque a conféré une aura de prestige à l'événement.

The presence of this distinguished guest gave an aura of prestige to the event.

Formal verb 'conférer'.

L'invitée a fustigé les politiques actuelles lors de son allocution.

The guest criticized current policies during her speech.

Sophisticated verb 'fustiger'.

Il est impératif que chaque invitée se sente pleinement intégrée à la cérémonie.

It is imperative that every guest feels fully integrated into the ceremony.

Subjunctive with 'il est impératif que'.

L'invitée a su naviguer entre les écueils de la diplomatie avec brio.

The guest knew how to navigate the pitfalls of diplomacy with brilliance.

Metaphorical 'écueils' and 'brio'.

L'invitée a été le catalyseur d'un changement profond au sein de l'organisation.

The guest was the catalyst for profound change within the organization.

Abstract noun 'catalyseur'.

L'invitée a dépeint un tableau sombre de la situation économique.

The guest painted a bleak picture of the economic situation.

Idiomatic 'dépeindre un tableau'.

L'invitée d'honneur s'est vue remettre les clés de la ville.

The guest of honor was presented with the keys to the city.

Passive reflexive construction 'se voir remettre'.

Common Collocations

Invitée d'honneur

Invitée de marque

Invitée surprise

Invitée permanente

Invitée spéciale

Invitée mystère

Invitée politique

Invitée de dernière minute

Invitée indésirable

Invitée prestigieuse

Common Phrases

Être l'invitée de...

— To be the guest of someone.

Je suis l'invitée de ma cousine.

Accueillir une invitée

— To welcome a female guest.

Nous accueillons une invitée ce soir.

Traiter comme une invitée

— To treat someone like a guest.

Elle me traite comme une invitée.

Se sentir comme une invitée

— To feel like a guest.

Je me sens comme une invitée chez moi.

L'invitée du jour

— The guest of the day (often media).

Voici l'invitée du jour sur France 2.

Une invitée à table

— A guest at the dinner table.

Il y a une invitée à table ce soir.

Remercier l'invitée

— To thank the female guest.

N'oubliez pas de remercier l'invitée.

Présenter l'invitée

— To introduce the female guest.

Laissez-moi vous présenter l'invitée.

Chercher l'invitée

— To look for or pick up the guest.

Je vais chercher l'invitée à la gare.

Loger une invitée

— To host or lodge a female guest.

Nous pouvons loger une invitée de plus.

Often Confused With

invitée vs Hôte

Can mean guest or host; 'invitée' is only guest.

invitée vs Invitée (Participle)

The verb form 'she was invited' looks identical to the noun.

invitée vs Visiteuse

A visitor to a place, not necessarily an invited guest.

Idioms & Expressions

"L'invitée de pierre"

— A silent, unexpected, or ghostly guest, referring to the statue in Don Juan.

Elle restait là comme l'invitée de pierre.

Literary

"Brûler la politesse à une invitée"

— To leave before a guest or to be rude by leaving early.

Il a brûlé la politesse à l'invitée.

Informal

"Être l'invitée surprise"

— To show up unexpectedly at an event.

Elle a fait l'invitée surprise au mariage.

Neutral

"Faire l'invitée"

— To act like a guest, often implying not helping with chores.

Elle fait l'invitée et ne débarrasse pas la table.

Informal

"Une invitée de trop"

— One guest too many; an unwanted presence.

Elle s'est sentie comme l'invitée de trop.

Neutral

"L'invitée d'un soir"

— A guest for only one night or a fleeting presence.

Elle n'était que l'invitée d'un soir.

Poetic

"Recevoir en invitée"

— To receive someone with the honors due to a guest.

Elle a été reçue en invitée de marque.

Formal

"L'invitée mystère"

— A guest whose identity is kept secret until the last moment.

Tout le monde attend l'invitée mystère.

Entertainment

"L'invitée indésirable"

— A guest who was not wanted or has overstayed their welcome.

Elle est devenue l'invitée indésirable de la maison.

Neutral

"L'invitée permanente"

— Someone who is always invited or present without being a member.

Elle est l'invitée permanente de notre groupe.

Professional

Easily Confused

invitée vs Invité

Sounds identical.

Masculine form vs feminine form.

Un invité (m), Une invitée (f).

invitée vs Invitation

Same root.

The act or the card vs the person.

J'ai reçu l'invitation.

invitée vs Hôtesse

Opposite role.

The woman who hosts vs the woman who is hosted.

L'hôtesse accueille l'invitée.

invitée vs Convive

Synonym.

More formal and specific to meals.

Une convive à ma table.

invitée vs Cliente

Commercial context.

Paying customer vs invited social guest.

La cliente de l'hôtel.

Sentence Patterns

C'est une [Adjective] invitée.

C'est une nouvelle invitée.

Elle est l'invitée de [Name].

Elle est l'invitée de Sophie.

L'invitée a [Verb] le [Object].

L'invitée a apporté le dessert.

Bien que l'invitée soit [Adjective]...

Bien que l'invitée soit timide...

En sa qualité d'invitée...

En sa qualité d'invitée d'honneur...

Nulle invitée ne saurait...

Nulle invitée ne saurait refuser.

Mixed

Voici notre invitée, [Name].

Voici notre invitée, Madame Legrand.

