poire
/pwaʁ/
The English phrase 'pear' is translated into French as poire.
The word refers to a sweet, bell-shaped fruit that grows on a tree.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Normandy, the term le poiré is used specifically to refer to pear cider.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of poire is poires.
How do you pronounce it?
/pwaʁ/
Did you know?
- In French slang, calling someone a poire can mean they are a 'pushover' or easily fooled, rather than referring to the fruit itself.
- French cuisine features poire belle Hélène, a classic dessert created in 1864 named after a character in an opera by Jacques Offenbach.
- The Latin root for poire was actually the plural form of a word that was treated as a feminine singular, which is a rare grammatical quirk in Latin.
Examples in context
- J'aime manger une poire.I like to eat a pear.
- Je mange une poire bien mûre.I am eating a very ripe pear.
- Voulez-vous une tranche de poire ?Would you like a slice of pear?
- Il y a une poire sur la table.There is a pear on the table.
Example conversation
Chloé and Gabriel are in the kitchen preparing a fruit salad.
- ChloéEst-ce qu'il reste une poire pour moi ?Is there a pear left for me?
- GabrielOui, elle est dans le panier.Yes, it is in the basket.
- ChloéMerci, Gabriel, elle a l'air délicieuse.Thanks, Gabriel, it looks delicious.
- GabrielBon appétit, Chloé !Enjoy your meal, Chloé!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry poire, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries poire, CC BY-SA 4.0.
