Tattoo in French

Many people like the idea of a French Tattoo. Below, you’ll find a couple of pictures I mostly found on Pinterest with inspirational French tattoo quotes.

But first, let’s see how you say tattoo in French

How do you say Tattoo in French

The French word for tattoo is “un tatouage”. Tattoos are becoming quite popular in France: in our small city of Paimpol (8000 inhabitants) we have 2 tattoo parlours.

Here is a list of tattoo related French terms

French Tattoo Vocabulary

1. un tatouage – a tatto
2. un tatoueur / une tatoueuse – a tattoo artist
3. tatouer – to tattoo
4. se faire tatouer – to get tattooed / to get a tattoo
5. se faire faire un tatouage – to get a tattoo (the repetition of the verb “faire” here means that you don’t do it yourself but someone else does)
6. être tatoué(e) – to be tattooed
7. a tattoo parlour – un salon de tatouage
8. l’encre (f) – ink
9. une aiguille – needle

French Tattoo Inspirations

Here are a list of images of French tattoos. Should you want to get a tattoo in French, please don’t trust an online translator! They are getting better, but are not yet reliable enough for something that important.

I suggest you go to a French forum and ask for help there. If what you are trying to translate is a bit complicated, make sure you get the help from a senior member or admin, not from any random member who may not be reliable.

And now for some inspiration… Most of these images where found on Pinterest and I couldn’t find the author so I couldn’t insert credit, sorry.

1. La vie en rose – title of the very famous Edith Piaf song, “je vois la vie en rose” means I’m seeing life in pink because I’m in love…
2. Il était une fois – once upon a time
3. la vie est belle – life is beautiful
4. On ne naît pas femme, on le devient – one is not born woman, one becomes a woman
5. La mort n’arrête pas l’amour – death doesn’t stop love
6. Vis ta vie – live your life
7. Prendre le temps de vivre – taking the time to live
8. Rêver – to dream
9. Jamais seul(e) – never alone

Here is my French poetry section where you’ll find the most classic poems translated into English, some with audio recordings. Maybe a verse from a famous French poem would be a good tattoo idea?

Do you have a tattoo in French? What does it say?