To say “English” in French, the translation varies depending on how “English” is used in the sentence. Here’s a detailed explanation covering different contexts:

1. As an Adjective (Describing Something of English Origin)

• Masculine Nouns (singular/plural):
  • Anglais
    Example:
    • Un livre anglais (An English book)
    • Des animaux anglais (Some English animals)
  • Used when describing something masculine in French, such as un livre (a book) or un film (a movie).
• Feminine Nouns (singular):
  • Anglaise
    Example:
    • Une maison anglaise (An English house)
    • La reine anglaise (The English queen)
  • This form is used when the noun being described is feminine, like une maison (a house) or une chanson (a song).
• Feminine Nouns (plural):
  • Anglaises
    Example:
    • Les maisons anglaises (The English houses)
    • Les anglaises (The English women)
  • Used for plural feminine nouns.

2. Referring to the Language

• L’anglais or simply anglais:
  • This term is used when talking about the English language itself.
  • Examples:
    • Je parle anglais (I speak English)
    • L’anglais est une langue difficile (English is a difficult language)
  • In French, language names are not capitalized unless they are the first word in a sentence.

3. Referring to English People

• Les Anglais:
  • Used to refer to English people as a group or race.
  • Example:
    • Les Anglais boivent beaucoup de thé (The English drink a lot of tea)
  • In this case, “Anglais” is treated as a noun and is capitalized.

4. Pronunciation Guide

• Anglais (for masculine or when referring to the language): Pronounced “an-glay”
• Anglaise (feminine, singular): Pronounced “an-glayz”
• Anglaises (feminine, plural): Pronounced “an-glayz” (similar to singular but usually indicated in context)

Example Pronunciation Tips:

• For Anglais: Break it down into “an-glé.”
• For Anglaise: Break it down into “an-glez.”

5. Cultural Note

• In terms of nationalities, the British are often colloquially referred to as les Anglais by the French, which literally translates to “the English.” However, this term can encompass people from the United Kingdom, not just England.

6. Grammar Note

• In French grammar, adjectives must agree in gender and number with the noun they modify. So, “anglais” changes form depending on whether the noun is masculine, feminine, singular, or plural.
• Unlike in English, adjectives like “anglais” are not capitalized in French unless they appear at the beginning of a sentence.

Summary

• Adjective (Masculine): Anglais (e.g., un livre anglais)
• Adjective (Feminine, Singular): Anglaise (e.g., une maison anglaise)
• Adjective (Feminine, Plural): Anglaises (e.g., les maisons anglaises)
• Language: Anglais or l’anglais (e.g., je parle anglais)
• People/Nationality: Les Anglais (e.g., les Anglais boivent beaucoup de thé)