café au lait d'avoine
café au lait d'avoine is the French phrase for coffee with oat milk.
This phrase is used to specify a coffee drink that contains oat milk instead of dairy milk.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally breaks down to café (coffee), au (with/with the), lait (milk) and d'avoine (of oat).
Which one should you use?
This is distinct from café au lait, which traditionally implies cow's milk unless specified otherwise.
Did you know?
- In France, the term lait is legally protected to refer only to milk from mammals. This means you might see oat products labeled as boisson à l'avoine instead of lait d'avoine to comply with regulations.
- The word café is a linguistic traveler that entered French via Italian caffè, which came from Ottoman Turkish kahve and originally from Arabic qahwa.
- While 'café au lait' is a standard term, if you order just 'un café', you will receive a small, strong black espresso rather than a milky drink.
Examples in context
- Un café avec du lait d'avoine, s'il vous plaît.A coffee with oat milk, please.
- Je voudrais un café au lait d'avoine, s'il vous plaît.I would like a coffee with oat milk, please.
- Pourrais-je avoir un café avec du lait d'avoine, s'il vous plaît?Could I have a coffee with oat milk, please?
- Je veux un café au lait d'avoine, s'il te plaît.I want a coffee with oat milk, please.
- Un café au lait d'avoine est très bon ici.A coffee with oat milk is very good here.
Example conversation
Manon and Lucas are at a coffee shop.
- ManonLucas, qu'est-ce que tu veux boire ?Lucas, what do you want to drink?
- LucasJe vais prendre un café au lait d'avoine.I'll have a coffee with oat milk.
- ManonC'est noté. Et pour moi, un espresso.Got it. And for me, an espresso.
- LucasParfait, on commande maintenant.Perfect, let's order now.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries café, lait, CC BY-SA 4.0.
