pâtes
/pat/
The English phrase 'pates' refers to the French word pâtes.
pâtes is used as a general category for all types of pasta, such as spaghetti, penne or fusilli.
How does it change in a sentence?
The singular form pâte can refer to a single piece of dough or a paste, whereas pâtes is the standard way to refer to pasta as a food item.
How do you pronounce it?
/pat/
Did you know?
- While pâtes refers to pasta, the word pâté sounds similar but refers to a meat paste. A small change in the accent and the final consonant transforms a bowl of noodles into a spreadable meat product.
- The word pâte is a cognate of the English word 'paste'. Both derive from the Latin pasta, which originally meant 'barley porridge'.
- In the kitchen, pâte can also refer to a 'paste' used in cosmetics or medicine, such as pâte dentifrice for toothpaste.
Examples in context
- Je voudrais les pâtes à la carbonara, s'il vous plaît.I would like the carbonara pasta, please.
- Je cuisine les pâtes à spaghetti pour le dîner.I am cooking spaghetti for dinner.
- Je n'aime pas les pâtes avec trop de sauce.I don't like pasta with too much sauce.
- Est-ce que tu veux des pâtes pour le dîner ?Do you want pasta for dinner?
- Il y a des pâtes fraîches au supermarché.There is fresh pasta at the supermarket.
Example conversation
Lucas and Léa are deciding what to cook in their kitchen.
- LucasLéa, est-ce qu'on mange des pâtes ce soir ?Léa, are we eating pasta tonight?
- LéaOui, Lucas, c'est très rapide à préparer.Yes, Lucas, it is very quick to prepare.
- LucasD'accord, je vais chercher les pâtes dans le placard.Okay, I will look for the pasta in the cupboard.
- LéaN'oublie pas de prendre aussi du fromage !Don't forget to get some cheese too!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry pâtes, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
