dessert
/de.sɛʁ/masculine
The French word for dessert is dessert.
dessert refers to a sweet confection served as the final course of a meal.
Meaning: sweet confection served as the last course of a meal (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
To form the plural, add an 's' to the end of the word to get des desserts, though the pronunciation remains largely the same.
How do you pronounce it?
/de.sɛʁ/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often confuse dessert with the word for a dry, sandy desert, which is désert.
Did you know?
- The word dessert comes from the verb desservir, which literally means to 'un-serve' or clear the table. It describes the action of removing the plates and serving the final course.
- In France, a café gourmand is a popular alternative to a single dessert. It consists of an espresso served with three or four miniature portions of different sweets.
- While dessert usually means something sweet, a French person might serve a piece of cheese as a dessert if it is the final course of the meal.
Examples in context
- Tom veut un dessert.Tom wants dessert.This sentence shows how to express that someone wants a dessert.Tatoeba #9253384 by Micsmithel, translation #2011381 by CK
- Quel est le dessert ?What is for dessert?This sentence is useful for asking what the dessert is.Tatoeba #839041 by sacredceltic, translation #1747539 by belgavox
- Vous prenez un dessert ?Do you want dessert?This sentence is used to ask if someone is having a dessert.Tatoeba #6681405 by felix63, translation #6532311 by CK
- Je suis impatiente de déguster le dessert ce soir.I am looking forward to tasting the dessert tonight.
- Pourquoi ne pas goûter une gourmandise typique de la région en dessert?Why not try a typical regional delicacy for dessert?
- J'ai préparé un délicieux entremets pour le dessert ce soir.I have prepared a delicious entremets for dessert tonight.
- 76 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Manon and Gabriel are finishing dinner at a restaurant.
- ManonJe n'ai plus faim pour le dessert.I am not hungry for dessert anymore.
- GabrielMoi si, je veux un dessert sucré.I am, I want a sweet dessert.
- ManonD'accord, choisis un dessert pour nous deux.Okay, choose a dessert for the two of us.
- GabrielJe vais prendre le dessert au chocolat.I will have the chocolate dessert.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “dessert” translations and entries dessert, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries dessert, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
