Meaning & use
chalets
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“chalets” is a form of “chalet”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
nouncountable
A wooden house with a sloping roof, especially one in a mountain area, often used by people on vacation.
Grammar: Countable: one chalet, two chalets. Often used in the plural when talking about several buildings or a type of accommodation.
Patterns
- a chalet in the mountains
- stay in a chalet
- rent a chalet
We spent a week in a cozy chalet in the Alps.
The chalets along the lake all have wooden balconies.
Many ski resorts offer chalets for families.
nouncountable
A small hut or shelter, often for workers, animals, or equipment.
Grammar: Countable: a chalet, several chalets. This sense is less common but appears in descriptions of farms or construction sites.
Patterns
- a shepherd's chalet
- a chalet for tools
The shepherd slept in a simple chalet near the pasture.
They built a chalet to store the farm equipment.
Word forms
| singular | chalet |
|---|---|
| plural | chalets |
Common combinations
- ski chalet
- They booked a ski chalet for the winter holidays.
- mountain chalet
- The mountain chalet had a fireplace and a view of the peaks.
- wooden chalet
- The village is full of wooden chalets.
- rent a chalet
- We decided to rent a chalet instead of staying in a hotel.
- chalet-style house
- Their new home is a chalet-style house with a large balcony.
Synonyms and how they differ
- cabin
- Cabin is a small, simple wooden house, often in the woods; a chalet is typically in the mountains and may be more spacious or intended for holidays.
- lodge
- Lodge can mean a house in the mountains used by hunters or skiers, but it often suggests a larger building with a communal area, while chalet is usually a private house.
- hut
- Hut is a very small, basic shelter; a chalet is usually more comfortable and permanent.
Word family
- chalet noun
- Singular form; a wooden house in the mountains.
Commonly confused: chalets or shallot?
chalets vs shallot
Shallot is a small onion-like vegetable; chalet is a building. They sound somewhat similar but are completely different.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'chalets' correctly?
Choose one answer.
The plural 'chalets' is a countable noun, so it can be the subject of a plural verb ('were'). Option A uses 'a' with a plural, which is wrong; option C uses 'chalets' as a verb, which it is not; option D uses 'a' with a plural, also wrong.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “chalets”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.