40 Ways To Describe Your Hair in French & Video 💇🏾‍♀️

Author: Camille Chevalier-Karfis

Explore the hairstyles and hair textures vocabulary in French, as well as hair styles for women men. Watch my video featuring The Sims in French.

How do You Say Hair in French? Cheveux ≠ Chevaux

In French, we have a special name for the hair which is on top of your head: “les cheveux”.

A single piece of hair would be “un cheveu” in the singular, but in French, when we refer to the ensemble of the hair, as in when you comb your hair, or style your hair, we use “cheveux” in the plural:

• Des cheveux or les cheveux.

Not to be mistaken with un cheval and des chevaux which are horses…

How Do You Say “What Color Is Her Hair in French?”

• Elle a les cheveux de quelle couleur ?
What color is her hair?

You could also say:

• De quelle couleur sont ses cheveux ?
However it’s a bit less common in French.

Hair Is Plural In French

Watch out that in French, “les cheveux” is plural… So whenever you refer to “hair” (singular in English), you’ll need to use a verb / French adjective in the plural.

And of course, like for most French adjectives, the adjective goes after the noun.

• Elle a les cheveux blonds. She has blond hair.

You could say: “Ses cheveux sont blonds” but we prefer using the construction “elle a les cheveux + adjective” in French: “elle a les cheveux blonds”.

And now, let’s see a video featuring the French vocabulary about the hair colors, and using The Sims 4. Sorry there is a mistake I cannot correct at “blonds” but the pronounciation is OK.

If you are a teacher, please feel free to use this video in class, and share it with other teachers :-)

Hair Colors in French 💁🏼‍♀️

So now, let’s explore the different hair colors in French.

1. Elle a les cheveux châtains.
This color is very used in French and usually not known by students. It’s the equivalent of a dark blond, sort of a chestnut color.

2. Elle a les cheveux bruns = elle est brune
She has brown hair. She’s a brunette.

3. Elle a les cheveux blonds = elle est blonde
She has blond hair. She’s a blond.

4. Elle a les cheveux roux = elle est rousse.
She has red hair. She’s a redhead.
Watch out, French has a specific adjective for red as a hair color : roux, and rousse.We do not use “rouge” unless the hair has been died in a bright crimson red color.

5. Elle a les cheveux noirs.
She has black hair.
Watch out! We do not say “elle est noire” to talk about her hair color. “Elle est noire” means “she is black of skin”. And it is the politically correct term to use in French.

6. Elle a les cheveux blancs.
She has white hair.
Same remark. Elle est blanche would refer to her skin color.

7. Elle a les cheveux gris.
She has grey hair.

8. Elle a les cheveux poivre et sel.
In English, you say “salt and pepper” but in French we say “pepper and salt”…

9. Elle a des mèches bleues et violettes.
She has blue and purple highlights.

Et vous ? Vous avez les cheveux de quelle couleur ?

Leave a comment in French – I always read the comments and answer them on my blog – your feedback is super important to me and it’s what fuels me to do more :-)

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How to Say Hair Style in French

We say “la coiffure” for hair style in French.

Not to be mistaken with “le coiffeur, la coiffeuse” – the hairdresser, hair stylist

And now, let’s see a video featuring the French vocabulary about hair styles and textures, using The Sims 4.

If you are a teacher, please feel free to use this video in class, and share it with other teachers :-)

French Hair Length Vocabulary

  1. Comment est-elle coiffée ?
    How is her hair styled ? How does she wear her hair?
  2. Elle a les cheveux courts, très courts.
    Her hair is short, very short.
  3. Elle a les cheveux longs
    Her hair is long
  4. Elle a les cheveux mi-long
    Her hair is medium length
  5. Elle n’a pas de cheveux : elle est chauve
    She doesn’t have any hair: she is bald

9 French Hairstyle 👱‍♀️

  1. Elle porte ses cheveux sur le côté.
    She wears her hair on the side.
  2. Elle a une frange.
    She has bangs, singular in French.
  3. Elle a les cheveux attachés.
    Her hair is tied up.
  4. Elle a une tresse.
    She has a braid.
  5. Elle a des tresses africaines, ou bien: elle a des dreadlocks.
    She has African braids, or dreadlocks.
  6. Elle a un chignon – un chignon haut, un chignon rond…
    She wears her hair up – a high bun, a round bun
  7. Elle a une queue de cheval – une queue de cheval haute, une queue de cheval basse.
    She has a ponytail – a high ponytail, a low ponytail (note that in French we say “horse” tail)
  8. Elle a des couettes – des couettes courtes, de longues couettes.
    She has pigtails – short pigtails, long pigtails.
  9. Elle a une afro.
    She has an afro.

French Hair Texture Adjectives

Now, let’s look at some hair texture French vocabulary.

  1. Elle a les cheveux lisses
    Her hair is straight
  2. Elle a les cheveux ondulés
    Her hair is wavy
  3. Elle a les cheveux bouclés
    She has curly hair.

6 Hair Styles For Men in French 💇🏾‍♂️

  1. Il a les cheveux courts.
    His hair is short.
  2. Il a les cheveux très courts, ou même rasés, comme à l’armée.
    His hair is very short, or even shaven, like in the army.
  3. Il a les cheveux dégarnis et un jour peut-être, il sera chauve.
    He has balding hair, and one day maybe, he’ll be bald.
  4. Il a une crête iroquoise.
    He has a mohawk.
  5. Il a les cheveux courts sur le côté, et longs au dessus.
    His hair is short on the side, longer on top.
  6. Il a les cheveux rasés sur le côté, et plus longs au dessus.
    His hair is shaven short on the side, longer on top.

Hair Colors For Men in French

Pour la couleurs des cheveux des hommes:

  1. S’il a les cheveux blonds, on dit qu’il est blond.
    If his hair is blond, we say he is a blond.
  2. S’il a les cheveux bruns, il est brun.
    If his hair is brown, we say he is a brunette.
  3. Et s’il a les cheveux roux, il est roux.
    And if his hair is red, he is a redhead.

À vous ! It’s your turn – leave a comment and describe your hairstyle in French!

I read all the comments and really appreciate your feedback!

Author: Camille Chevalier-Karfis

Camille Chevalier-Karfis

Born and raised in Paris, I have been teaching today's French to adults for 25+ years in the US and France. Based on my students' goals and needs, I've created unique downloadable French audiobooks focussing on French like it's spoken today, for all levels. Come to Paimpol and enjoy an exclusive French immersion homestay with me in Brittany.

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