chawarma
/ʃa.waʁ.ma/masculine
The English phrase "shawarma" can be translated into French as chawarma or shawarma.
Meaning: Middle Eastern sandwich-like wrap (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| chawarma | /ʃa.waʁ.ma/ | masculine |
| shawarma | /ʃa.waʁ.ma/ | masculine |
This term refers to a Middle Eastern sandwich-like wrap.
Which one should you use?
Both spellings are used in French, but 'chawarma' is the more common phonetic spelling in French-speaking regions like France and North Africa, whereas 'shawarma' follows the more international English spelling.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word is a masculine noun, so it is preceded by the masculine article 'le' or 'un'.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has three syllables and is pronounced /ʃa.waʁ.ma/.
Did you know?
- Because French lacks a specific letter for the 'sh' sound, the spelling chawarma is used to guide the reader to the correct pronunciation.
- A chawarma is often viewed as a direct competitor to the kebab in the French food market, even though the two dishes use technically different styles of grilled meat.
- A French speaker might use the word broche to describe the rotating meat cone, which literally translates to 'brooch' or 'spit'.
Examples in context
- Je voudrais un chawarma, s'il vous plaît.I would like a shawarma, please.
- Ce chawarma est vraiment délicieux.This shawarma is really delicious.
- Il reste un chawarma dans le frigo.There is one shawarma left in the fridge.
Example conversation
Léa and Nathan are deciding what to eat for lunch.
- LéaTu as faim, Nathan ?Are you hungry, Nathan?
- NathanOui, je meurs de faim.Yes, I'm starving.
- LéaOn va manger un chawarma ensemble ?Shall we go eat a shawarma together?
- NathanC'est une excellente idée !That's a great idea!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “shawarma” translations and entries chawarma, shawarma, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
