bar
/baʁ/masculine
In French, the English phrase "bar" is translated as bar.
The word bar is used to refer to a business licensed to sell intoxicating beverages. It can refer to the establishment itself or the physical counter where drinks are served. You can specify the type of establishment by adding what it specializes in, such as bar à vin for a wine bar or bar à cocktails for a cocktail bar.
Meaning: business licensed to sell intoxicating beverages (noun)
Which one should you use?
While bar refers specifically to an establishment focused on alcohol, the term café is a more common and broader term for an establishment serving coffee, drinks and light meals.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Paris and some other regions of France, locals sometimes refer to the bar counter as le zinc.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun bar is masculine.
How do you pronounce it?
/baʁ/
When do people say it?
When making a toast, French people typically say À votre santé!
Did you know?
- In French, the word bar is a homonym that also refers to a type of sea bass.
- The spelling of bar in French is actually a result of a linguistic misunderstanding of an old suffix in Old French.
- While a bar focuses on alcohol, a café in France often functions as a neighborhood social hub where people spend hours reading papers and chatting.
Examples in context
- Le bar est fermé.The bar is closed.This sentence is useful for describing the status of the bar.Tatoeba #5359251 by Aiji, translation #3393301 by CK
- Je t'attendrai au bar.I'll wait for you at the bar.This sentence is useful for indicating a meeting point at the bar.Tatoeba #10887473 by Aiji, translation #5938077 by CK
- Je me suis assis au bar.I sat at the bar.This sentence is useful for describing an action taken at the bar.Tatoeba #6843711 by Aiji, translation #5852485 by CK
- J'aime prendre un verre au barI enjoy having a drink at the bar.
- Allons prendre un verre au caféLet's grab a drink at the bar.
- À la sortie du travail, on se retrouve au bistroAfter work, let's meet up at the bar.
- Je t'attends au zinc !I'm waiting for you at the bar counter!
- C'est toujours sympa de boire une bière au bouibouiIt's always nice to have a beer at the small bar.
- Nous nous sommes retrouvés dans un bar au bord du canal.We met up at a bar by the canal.
- J'ai entendu dire qu'il y a un tout nouveau bar dans le quartier branché !I heard there's a brand new bar in the trendy neighborhood!
- Ce bar propose une large sélection de bières artisanales.This bar offers a wide selection of craft beers.
- Je suis habitué à fréquenter les bars à cocktail lors de mes voyages.I'm used to frequenting cocktail bars during my travels.
- 83 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Manon and Gabriel are looking for a place to drink.
- ManonTu connais un bon bar ici ?Do you know a good bar around here?
- GabrielOui, il y a un petit bar calme.Yes, there is a small quiet bar.
- ManonC'est loin de nous ?Is it far from us?
- GabrielNon, le bar est juste là-bas.No, the bar is right over there.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bar” translations and entries bar, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bar, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
