🥅🚫

How to Say ‘Off the post!’ in French

Sur le poteau !

sur luh poh-TOH

[sur luh poh-TOH]

💬 Usage Tip: French says the ball hits "on" the post with sur, where English says "off". Same idea with the crossbar: sur la barre "off the bar".

Phrase Breakdown

Sur

[sur]

Indicates position in relation to a surface.

Example

Nous avançons sur ce chemin en ton absence.

We proceed on this path in your absence.

[luh]

the

Used as a function word to indicate a noun and to mark the noun as definite.

Example

Le chat noir.

The black cat.

poteau

[poh-TOH]

post (goalpost)

A masculine noun; in football, one of the vertical bars of the goal.

Example

Le ballon a touché le poteau.

The ball hit the post.

Guides for French learners

Ordering in French: Cafés, Bakeries and Restaurants (with Menu Vocabulary)How to order in French at a café, a bakery and a restaurant: the phrases, the questions staff ask, and the menu and food vocabulary to understand the answers.Hello in French: Greetings, Good Evening and How to Answer "How Are You?"How to say hello in French, when to switch to good evening, how to ask how are you and what to answer, with tu vs vous and native audio.

Get the Full Learning Experience

This lesson is just a preview. Download PrettyFluent to practice pronunciation, roleplay conversations, and master vocabulary with spaced repetition.

Pronunciation Feedback

AI-powered feedback on what you say out loud

Spaced Repetition

Retain vocabulary long-term with smart practice

Immersive Roleplaying

Practice real conversations with AI partners

Lessons for Your Situation

Request lessons tailored to your specific needs

Get Full Lesson

What Learners Are Saying

“Moved to Lyon for a culinary apprenticeship. The food and restaurant lessons were exactly what I needed — my French colleagues were genuinely impressed.”

Tom H., 38, Chef

“Studying in Paris and the academic French I learned in school was useless for daily life. This app filled the gap in weeks, not months.”

Nina W., 29, Graduate Student

“Learning a language has never been as immediately impactful. Now I can charm the locals and navigate the food scene like a boss.”

Alex M., 42, Software Engineer