céréales
In French, the word for cereal is céréales.
The term refers to grains of such a grass.
Meaning: grains of such a grass (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
In French, the word for cereal is almost always used in the plural form. Because the word is plural, you use the partitive plural article des instead of the singular du used for many other food items.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use the singular la céréale when referring to the food, but the plural les céréales is the standard way to refer to the product.
Did you know?
- If you ask for de la céréale in a restaurant, you might be treated as if you are ordering a single, solitary grain of corn or wheat rather than a bowl of food.
- In parts of North Africa, the idea of eating grain-based porridges or cracked grains is often linked to the word grains rather than céréales.
- In a scientific or agricultural context, céréales refers strictly to the botanical category of crops rather than the breakfast food in a box.
Examples in context
- Je ne veux pas de céréales.I don't want cereal.Tatoeba #5344218 by Aiji, translation #2011478 by CK
- C’est un tueur de céréales.He's a cereal killer.Tatoeba #10687020 by AutoBot, translation #10687011 by AutoBot
- Tom versa des céréales dans un bol.Tom poured some cereal into a bowl.Tatoeba #5381925 by pititnatole, translation #3480679 by CK
- Je prends souvent des céréales au petit-déjeuner.I often have cereal for breakfast.
- Le muesli est une option saine et délicieuse pour commencer la journée.Muesli is a healthy and delicious option to start the day.
- 9 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucas and Manon are deciding what to eat for breakfast.
- LucasQu'est-ce qu'on mange ce matin ?What are we eating this morning?
- ManonIl reste des céréales dans le placard.There are some cereals left in the cupboard.
- LucasD'accord, je vais en préparer un bol.Okay, I'll prepare a bowl.
- ManonMerci Lucas, n'oublie pas le lait !Thanks Lucas, don't forget the milk!
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
