gâteau
/ɡa.to/masculine
The English word cake is translated into French as gâteau. Wiktionary also lists pâtisserie.
Meaning: type of sweet dessert (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| gâteau | /ɡa.to/ /ɡɑ.to/ |
masculine |
| pâtisserie | /pa.ti.sʁi/ /pɑ.ti.sʁi/ |
feminine |
The term refers to a type of sweet dessert. When using the word gâteau, which is a masculine noun, you use the masculine indefinite article un to say 'a cake' (un gâteau).
Which one should you use?
While gâteau refers to a specific cake, pâtisserie can refer to the pastry itself or the bakery that sells them. Additionally, pâtisserie is used to describe more elaborate cakes typically found in bakeries or pastry shops.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Alsace region of France, the term pain d'épice is used to refer specifically to a traditional gingerbread cake.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word gâteau is a masculine noun. The plural form of gâteau is gâteaux.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /ɡa.to/ and consists of two syllables.
Did you know?
- In French, the term gâteau can refer to any mass of a substance that has solidified into a cake-like shape, such as a 'cake' of soap or mud, even if it is not edible.
- The word gâteau is a distant relative of the English word 'waste'. They both trace back to a Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'to consume' or 'to eat'.
- French makes a strict professional distinction between a pâtissier who specializes in cakes and a boulanger who makes bread.
Examples in context
- Quel gros gâteau !What a big cake!This sentence is useful for exclaiming about the size of a gâteau.Tatoeba #7773530 by Aiji, translation #3732140 by CK
- Le gâteau est prêt.The cake is ready.This sentence is useful for stating that a gâteau is ready.Tatoeba #8382555 by Aiji, translation #5224436 by CK
- Veux-tu du gâteau ?Would you like some cake?This sentence is useful for offering someone some gâteau.Tatoeba #12187233 by lbdx, translation #1527874 by CK
- Elle a préparé un délicieux gâteau au chocolat pour l'anniversaire de son ami.She made a delicious chocolate cake for her friend's birthday.
- Les pâtisseries françaises proposent une grande variété de gâteaux délicieux.French pastry shops offer a wide variety of delicious cakes.
- Veux-tu un morceau de gâteau à la vanille ?Do you want a piece of vanilla cake?
- Il est courant de savourer un bon pain d'épice lors des fêtes de fin d'année en Alsace.It is common to enjoy a delicious gingerbread cake during the end-of-year holidays in Alsace.
- 428 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Nathan and Emma are in the kitchen.
- NathanTu as fait un gâteau ?Did you make a cake?
- EmmaOui, c'est un gâteau au chocolat.Yes, it is a chocolate cake.
- NathanIl a l'air délicieux !It looks delicious!
- EmmaMerci, Nathan ! Goûte-le.Thank you, Nathan! Taste it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cake” translations and entries gâteau, pâtisserie, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries gâteau, pâtisserie, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
