baguette
standard
In French baguette sounds like "bah-GET". The stress falls on the last syllable and the final e is silent.
In a bakery you would say une baguette, s'il vous plaît. The word is feminine, so use une and la.
Meaning: long thin loaf of bread (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
The first syllable is "bah" with a short, open a. The gu is a hard "g" as in "go", because the u only keeps the g hard before the e. The last syllable rhymes with "bet".
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often say "bay-GET" or sound the final e. In French both syllables stay short and flat, with no gliding vowel.
When do people say it?
The word baguette also means "stick" or "wand" in French, which is why it is also used for chopsticks, baguettes.
Did you know?
- Since 2022 the French baguette tradition is on the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage.
Examples in context
- La baguette est encore chaude.The baguette is still warm.
- Je mange une baguette avec du fromage.I eat a baguette with cheese.
Example conversation
Paul asks the baker Chantal for bread in a bakery in Paris.
- PaulBonjour, une baguette, s'il vous plaît.Hello, a baguette, please.
- ChantalVoilà. Autre chose?Here you go. Anything else?
- PaulNon, merci.No, thank you.
