What does chalet mean?
Word: Chalet
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Chalet means a small wooden house found in mountain areas, or one used for holidays.
How do you spell chalet?
Syllables: chal - et
Tricky part: The word ends in a long a sound, yet it is spelt with a t that nobody says. French gave English the word, and the silent t came with it.
Watch out for: chaley, chalett
Memory tip: Think of a ballet dancer holding a bouquet: English kept the French t in both of those and left it silent, just as it does here.
Chalet in a sentence
Example 1: We stayed in a wooden chalet near Manali during the winter break.
Example 2: Snow covered the roof of the chalet by morning.
Example 3: From the chalet window, Neha could see the pine forest and the river far below.
Fun Fact
The word began in the French-speaking part of Switzerland, where it was used for the huts of herders in the Alps.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Cookie
Insert the correct pair of letters to form a word:
ch_l_t
a) o, e
b) e, e
c) a, e
d) a, i
Show answer
c) a, e. The vowels are the a of cat and the e of wet, even though the second one is said differently here.
Word Cookie
Find the misspelt word in the sentence:
Our family rented a small challet high above the valley for a week in May.
a) rented
b) valley
c) week
d) challet
Show answer
d) challet. The word has one l, unlike valley in the same sentence.
Mingle-Mangle
Form a meaningful word from the jumbled letters:
aectlh
a) hamlet
b) cutlet
c) chatter
d) chalet
Show answer
d) chalet. The letters include c and h but no m, u or second t.
Spell-o-Spell
Choose the incorrectly spelt word:
a) mountain
b) shalet
c) parachute
d) ceiling
Show answer
b) shalet. Like parachute, this French word writes its sh sound as ch.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. A family has booked a chalet for a holiday. Where are they heading?
a) a cabin on a cargo ship
b) a cottage among the hills
c) a tent in a desert camp
d) a flat above a busy market
Show answer
b) a cottage among the hills
2. Which word belongs in the same group as chalet?
a) glacier
b) lodge
c) pasture
d) ravine
Show answer
b) lodge
