glace
/ɡlas/feminine
In French, ice is glace.
The word glace refers to water in its frozen state. However, it is important to note that glace can also mean 'ice cream' depending on the context of your conversation. When you are ordering a drink and specifically want ice cubes, it is more natural to use the term des glaçons rather than just de la glace. For example, you can ask for un verre avec des glaçons (a glass with ice cubes) or specify sans glaçons (without ice) or avec peu de glace (with little ice).
Meaning: water in frozen form (noun)
Which one should you use?
The term glace is ambiguous as it can mean both 'ice' and 'ice cream'. To specify ice cubes for a beverage, use des glaçons.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
glace is a feminine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɡlas/
Did you know?
- While glace can mean ice cream, you will often see glace à l'italienne on menus. This refers to soft serve ice cream rather than traditional scooped ice cream.
- The term glace is used in the phrase glace royale, which refers to a type of sugar icing used in pastry, rather than actual frozen water.
- The French word for 'ice cube' glaçon comes from glace combined with the suffix -on which is used to denote small things.
Examples in context
- La glace a fondu.The ice has melted.This sentence shows how to describe ice melting using glace.Tatoeba #373991 by zmoo, translation #318314 by CK
- Je veux une glace.I want ice cream.This sentence demonstrates the use of glace to mean ice cream.Tatoeba #4818591 by sicerabibax, translation #2422751 by CM
- Tu veux une glace ?Would you like some ice cream?Tatoeba #3869247 by gillux, translation #6029232 by CK
- Servez-moi un verre d'eau avec de la glace, s'il vous plaît.Please serve me a glass of water with ice.
- Je voudrais quelques morceaux de glace dans mon soda, s'il vous plaît.I would like some ice cubes in my soda, please.
- Je préfère mes boissons avec des glaçons, même en hiver.I prefer my drinks with ice cubes, even in winter.
- Attention aux plaques de verglas sur la route!Beware of ice patches on the road!
- 246 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Gabriel and Léa are preparing drinks in the kitchen.
- GabrielIl y a de la glace dans le congélateur ?Is there some ice in the freezer?
- LéaOui, je vais en chercher pour toi.Yes, I will get some for you.
- GabrielMerci, j'ai besoin de glace pour mon soda.Thanks, I need ice for my soda.
- LéaTiens, voici de la glace.Here, here is some ice.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “ice” translations and entries glace, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
