fromage
/fʁɔ.maʒ/masculine
The English word "cheese" is fromage in French.
fromage refers to the dairy product in general, but it is also used to refer to a specific type or piece of cheese, such as un fromage (a cheese).
Meaning: dairy product (noun)
Which one should you use?
While fromage refers to the food itself, the related form ouistiti is used specifically as an interjection when someone is being photographed.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
Because fromage is a masculine noun, you use the partitive article du when you want to say "some cheese" in an indefinite sense (e.g., du fromage).
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of fromage is /fʁɔ.maʒ/. It has 2 syllables.
When do people say it?
When being photographed, instead of saying "cheese", French speakers say ouistiti.
Did you know?
- The word fromage shares its history with the English word 'form', as both stem from the Latin forma, meaning 'mould'.
- In French culture, a traditional plateau de fromage is served as a separate course after the main meal and before the dessert.
- France produces over 1,600 distinct varieties of fromage, meaning the word often refers to a vast cultural landscape rather than just a single food item.
Examples in context
- Ça pue le fromage.That stinks of cheese.This sentence shows how to use fromage to describe a bad smell.Tatoeba #4550333 by sacredceltic, translation #4314275 by monahxo
- Ça sent le fromage.This smells like cheese.Tatoeba #3634679 by sacredceltic, translation #55892 by CK
- Où est le fromage ?Where is the cheese?This sentence shows how to ask for the location of fromage.Tatoeba #6796037 by felix63, translation #6796143 by Eccles17
- 168 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Gabriel and Chloé are at a local market.
- GabrielEst-ce que tu veux du fromage ?Do you want some cheese?
- ChloéOui, je cherche un bon fromage français.Yes, I am looking for a good French cheese.
- GabrielCe fromage est très crémeux.This cheese is very creamy.
- ChloéIl est parfait pour le dîner.It is perfect for dinner.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cheese” translations and entries fromage, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries fromage, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
