confiture
/kɔ̃.fi.tyʁ/feminine
Marmalade in French is translated as confiture. Wiktionary also lists confiture d'oranges and marmelade d'oranges.
Meaning: citrus jam (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| confiture | /kɔ̃.fi.tyʁ/ | feminine |
| confiture d'oranges | feminine | |
| marmelade d'oranges | feminine |
The term confiture refers generally to any fruit jam. If you are specifically talking about citrus fruit preserves, you can use confiture d'agrumes.
Which one should you use?
While confiture is the general term for any fruit jam, marmelade is used specifically for citrus-based preserves. To specify the fruit, you use de or d', such as in confiture d'oranges or marmelade d'oranges.
How does it change in a sentence?
confiture is a feminine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 3 syllables and is pronounced /kɔ̃.fi.tyʁ/.
Did you know?
- If you ask for marmelade in a traditional French context, you might be served a thick quince paste rather than the orange jam you expect.
- The root of confiture is confit, which refers to a method of preserving food in sugar, honey or fat.
- Traditional French breakfast culture often treats confiture as a side accompaniment rather than a topping, often served in a small separate dish.
Examples in context
- Je préfère la marmelade d'orange à la confiture de fraises.I prefer orange marmalade over strawberry jam.Tatoeba #7668266 by tras, translation #7611516 by mervert1
- Quelle est la différence entre la confiture et la marmelade ?What's the difference between jam and marmalade?Tatoeba #11749920 by lbdx, translation #4137522 by Lepotdeterre
- Cette confiture d'oranges est délicieuse.This orange marmalade is delicious.
Example conversation
Emma and Nathan are eating breakfast together at home.
- NathanTu veux de la confiture sur ton pain ?Do you want some marmalade on your bread?
- EmmaOui, s'il te plaît, Nathan.Yes, please, Nathan.
- NathanPrends cette confiture, elle est très bonne.Take this marmalade, it is very good.
- EmmaMerci, elle a un goût très frais.Thank you, it tastes very fresh.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “marmalade” translations and entries confiture, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries confiture, marmelade, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
