terre

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/tɛʁ/

nounfeminineSing

Earth (the planet)

the world

Nous devons protéger la terre si nous voulons préserver la vie.

We must protect the Earth if we want to preserve life.

Synonyms:monde, globe

nounfeminineSing

soil

dirt

ground

land (the surface of the earth)

Fais attention, tu as de la terre sur tes chaussures.

Be careful, you have dirt on your shoes.

Synonyms:sol, terrain

nounfeminineSing

earth, ground (electrical grounding)

Il faut raccorder la prise à la terre pour éviter les risques.

You must connect the outlet to ground to avoid risks.

Synonyms:masse, mise à la terre

Notes

GENERAL INFO

Terre is a feminine noun meaning "earth" (the planet), "land," or "soil."

USAGE

It's used for the planet ("La Terre tourne"), ground/soil ("cultiver la terre"), or a specific piece of land ("ses terres agricoles"). You can also say "par terre" (on the ground).

TRAPS

Distinguish between "La Terre" (the planet, capitalized) and "une terre" (soil/land). Do not confuse it with "monde" (world/people), which has a broader meaning than just the physical ground.