Usage Note
Barque specifically denotes a small, flat-bottomed or open boat, lighter than a bateau. The idiom mener sa barque (to steer one's own boat) means to manage one's affairs well. Charger la barque (to overload the boat) means to overdo or exaggerate.
Examples
"Ils traversaient le lac en barque."
Natural Translation
They were crossing the lake by rowing boat.
Related Words
Explore French by topic
FrenchNow
5 min read