Croissant
/kro̯aˈsã/neuter
The German word for croissant is Croissant. Wiktionary also lists Hörnchen and Gipfeli.
Meaning: a flaky roll or pastry in a form of a crescent (noun)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Croissant | /kro̯aˈsã/ | neuter |
| Hörnchen | /ˈhœʁn.çən/ | neuter |
| Gipfeli | Switzerland, neuter | |
| Kipfl | /ˈkɪpfl̩/ | neuter, regional |
The term refers to a flaky roll or pastry in the form of a crescent.
Which one should you use?
Croissant is a French loanword that refers specifically to the French-style pastry made with laminated dough. In contrast, Hörnchen is a more generic Germanic term for small, horn-shaped pastries, which may or may not be made with the same laminated dough as a French croissant.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Switzerland, the standard word for a croissant or similar crescent-shaped pastry is Gipfeli. In parts of Southern Germany and Austria, the regional variation Kipfl is used for small crescent-shaped pastries.
How does it change in a sentence?
All forms of this word are neuter nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/kro̯aˈsã/
Did you know?
- The word Hörnchen is a back-formation from the word for squirrel, Eichhörnchen. People mistakenly thought the first part of 'squirrel' meant 'oak' and created Hörnchen as a separate word for 'little horn'.
- In Austria, a Kipferl is often associated with traditional holiday baking and can be a denser, sweeter cookie-like bread rather than a flaky pastry.
- Depending on the region, a Hörnchen can be filled with savory ingredients like ham and cheese, moving it from the category of breakfast pastry to a lunch snack.
Examples in context
- Sie aß ein Croissant.She ate a croissant.This sentence shows the use of Croissant in the context of eating.Tatoeba #12427584 by Waldelfe, translation #12538431 by sundown
- Einen Kaffee und ein Croissant bitte.A cup of coffee and a croissant, please.This sentence demonstrates how to order Croissant along with coffee.Tatoeba #1615377 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #10567964 by sundown
- Ich nehme einen Kaffee und ein Hörnchen.I'll have a coffee and a croissant.This sentence shows how to use Hörnchen when ordering coffee.Tatoeba #540181 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #389647 by Scott
- Ein Hörnchen und eine Tasse Kaffee, bitte.A croissant and a cup of coffee, please.
- Hast du Lust auf ein Croissant?Do you feel like having a croissant?
- Ich hätte gerne ein Gipfeli zum Frühstück.I would like a croissant for breakfast.
- 6 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lukas and Sarah are at a bakery in the morning.
- LukasMöchtest du ein Croissant?Would you like a croissant?
- SarahJa, gerne, ein Croissant bitte.Yes, please, a croissant please.
- LukasSoll ich das Croissant aufwärmen?Should I warm up the croissant?
- SarahDas wäre sehr nett, danke!That would be very kind, thanks!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “croissant” translations and entries Croissant, Hörnchen, Gipfeli, Kipfl, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Croissant, Hörnchen, Kipfl, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
