citrouille
/si.tʁuj/feminine
The English word "pumpkin" is translated into French as citrouille. Wiktionary also lists potiron.
Meaning: fruit of this plant (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| citrouille | /si.tʁuj/ | feminine |
| potiron | /pɔ.ti.ʁɔ̃/ | informal, masculine |
The words refer to the fruit of the pumpkin plant.
Which one should you use?
citrouille is a feminine noun, while potiron is a masculine noun.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
potiron is considered an informal term.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Quebec, the term citrouille d'Halloween is used specifically for Halloween pumpkins.
How does it change in a sentence?
As a feminine noun, citrouille is used with the feminine article la (e.g., la citrouille). Because potiron is a masculine noun, it is used with the masculine article le (e.g., le potiron).
How do you pronounce it?
/si.tʁuj/
Did you know?
- One theory suggests that potiron may be related to the Old French word bot, meaning 'toad', because of the vegetable's bumpy shape.
- In France, the custom of carving citrouilles for Halloween is a relatively recent import from North America and is not traditional to French folklore.
- If you are in a French market, you might hear citrouille used for the much larger, decorative varieties, while potiron often refers to the edible varieties used in cooking.
Examples in context
- Quelle grosse citrouille !What a big pumpkin!This sentence is useful for expressing surprise at the size of a citrouille.Tatoeba #908797 by sacredceltic, translation #36069 by CK
- J'ai acheté une citrouille pour Halloween.I bought a pumpkin for Halloween.This sentence shows how to mention buying a citrouille for the holiday.Tatoeba #8671228 by lbdx, translation #12087604 by Kerbear832
- Je vais faire de la soupe à la citrouille.I'm going to make some pumpkin soup.This sentence demonstrates using citrouille in the context of making soup.Tatoeba #13445911 by Rovo, translation #12086984 by shekitten
- J'adore préparer une tarte au potiron pour ThanksgivingI love making pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving
- Je vais cuisiner une courge farcie ce soirI'm going to cook a stuffed pumpkin tonight
- On peut faire un délicieux velouté de potimarronWe can make a delicious creamy potimarron soup
- 6 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Lucas are decorating their home for autumn.
- EmmaOn a besoin d'une citrouille pour la décoration.We need a pumpkin for the decoration.
- LucasJe vais en chercher une au marché, Emma.I will look for one at the market, Emma.
- EmmaChoisis une citrouille bien orange, s'il te plaît.Choose a very orange pumpkin, please.
- LucasC'est entendu, je m'en occupe tout de suite.Got it, I'll take care of it right away.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pumpkin” translations and entries citrouille, potiron, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries citrouille, potiron, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