Mixed

L'invitée est [Location].

L'invitée est dans le jardin.

Word Family

Nouns

Verbs

Adjectives

How to Use It

frequency

Very high in both spoken and written French.

Common Mistakes

Ma invitée → Mon invitée
Using 'ma' before a vowel causes a phonetic clash. 'Mon' is required for euphony.
Elle est un invité → Elle est une invitée
Gender mismatch. If the person is 'elle', the noun must be 'invitée'.
Les invitées sont là (for a mixed group) → Les invités sont là
The masculine plural is used for mixed groups in French.
L'invité est venu (referring to a woman) → L'invitée est venue
Missing feminine agreement on both the noun and the past participle.
Une hôtesse (meaning guest) → Une invitée
Confusing the host with the guest. An hôtesse is the one who invites.

Tips

The Vowel Rule

Always use 'mon', 'ton', 'son' before 'invitée' to maintain the flow of speech. This is a very common test question for A2 learners.

The Gift Rule

As an invitée in France, never show up empty-handed. A small token of appreciation is required for the hostess.

The Double E

Think of the two 'e's in 'invitée' as two guests standing at the door. It helps you remember the feminine spelling.

Nasal Focus

The first syllable 'in' should be produced in the nose. Practice by saying 'un' and then adding 'vitée'.

Introduction

When introducing an invitée, use her title if she has one, e.g., 'Notre invitée, Docteur Martin'.

TV Context

If you hear 'notre invitée' on TV, look for a woman. If you hear 'notre invité', it's a man.

Synonym Choice

Use 'convive' for dinner parties to sound more sophisticated and like a native speaker.

Agreement Chain

Check your whole sentence for feminine agreement: 'L'invitée est arrivéE et ellE est enchantéE'.

Punctuality

Remember the 'quart d'heure de politesse' when you are the invitée. Don't be too early!

Email Tip

In an email, you can write 'Chère invitée' to start a message to a female guest.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Imagine an 'Invitée' named 'Ivy' who brings an 'E'xtra gift (the final 'e') to the party.

Visual Association

Picture a woman standing in a doorway (an 'in'trance) holding a 'v'ase, being 'i'nvited 't'o 'e'at.

Word Web

Party Host Dinner Invitation Feminine Guest Social Welcome

Challenge

Try to use 'invitée' in a sentence with 'mon' and a feminine adjective today. Example: 'Mon invitée est très intelligente.'

Word Origin

From the Latin 'invitare', meaning to summon, challenge, or treat.

Original meaning: To request someone's presence or to treat them to something.

Romance (Latin)

Cultural Context

Always ensure you use the feminine form for women to show respect for their identity and grammatical correctness.

In English, 'guest' is neutral. French speakers find it important to specify the gender, which can feel repetitive to English learners.

L'Invitée (She Came to Stay) by Simone de Beauvoir The guest of stone in Don Juan L'Invitée, a 1969 film by Vittorio De Seta

Practice in Real Life

Real-World Contexts

Dinner Party

Merci pour l'invitation
C'est délicieux
Puis-je vous aider ?
Une excellente soirée

TV Interview

Notre invitée ce soir
Bienvenue sur le plateau
Merci d'être avec nous
Question pour l'invitée

Wedding

L'invitée d'honneur
La liste des invitées
Le plan de table
Félicitations aux mariés

Business Meeting

Invitée observatrice
Prendre la parole
Ordre du jour
Compte-rendu

Hotel/Lodging

Invitée de la chambre 4
Petit-déjeuner inclus
Clé de la chambre
Séjour agréable

Conversation Starters

"Qui est l'invitée d'honneur de la soirée ?"

"Est-ce que ton invitée a des allergies alimentaires ?"

"Comment as-tu rencontré ton invitée ?"

"Est-ce que l'invitée est déjà arrivée ?"

"Quel cadeau devrions-nous offrir à l'invitée ?"

Journal Prompts

Décrivez une fois où vous étiez l'invitée d'honneur à un événement.

Quelles sont les qualités d'une bonne invitée selon vous ?

Si vous pouviez être l'invitée de n'importe quelle personne célèbre, qui choisiriez-vous ?

Racontez une histoire sur une invitée surprise qui a changé le cours d'une fête.

Comment préparez-vous votre maison pour accueillir une invitée importante ?

Frequently Asked Questions

10 questions

In French, we use 'mon' before feminine nouns starting with a vowel to avoid a sound clash. It makes the sentence flow better (mon-n-invitée).

No, they are pronounced exactly the same. The difference is only in the spelling and the gender of the articles/adjectives used with them.

Only if the entire group consists of women. If there is even one man, you must use the masculine plural 'invités'.

It is the 'guest of honor'—the most important person invited to an event, like the person a birthday party is for.

It is neutral. It can be used in very casual settings (like a friend's house) or very formal ones (like a state dinner).

You can say 'conférencière invitée' or simply 'l'invitée' if the context of the conference is clear.

Younger people might use 'une invi', but this is very informal and should be avoided in writing.

Yes, it can refer to someone invited to a legal proceeding or a meeting, though 'personne convoquée' is more common for legal summons.

It is a woman who has a standing invitation to attend meetings of a group she is not officially a member of.

Yes, always. For example: 'une invitée intelligente' or 'l'invitée est ravie'.