douceur
/du.sœʁ/feminine
The English word sweetness translates to French as douceur. Wiktionary also lists sucrosité and goût sucré.
Meaning: condition of being sweet or sugary (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| douceur | /du.sœʁ/ | feminine |
| sucrosité | /sy.kʁo.zi.te/ | feminine |
| goût sucré | masculine |
douceur is the preferred word when describing the sweetness of a sound, a temperament or a way of life. It refers to a gentle, soft or pleasant quality rather than just the taste of sugar.
Which one should you use?
douceur refers to a gentle, soft or pleasant quality. In contrast, sucrosité is used specifically to describe the sugary or saccharine quality of a substance, often in a technical or culinary sense.
How does it change in a sentence?
While sweetness is a noun, English speakers often use the phrase goût sucré to describe the sensation of a sweet taste.
How do you pronounce it?
douceur is pronounced /du.sœʁ/. It has 2 syllables.
Did you know?
- In French, the phrase la douceur de vivre describes a specific cultural quality of life characterized by pleasure, leisure and lack of stress.
- The word douceur can be used to describe the mildness of the weather, such as a 'sweet' spring day, whereas English usually uses 'mildness' or 'warmth'.
- The French word douceur is a cognate of the English word 'dulcet', which is used to describe sweet or soothing sounds.
Examples in context
- La mort n'a que douceur pour une âme chrétienne.Death has but sweetness for a Christian soul.Tatoeba #6219632 by carlosalberto, translation #6219633 by carlosalberto
- Celui qui n'a pas vécu au dix-huitième siècle avant la Révolution ne connaît pas la douceur de vivre.Those who haven't lived in the eighteenth century before the Revolution do not know the sweetness of life.Tatoeba #407023 by Scott, translation #407025 by Scott
- Cette tarte aux pommes a une douceur exquise.This apple pie has an exquisite sweetness.
- Il a un cœur plein de suavité.He has a heart full of sweetness.
- La douceur de tes mots me fait fondre.The sweetness of your words melts me.
- La douceur de ce miel est incroyable.The sweetness of this honey is incredible.
Example conversation
Nathan and Emma are tasting a new dessert.
- NathanTu trouves ce dessert trop sucré ?Do you find this dessert too sweet?
- EmmaNon, la douceur est parfaite.No, the sweetness is perfect.
- NathanJe suis d'accord avec toi, Emma.I agree with you, Emma.
- EmmaC'est un vrai régal, Nathan.It is a real treat, Nathan.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sweetness” translations and entries douceur, sucrosité, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries douceur, goût, sucrosité, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
