pain de mie
masculine
The English phrase 'sandwich bread' in French is pain de mie.
pain de mie is a masculine noun used to describe bread that is prepared to make a sandwich.
Meaning: bread that is prepared to make sandwich (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The term pain de mie literally translates to 'crumb bread', referring to the soft interior part of the loaf.
Which one should you use?
Use pain de mie specifically for soft, sliced sandwich bread, rather than pain which refers to any general bread or a crusty baguette.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word mie is an invariable part of the noun phrase. Only pain takes the plural form pains to indicate multiple loaves, as in pains de mie.
Did you know?
- In French, mie can also be an archaic term of endearment meaning 'my sweetheart', derived from a rebracketing of the phrase ma amie.
- French speakers distinguish pain de mie from pain de campagne, as the latter is a rustic, hearty bread not suitable for a soft sandwich.
Examples in context
- Je voudrais du pain de mie completI would like whole wheat sandwich bread
- Je vais acheter du pain de mie.I am going to buy some sandwich bread.
- Il reste encore un peu de pain de mie.There is still a little sandwich bread left.
- Le pain de mie est très moelleux.The sandwich bread is very soft.
Example conversation
Lucas and Léa are planning their lunch in the kitchen.
- LucasLéa, on a encore du pain de mie ?Léa, do we still have any sandwich bread?
- LéaNon, le paquet est vide.No, the package is empty.
- LucasJe vais en chercher au magasin.I will go get some at the store.
- LéaMerci beaucoup, Lucas !Thank you very much, Lucas!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sandwich bread” translations and entries pain de mie, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries de, mie, pain, CC BY-SA 4.0.
