💬 "Coup d'État" — Pronunciation, Meaning & Usage (FrenchLearner) You see this word in the news all the time… but what does it actually mean in French? Coup d'État means a sudden takeover of political power by force and without elections. The IPA is /ku de.ta/ — it sounds like koo deh-tah. It’s also a French loanword in English with the same meaning and pronunciation. In today’s lesson you’ll learn: • the meaning (plus the literal translation “a blow to the state”) • the pronunciation with Marie