café
/ka.fe/masculine
The French word for coffee is café.
The noun café refers to the beverage. In many contexts, le café can also refer to the establishment itself, such as a coffee shop. Additionally, café is used as an adjective to describe a pale brown colour.
Meaning: beverage (noun)
Which one should you use?
While café is primarily the beverage, it also functions as an adjective meaning a pale brown colour.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
café is a masculine noun. When ordering a single cup of coffee, use the masculine indefinite article un, as in un café.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of café is /ka.fe/ and it has 2 syllables.
Did you know?
- To order a coffee with a splash of milk, the French use the term un noisette, which literally translates to 'a hazelnut' because of the color.
- The phrase café au lait is often used in English, but in France, a café au lait is typically served in a bowl for breakfast and drunk with a spoon.
- The word café traveled a long linguistic journey, moving from Arabic qahwa to Ottoman Turkish kahve and Italian caffè before entering French.
Examples in context
- Café ou thé ?Coffee or tea?This example shows how to offer a choice between coffee and tea using café.Tatoeba #1080207 by manuk7, translation #1080170 by shekitten
- Plus de café ?More coffee?This example shows how to offer more coffee using café.Tatoeba #7801724 by theachaean, translation #6614309 by Eccles17
- Où est le café ?Where is the coffee shop?This example shows how to ask for the location of the coffee shop using café.Tatoeba #1594798 by Petrus, translation #62268 by CK
- Un café, s'il vous plaîtA coffee, please
- 989 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A couple is sitting in a kitchen in the morning.
- NathanTu veux un café ?Do you want a coffee?
- LéaOui, un café noir, s'il te plaît.Yes, a black coffee, please.
- NathanJe prépare le café tout de suite.I am making the coffee right now.
- LéaMerci, Nathan, tu es très gentil.Thank you, Nathan, you are very kind.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “coffee” translations and entries café, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries café, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
