cake à la banane
masculine
The English phrase 'banana bread' is translated into French as cake à la banane.
The term refers to a type of bread made with mashed bananas.
Meaning: type of bread made with mashed bananas (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase cake à la banane literally translates to 'banana cake'.
Which one should you use?
While English speakers use the term 'banana bread', French speakers use the word 'cake' to refer to this type of sweet, quick bread.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun cake à la banane is masculine.
Did you know?
- The word banane entered the French language via Portuguese, which had borrowed it from a Niger-Congo language spoken in the Guinea region.
- In France, a cake is often served as an appetizer if it is savory, such as a cake aux olives, making cake à la banane a sweet outlier.
- If you ask for a gâteau instead of a cake, a French baker will likely give you a round, spongy cake rather than a loaf of banana bread.
Examples in context
- J'ai fait un délicieux pain aux bananes hier soir!I made a delicious banana bread last night!
- Tu devrais essayer mon gâteau aux bananes, il est incroyable!You should try my banana bread, it's amazing!
- Je suis en train de faire un cake à la banane, ça sent tellement bon!I'm making banana bread, it smells so good!
- J'ai préparé un cake à la banane pour le goûter.I prepared a banana bread for snack time.
- Je voudrais une part de cake à la banane.I would like a slice of banana bread.
- Le cake à la banane est encore chaud.The banana bread is still warm.
- Est-ce que tu as fait un cake à la banane ?Did you make a banana bread?
Example conversation
Chloé and Nathan are in a kitchen sharing a snack.
- ChloéTu veux goûter mon cake à la banane ?Do you want to taste my banana bread?
- NathanOui, il sent très bon, Chloé.Yes, it smells very good, Chloé.
- ChloéJe l'ai préparé ce matin.I prepared it this morning.
- NathanC'est délicieux, merci beaucoup !It is delicious, thank you very much!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “banana bread” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries banane, cake, la, à, CC BY-SA 4.0.
