sésame
/se.zam/masculine
Sesame in French is sésame. Wiktionary also lists graine de sésame.
Meaning: seed (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| sésame | /se.zam/ | masculine |
| graine de sésame | feminine |
The word sésame refers to the sesame plant or the sesame substance. It is also used idiomatically in the phrase Sésame, ouvre-toi ! (Open Sesame!) to refer to a magical way of opening something.
Which one should you use?
sésame is a mass noun used for the substance or the plant, whereas graine de sésame is used when you want to specify the individual seeds.
How does it change in a sentence?
sésame is a masculine noun. graine de sésame is a feminine noun phrase.
How do you pronounce it?
/se.zam/
When do people say it?
In French, as in English, sésame is part of the magical command Sésame, ouvre-toi ! used to open things.
Did you know?
- The phrase Sésame, ouvre-toi ! is a direct translation from the Arabic Semsam, iftah !, originating from the story of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves in One Thousand and One Nights.
- In French, Sésame, ouvre-toi ! is often used metaphorically to describe a 'password' or a secret key that grants access to a restricted place or a hidden piece of information.
- The French word graine comes from the Vulgar Latin word grāna, which was originally a plural noun before it was reanalysed as a feminine singular noun in French.
Examples in context
- 4. Faites chauffer l'huile de sésame dans le wok et faites fondre le beurre.4. Heat the sesame oil in the wok and melt the butter.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use sésame when talking about sesame oil.Tatoeba #9013077 by lbdx, translation #329198 by fcbond
- Faites chauffer l'huile de sésame dans la poêle à feu moyen, ajoutez le poulet, l'ail et faites frire, lorsque la couleur change, versez la soupe chinoise, ajoutez le chou chinois et faites cuire.Heat sesame oil in the pan on a medium flame, add the chicken meat, the garlic and fry, when the colour changes pour in the Chinese soup, add the Chinese cabbage and boil.This sentence shows how to use sésame in a cooking context involving sesame oil.Tatoeba #2510294 by nimfeo, translation #327888 by U2FS
- Vous pouvez ajouter de l'huile de sésame ou quelques épices.You can add sesame seed oil or some seasoning.This sentence demonstrates the use of sésame when suggesting additions like sesame oil.Tatoeba #352599 by MUIRIEL, translation #6166627 by sundown
- Le sésame ouvre de nombreuses portes.Sesame opens many doors.
- J'adore les graines de sésame sur les sushis!I love sesame seeds on sushi!
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
At a bakery, Chloé is looking at different types of bread.
- ChloéEst-ce qu'il y a du sésame sur ce pain ?Is there sesame on this bread?
- LucasOui, il y a beaucoup de sésame sur le dessus.Yes, there is a lot of sesame on top.
- ChloéC'est parfait, je vais prendre ce pain.That's perfect, I will take this bread.
- LucasTrès bien, Chloé, je vous le prépare.Very well, Chloé, I will prepare it for you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sesame” translations and entries sésame, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries de, graine, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
