pain au chocolat
/pɛ̃ o ʃɔ.kɔ.la/masculine
The English phrase 'pain au chocolat' refers to a French pastry known as pain au chocolat. Wiktionary also lists chocolatine.
Meaning: pastry (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| pain au chocolat | /pɛ̃ o ʃɔ.kɔ.la/ | masculine |
| chocolatine | /ʃɔ.kɔ.la.tin/ (France) /ʃɔ.kɔ.la.t͡sɪn/ (Quebec) |
feminine |
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase pain au chocolat literally translates to 'bread with chocolate'.
Which one should you use?
While pain au chocolat is used in most of France, the term chocolatine is used in the southwest.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the southwest of France, particularly around cities like Bordeaux and Toulouse, the term chocolatine is used.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun pain is masculine, so you use the masculine article un (as in un pain au chocolat) when ordering one. Conversely, chocolatine is a feminine noun, meaning you use the feminine article une (as in une chocolatine) when ordering it.
How do you pronounce it?
/pɛ̃ o ʃɔ.kɔ.la/
When do people say it?
The debate over whether to call this pastry a pain au chocolat or a chocolatine is a famous and lighthearted cultural divide in France.
Did you know?
- Though it is called 'bread' in pain au chocolat, this treat belongs to a special category called viennoiserie. This group of baked goods was inspired by bakers from Vienna who brought their techniques to Paris in the 19th century.
- The word chocolat has a long journey from the Americas, originating from the Nahuatl word chocolātl used by the Aztecs.
- The linguistic clash between pain au chocolat and chocolatine is so intense that it is often jokingly referred to as the 'war of the pastry' in France.
Examples in context
- Je voudrais un pain au chocolat.I'd like a pain au chocolat.This sentence is useful for learning how to order a pain au chocolat.Tatoeba #11973134 by Fenrir, translation #11973198 by Fenrir
- Bonjour, je voudrais un pain au chocolat s'il vous plaît.Hello, I would like a pain au chocolat, please.
- Je vais prendre une chocolatine, s'il te plaît.I'll have a chocolatine, please.
- Le pain au chocolat est délicieux.The pain au chocolat is delicious.
- Je mange un pain au chocolat au petit déjeuner.I am eating a pain au chocolat for breakfast.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
At a local bakery in the morning.
- ManonBonjour, je voudrais un pain au chocolat, s'il vous plaît.Hello, I would like a pain au chocolat, please.
- HugoBien sûr, est-ce que vous voulez autre chose ?Of course, do you want anything else?
- ManonNon merci, c'est tout.No thank you, that is all.
- HugoTrès bien, voilà votre pain au chocolat.Very well, here is your pain au chocolat.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pain au chocolat” translations and entries pain au chocolat, chocolatine, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries chocolat, chocolatine, pain, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
