French Phrases: Music and musical instruments in French

This page gives the French name for various common instruments, arranged according to their orchestral family. At the bottom of the page, we also consider how to use the verb jouer with these instruments.

French names of musical instruments

Keyboard instruments

In French, these are instruments à clavier:

l'orgue	lɔʁg	the organ (usually masculine)
le piano	lə pjano	the piano
le piano électrique	lə pjano ɛlɛktʁik	the electric piano
le synthé	lə sæ̃te	the synth
l'accordéon	lakɔʁdeõ	the accordeon

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Stringed instruments

The French for stringed instruments is usually instruments à cordes. In an orchestra, you may also refer to the famille des cordes or famille du violon (string family):

le violon	lə vjɔlõ	the violin
l'alto	lalto	the viola
le violoncelle	lə vjɔlõsɛl	the cello
la contrebasse	la kõtʁəbas	the double bass
la harpe	la aʁp	the harp
la guitare (acoustique)	la gitaʁ	the (acoustic) guitar
la guitare électrique	la gitaʁ ɛlɛktʁik	the electric guitar
la guitare basse	la gitaʁ bas	the bass guitar

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Note that speakers generally say la harpe (not l'harpe), and, for example, je joue de la harpe.

Wind instruments

Wind instruments (les instruments à vent) are sometimes split into woodwind (les instruments de bois, la famille des bois) and brass (les cuivres, la famille des cuivres). Here are the French names of common woodwind and brass instruments:

la clarinette	la klaʁinɛt	the clarinet
la clarinette basse	la klaʁinɛt bas	the bass clarinette
la flûte	la flyt	the flute
le piccolo	lə pikolo	the piccolo
le hautbois	lə obwa	the oboe
le basson	lə basõ	the bassoon
le cors anglais	lə cɔʁ ɑ̃gle	the cors anglais, "English horn"
le trombone	lə tʁõbɔn	the trombone
la trompette	la tʁõpɛt	the trumpet
le tuba	lə tyba	the tuba
le cors (d'harmonie)	lə kɔʁ daʁmoni	the (French) horn

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Note that speakers generally say le hautbois, and thus (jouer) du hautbois (not: (de) l'hautbois).

Percussion instruments

In French, these are instruments de percussion:

la batterie	la batʁi	the drums, the drumkit
la caisse claire	la kɛs klɛʁ	the snare drum
les toms	le tɔm	the tom-toms
les tam-tams	le tamtam	the tom-toms
le tom alto/basse	-	the high/low tom-tom
la caisse (de batterie)	la kɛs (də batʁi)	the drum
la grosse caisse	la gʁos kɛs	the bass drum
la caisse claire	la kɛs klɛʁ	the snare drum
les cymbales	le sæ̃bal	the cymabls
la cymable suspendue	la sæ̃bal syspɑ̃dy	the ride cymbal
la cymable ride	la sæ̃bal ʁajd	the ride cymabl
le charleston	lə ʃaʁləstɔn	the hi-hat
la cymable supérieure/inférieure	-	the upper/lower hi-hat
la pédale	la pedal	the pedal
les baguettes	le bagɛt	the drumsticks
le bali	lə bale	the brush
le gong	lə gõg	the gong
les castagnettes	le kastanjɛt	the castanets
les grelots	le gʁəlo	the sleighbells
le triangle	lə tʁiɑ̃gl	the triangle
le carillon	lə kaʁijõ	the tubular bells
le xylophone	lə gzilɔfɔn	the xylophone
le glockenspiel	lə glɔkœnʃpil	the glock, glockenspiel
le marimba	lə maʁimba	the marimba

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Grammar: jouer sur, jouer à or jouer de?

In French, the verb jouer is used to mean to play when referring to instruments¹. However, the preposition to use depends on the circumstance:

• if you're talking about the general activity of playing an instrument, particularly when it would sound odd in English to say play on, then use de:
  je joue du violon
  I play the violin
  il joue souvent de la trompette
  he often plays the trumpet
  tu sais jouer du hautbois?
  do you know how to play the oboe?
• if you're talking about a specific instrument that you played on a particular occasion, French speakers tend to use sur: these are the cases where it's often possibly to say play on in English; if used with the definite article or a possessive determiner (son, ma, mon etc), it's often possible to use jouer à:
  j'ai joué sur la trompette de David
  I played (on) David's trumpet
  je ne peux pas jouer sur un piano désacordé
  I can't play (on) a piano that's out of tune
  sur or à must also be used (and most often, à appears to be used) if there's a direct object: i.e. you're referring to playing a particular piece, part etc (note that in these cases on is also necessary in English):
  il l'a joué au piano
  he played it on the piano
  un air joué au violon
  a tune played on the violin
• if the verb jouer isn't actually mentioned, then the preposition à is usually used— note that in English, it's possible to omit the article in many such cases:
  "Au piano, David Kretz; à la trompette, George Steele"
  "On (the) piano, David Kretz; on (the) trumpet, George Steele"

1. In historical texts, you will sometimes see the verb toucher used, e.g. toucher le piano (cf Spanish tocar). However, this usage is now obsolete.

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