pourboire
/puʁ.bwaʁ/
The English phrase 'money tip' is translated into French as pourboire.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word is a masculine noun, so it is used with the masculine indefinite article un to say 'a tip'. To form the plural 'tips', you simply add an 's' to the end of the word to get des pourboires.
How do you pronounce it?
/puʁ.bwaʁ/
When do people say it?
The term pourboire literally translates to 'for drinking', which refers to the historical custom of giving a small amount of money to a server so they could buy a drink.
Did you know?
- In France, unlike in the United States, a pourboire is rarely expected to be a large percentage of the bill, as service is already included in the price.
- The German equivalent for 'tip', Trinkgeld, shares the exact same logic as pourboire, both meaning 'money for drinking'.
- Unlike in some English-speaking countries, a pourboire is rarely requested via a digital screen or tablet in France, as this is often viewed as an American intrusion.
Examples in context
- Voici une astuce financière pour économiser de l'argentHere's a money tip to save money.
- Le magazine propose des astuces financières pour investir intelligemment.The magazine offers money tips for smart investments.
- Le pourboire est inclus dans l'addition.The tip is included in the bill.
- Je laisse un petit pourboire pour le service.I am leaving a small tip for the service.
- Est-ce que le pourboire est obligatoire ici ?Is the tip mandatory here?
Example conversation
Léa and Lucas are finishing their meal at a restaurant.
- LéaOn laisse un pourboire au serveur ?Shall we leave a tip for the waiter?
- LucasOui, il a été très gentil.Yes, he was very kind.
- LéaCombien pour le pourboire ?How much for the tip?
- LucasDeux euros sont suffisants, Léa.Two euros are enough, Léa.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry pourboire, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries pourboire, CC BY-SA 4.0.
