pause-café
/poz.ka.fe/feminine
The French phrase for "coffee break" is pause-café.
The term refers to a rest period during the business day providing the opportunity to drink coffee.
Meaning: a rest period during the business day providing the opportunity to drink coffee (noun)
Which one should you use?
While pause-café is the standard term, pause café (without the hyphen) is also used in informal situations. Additionally, pause kawa is an informal expression used to mean a coffee break.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun is feminine, so you would use the indefinite article une to say "a coffee break" (une pause-café).
How do you pronounce it?
/poz.ka.fe/
Did you know?
- The slang term kawa comes from the Arabic word qahwa, which is the original root for 'coffee'. This highlights the deep historical influence of North African culture on the French language.
- While pause-café usually means coffee, you can use the phrase even if you are drinking tea, water or juice. The word café refers to the social ritual of the break rather than the specific beverage.
- If you are in a very traditional French office, a 'pause-café' is often a social ritual that can last longer than the actual time spent drinking.
Examples in context
- Je vais prendre une pause café.I am going to have a coffee break.
- La pause-café est à dix heures.The coffee break is at ten o'clock.
- Je prends ma pause-café dehors.I am taking my coffee break outside.
- Voulez-vous une petite pause-café ?Do you want a little coffee break?
Example conversation
Two colleagues are working in an office.
- EmmaTu veux aller en pause-café, Gabriel ?Do you want to go on a coffee break, Gabriel?
- GabrielOui, j'ai besoin d'une petite pause.Yes, I need a little break.
- EmmaC'est parti pour la pause-café !Let's go for the coffee break!
- GabrielD'accord, je te suis, Emma.Okay, I'm following you, Emma.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “coffee break” translations and entries pause-café, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
