Voix or voie? French homophones for voice, votes and routes
Choose voix for a voice or vote and voie for a track, lane or way. Compare phrases, read a station scene and practise the spellings in four questions.
In short
Une voix is a voice or a vote; une voie is a way, track or lane. Both are feminine and sound /vwa/. Choose the spelling from the meaning: à voix haute for aloud, voie 3 for track 3.
Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learn
What is the difference between voix and voie?
la voixvoice; vote
Focus: A sound someone makes, or a vote they cast.
une voix → des voix
Je reconnais sa voix au téléphone.
I recognise her voice on the phone.
La proposition a obtenu huit voix.
The proposal received eight votes.
la voieway; track; lane
Focus: A route or a means of reaching or doing something.
une voie → des voies
Le train partira de la voie 3.
The train will leave from track 3.
Envoyez le document par voie électronique.
Send the document electronically.
The final x in voix is silent and stays in the plural: une voix, des voix. Voie takes a regular plural s: une voie, des voies. Gender will not distinguish these homophones, since both nouns are feminine.
At the station: hear the voice, read the track
- Lina
Tu entends l’annonce ? Je reconnais cette voix.
Can you hear the announcement? I recognise that voice.
- Hugo
Oui. Le train pour Lyon part de la voie 3.
Yes. The train to Lyon leaves from track 3.
- Lina
Tu peux lire le message à voix haute ?
Can you read the message aloud?
- Hugo
Bien sûr : « Départ voie 3. »
Of course: “Departure from track 3.”
Keep the useful phrase together
| French phrase | English | Clue |
|---|---|---|
| une voix grave / aiguë | a low-pitched / high-pitched voice | Pitch of the voice |
| parler à voix basse | to speak quietly | How someone speaks |
| lire à voix haute | to read aloud | Audible reading |
| obtenir dix voix | to receive ten votes | A counted decision |
| une voie ferrée | a railway track | Railway travel |
| une voie de circulation | a traffic lane | A route for traffic |
| par voie électronique | electronically | A means of sending something |
Compare pitch with volume: une voix grave is low-pitched; à voix basse means quietly. For a route in life, trouver sa voie means finding your path. For participation in a decision, avoir voix au chapitre means having a say. The surrounding phrase carries the meaning.