seul

Seul is a French adjective meaning "alone" or "the only one." It agrees with the noun it modifies: masculin singulier seul, féminin singulier seule, masculin pluriel seuls, féminin pluriel seules. When placed before the noun, seul conveys exclusivity (un seul problème = only one problem). When placed after the noun, it emphasizes solitude or being by oneself (un homme seul = a man by himself). The phrase tout seul (or tout seule) means "all alone" or "by oneself." Seul can also function as a determiner or pronoun, as in Le seul qui manque (the only one who is missing).

Common uses include phrases such as le seul candidat, la seule solution, les seuls choix, and les seules personnes. In these contexts, seul highlights uniqueness or exclusivity rather than mere existence. The word often contrasts with ensemble or avec d’autres to express isolation or rarity.

Etymology and cognates: seul derives from Latin solus, and has cognates in other Romance languages, such as solo in Spanish and Italian, and solo in English.

Notes: in French, the capital city of South Korea is written Séoul, with an accented e, not Seul. While seul appears in many idioms and grammatical constructions, the adverbial sense is usually expressed with seulement rather than seul.

See also: solo; seulement; solitude.