Which to use
“éternel” and “éternelles” are a confusable French pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #6,577
- “éternel” frequency rank
- #33,091
- “éternelles” frequency rank
- 39668
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | éternel | éternelles |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Qui n’a pas eu de commencement et n’aura jamais de fin. | Féminin pluriel de éternel. |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set éternel and éternelles apart are highlighted. They share 7 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
This is the hard kind. éternel and éternelles are pronounced identically (\e.tɛʁ.nɛl\) and both work as anadjective. Neither the ear nor the grammar will rescue you; only the meaning does, so the glosses below are the whole decision. They differ by 3 extra letter(s) - “éternel” sits inside “éternelles”. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 39668, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
éternel is recorded at frequency rank #6,577, classified as anadj, pronounced \e.tɛʁ.nɛl\. éternelles is at rank #33,091, tagged as anadj, pronounced \e.tɛʁ.nɛl\.
Glosses for this pair are partially populated in our dataset, but the full side-by-side definitions above should still guide you to the right choice.
With a confusion score of 39668, this pair ranks #246,283 of 440,172 scored French confusable pairs - roughly mid-pack for confusability.
Orthographic DNA of éternel vs éternelles
Shared letters: elnrté. Private to "éternel": -. Private to "éternelles": s.
"éternel" · 7 letters · shape VCVCCVC · "éternelles" · 10 letters · shape VCVCCVCCVC
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "éternel" and "éternelles" be used interchangeably?
Which is more common, "éternel" or "éternelles"?
Remembering éternel vs éternelles
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Read both glosses above and match the meaning you intend, only context separates this pair.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “éternel” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable