French crochet abbreviations
Author: Crochetly · Last updated: May 16, 2026
Sources: Craft Yarn Council, French crochet publications
Reading a crochet pattern in French? This guide covers the most common French crochet abbreviations, including post stitches, Tunisian terms, and US/UK equivalents.
French crochet terms are consistent across French-speaking regions, with only small differences. Designers and publishers sometimes use their own abbreviations. Always check the pattern’s key (clé des abréviations) for the exact terms.
What are the most common French crochet abbreviations?
Section titled “What are the most common French crochet abbreviations?”French patterns use ms (maille serrée) for single crochet, b (bride) for double crochet, and db (double bride) for treble crochet. The table below covers the essential abbreviations.
| Abbreviation | French Term | Description (French terminology) | English Equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
m | maille | stitch | stitch |
ml | maille en l’air | chain stitch | chain |
mc | maille coulée | slip stitch | slip stitch |
ms | maille serrée | single crochet | single crochet |
db | demi-bride | half double crochet | half double crochet |
b | bride | double crochet | double crochet |
db | double bride | treble crochet | treble crochet |
tb | triple bride | double treble crochet | double treble crochet |
aug | augmentation | increase | increase |
dim | diminution | decrease | decrease |
rep | répéter | repeat | repeat |
ens | ensemble | together | together |
rem | restant | remaining | remaining |
suiv | suivant | next/following | next/following |
cont | continuer | continue | continue |
rg | rang | row | row |
tour | tour | round/turn | round/turn |
ed | endroit | right side | right side |
env | envers | wrong side | wrong side |
am | anneau magique | magic ring | magic ring |
What are the French foundation and construction terms?
Section titled “What are the French foundation and construction terms?”French patterns use ml (maille en l’air) for chain, am (anneau magique) for magic ring, and rg (rang) for row. These terms describe how a project is started and built.
| French Term | Abbreviation | Description | English Equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
| maille en l’air | ml | chain stitch | chain |
| maille chaînette | mch | chain stitch (alternate) | chain |
| chaînette | ch | chain | chain |
| anneau | an | ring | ring |
| anneau magique | am | magic ring | magic ring |
| cercle magique | cm | magic circle | magic circle |
| maille | m | stitch | stitch |
| rang | rg | row | row |
| tour | tr | round / turn | round / turn |
| ronde | rd | round | round |
| commencement | com | beginning | beginning |
| début | déb | beginning / start | beginning / start |
| fin | fin | end / last | end / last |
| reste | rest | remainder | remainder |
| restant | rem | remaining | remaining |
| avant | av | before | before |
| suivant | suiv | next / following | next / following |
| après | apr | after | after |
What are the French terms for stitch loops and placement?
Section titled “What are the French terms for stitch loops and placement?”ba (brin avant) means front loop, bar (brin arrière) means back loop, and ent means between. These tell you where to insert your hook in relation to stitch parts.
| French Term | Abbreviation | Description | English Equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
| espace | esp | space | space |
| espace de chaînette | esp ch | chain space | chain space |
| arceau | arc | arch / chain space | arch / chain space |
| boucle | bou | loop | loop |
| brin avant | ba | front loop | front loop |
| brin arrière | bar | back loop | back loop |
| brin avant de la maille | bav | front loop of stitch | front loop |
| brin arrière de la maille | bar | back loop of stitch | back loop |
| insérer le crochet | ins cr | insert hook | insert hook |
| piquer dans | pik | insert / poke | insert |
| sauter | sau | skip | skip |
| passer | pas | skip / pass | skip / pass |
| entre | ent | between | between |
| jeté | jet | yarn over | yarn over |
| lancer le fil | lan fil | yarn over | yarn over |
| tourner le fil | tor fil | yarn over | yarn over |
What are the basic stitch names in French?
Section titled “What are the basic stitch names in French?”ms (maille serrée) is single crochet, db (demi-bride) is half double crochet, and b (bride) is double crochet. French terms are more descriptive than most languages.
| French Term | Abbreviation | Description | English Equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
| maille coulée | mc | slip stitch | slip stitch |
| petite maille | pm | slip stitch (alternate) | slip stitch |
| maille serrée | ms | single crochet | single crochet |
| demi-bride | db | half double crochet | half double crochet |
| bride | b | double crochet | double crochet |
| double bride | db | treble crochet | treble crochet |
| triple bride | tb | double treble crochet | double treble crochet |
| bride simple | bs | double crochet (alternate) | double crochet |
How do French patterns express increases and decreases?
Section titled “How do French patterns express increases and decreases?”aug (augmentation) means increase, dim (diminution) means decrease, and 2 m ens means 2 stitches together. French uses intuitive abbreviations for shaping.
| French Term | Abbreviation | Description | English Equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
| augmentation | aug | increase | increase |
| augmenter | augm | increase (verb) | increase |
| 2 mailles ensemble | 2 m ens | 2 stitches together | 2 together |
| 3 mailles ensemble | 3 m ens | 3 stitches together | 3 together |
| diminution | dim | decrease | decrease |
| diminuer | dimm | decrease (verb) | decrease |
| fermer | ferm | close / decrease | close / decrease |
| grappe | grp | cluster | cluster |
| groupe | gr | group | group |
What are the French names for special stitches?
Section titled “What are the French names for special stitches?”msi (maille serrée inversée) is crab stitch, coq (coquille) is shell stitch, and pb (point de bouillon) is bobble stitch. French special stitch names often differ significantly from English.
| French Term | Abbreviation | Description | English Equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
| maille serrée inversée | msi | reverse single crochet | reverse single crochet / crab stitch |
| point de côte | pc | reverse single crochet | reverse single crochet / crab stitch |
| éventail | ev | fan stitch / shell stitch | fan stitch / shell stitch |
| coquille | coq | shell stitch | shell stitch |
| point de pop-corn | pc | popcorn stitch | popcorn stitch |
| point de bouillon | pb | bobble stitch | bobble stitch |
| point d’ourlet | p ou | puff stitch | puff stitch |
| point relief | pr | post stitch | post stitch |
| point fantaisie | pf | fancy / decorative stitch | fancy stitch |
| point côtelé | pcô | rib stitch | ribbed stitch |
| point d’écaille | pé | crocodile stitch | crocodile stitch |
| point croisé | pcz | crossed stitch / X-stitch | crossed stitch |
| point de V | pv | V-stitch | V-stitch |
How do French patterns refer to post stitches?
Section titled “How do French patterns refer to post stitches?”bra (bride en relief avant) is front post double crochet and brar (bride en relief arrière) is back post double crochet. French post stitch abbreviations are consistently formed.
| French Term | Abbreviation | Description | English Equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
| bride en relief avant | bra | front post double crochet | front post double crochet |
| bride en relief arrière | brar | back post double crochet | back post double crochet |
| maille serrée en relief avant | mra | front post single crochet | front post single crochet |
| maille serrée en relief arrière | mrar | back post single crochet | back post single crochet |
| demi-bride en relief avant | dbra | front post half double crochet | front post half double crochet |
| demi-bride en relief arrière | dbrar | back post half double crochet | back post half double crochet |
| double bride en relief avant | dbra | front post treble crochet | front post treble crochet |
| double bride en relief arrière | dbrar | back post treble crochet | back post treble crochet |
What are the French terms for color changes and markers?
Section titled “What are the French terms for color changes and markers?”cp (couleur principale) is main color, ct (couleur de contraste) is contrasting color, and pm (placer un marqueur) means place marker. These terms help manage colorwork in French patterns.
| French Term | Abbreviation | Description | English Equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
| changer de couleur | cc | change color | change color |
| couleur principale | cp | main color | main color |
| couleur de contraste | ct | contrasting color | contrasting color |
| marqueur | mar | marker | marker |
| placer un marqueur | pm | place marker | place marker |
| marqueur de maille | mm | stitch marker | stitch marker |
How do French patterns express common actions like turn and join?
Section titled “How do French patterns express common actions like turn and join?”tt (tourner le travail) means turn, rab (rabattre) means fasten off, and jo (joindre) means join. These action terms appear throughout French crochet instructions.
| French Term | Abbreviation | Description | English Equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
| crocheter | cro | crochet / work | crochet / work |
| tourner le travail | tt | turn work | turn |
| retourner le travail | rt | turn work | turn |
| joindre | jo | join | join |
| joindre en rond | jr | join in round | join in round |
| rabattre | rab | fasten off / bind off | fasten off |
| couper le fil | cf | cut yarn | cut yarn |
| coudre | cou | sew | sew |
| assembler | ass | assemble | assemble |
| attacher le fil | af | attach yarn | attach yarn |
| glisser sans travailler | gst | slip without working | slip stitch |
| sur le crochet | sc | on the hook | on the hook |
| échantillon | ech | gauge / swatch | gauge / swatch |
| tension | ten | tension | tension |
What are the French extended stitch terms?
Section titled “What are the French extended stitch terms?”msa (maille serrée allongée) is extended single crochet, dba (demi-bride allongée) is extended half double crochet. Extended stitches in French follow a predictable naming pattern.
| French Term | Abbreviation | Description | English Equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
| maille serrée allongée | msa | extended single crochet | extended single crochet |
| demi-bride allongée | dba | extended half double crochet | extended half double crochet |
| bride allongée | ba | extended double crochet | extended double crochet |
| double bride allongée | dba | extended treble crochet | extended treble crochet |
What are the French terms for Tunisian crochet stitches?
Section titled “What are the French terms for Tunisian crochet stitches?”pts (point tunisien simple) is Tunisian simple stitch, pte is Tunisian purl stitch, and ptd is Tunisian knit stitch. The same pattern of French stitch naming applies to Tunisian crochet.
| French Term | Abbreviation | Description | English Equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
| point tunisien simple | pts | Tunisian simple stitch | Tunisian simple stitch |
| point tunisien envers | pte | Tunisian purl stitch | Tunisian purl stitch |
| point tunisien endroit | ptd | Tunisian knit stitch | Tunisian knit stitch |
| point tunisien fantaisie | ptf | Tunisian decorative stitch | Tunisian decorative stitch |
| point tunisien croisé | ptc | Tunisian crossed stitch | Tunisian crossed stitch |
| point tunisien côtelé | pt c | Tunisian rib stitch | Tunisian rib stitch |
What common French phrases appear in crochet patterns?
Section titled “What common French phrases appear in crochet patterns?”“Faire X mailles en l’air” means “Chain X” and “Tricoter en rond” means “Work in round.” These full phrases help you follow French patterns that use complete sentences rather than abbreviations.
| French Phrase | Translation |
|---|---|
| Faire X mailles en l’air | Chain X |
| Tricoter en rond | Work in round |
| Tricoter à plat | Work flat / in rows |
| Endroit de l’ouvrage | Right side |
| Envers de l’ouvrage | Wrong side |
| Répéter de * à * | Repeat from * to * |
| Joindre avec une maille coulée | Join with slip stitch |
| Rabattre et couper le fil | Fasten off and cut yarn |
| 2 mailles serrées dans la même maille | 2 single crochets in same stitch |
| 1 bride dans chaque maille | 1 double crochet in each stitch |
| Sauter X mailles | Skip X stitches |
| Tourner l’ouvrage | Turn the work |
What are the French numbers and counting terms used in patterns?
Section titled “What are the French numbers and counting terms used in patterns?”French patterns use standard number words: un, deux, trois for 1, 2, 3. Understanding these helps you follow stitch counts and repeats in French instructions.
| French Term | English Equivalent |
|---|---|
| un (1) | one |
| deux (2) | two |
| trois (3) | three |
| quatre (4) | four |
| cinq (5) | five |
| six (6) | six |
| sept (7) | seven |
| huit (8) | eight |
| neuf (9) | nine |
| dix (10) | ten |
| maille(s) | stitch(es) |
| fois | times |
| chaque | each |
| tous/toutes | all |
What should I know before reading a French crochet pattern?
Section titled “What should I know before reading a French crochet pattern?”French patterns are more descriptive than other languages and often use full words instead of abbreviations. Terms are generally consistent across France, Quebec, and other French-speaking regions.
- Terminology: French terminology is more descriptive and often uses full terms rather than abbreviations
- Consistency: Abbreviations are generally consistent across French-speaking regions
- Pronunciation: Understanding pronunciation can help with pattern reading from audio/video sources
- Translation: Some terms may have literal translations that don’t match crochet terminology
- Regional Differences: Minor variations exist between France, Quebec, and other French-speaking regions
How do French crochet terms convert to US and UK English?
Section titled “How do French crochet terms convert to US and UK English?”French ms (maille serrée) = US single crochet = UK double crochet. French b (bride) = US double crochet = UK treble crochet. Use this conversion table to translate between French and English patterns.
This table provides quick conversion between French terms and their US/UK equivalents:
| French Term | US Equivalent | UK Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| maille serrée (ms) | single crochet (sc) | double crochet (dc) |
| bride (b) | double crochet (dc) | treble crochet (tr) |
| demi-bride (db) | half double crochet (hdc) | half treble crochet (htr) |
| double bride (db) | treble crochet (tr) | double treble crochet (dtr) |
| maille coulée (mc) | slip stitch (sl st) | slip stitch (sl st) |
| maille en l’air (ml) | chain (ch) | chain (ch) |
⚠️ Note: French patterns tend to use more descriptive language than other languages. While abbreviations exist, many French patterns use full terms. Always check the pattern’s abbreviation key for specific usage.