café à emporter
The English phrase "takeaway coffee" is café à emporter in French.
The phrase café à emporter is used to specify that you want your coffee in a disposable cup to drink outside the establishment rather than in a ceramic cup at a table.
What does it mean word for word?
The part à emporter literally means to take away or to carry away.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Québec, you may hear un café à apporter instead of un café à emporter.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun café is masculine, so you use the masculine indefinite article un when ordering one takeaway coffee, as in un café à emporter.
Did you know?
- The word café is a linguistic traveler that entered French via Italian from the Ottoman Turkish kahve and the Arabic qahwa.
- In France, ordering a café usually results in a small espresso, but if you want a larger American-style coffee to go, you should ask for a café allongé.
- Despite the popularity of café à emporter, traditional French café culture historically prioritized drinking coffee standing up at the bar, which is a different custom from taking it away.
Examples in context
- Je voudrais un café à emporter, s'il vous plaît.I would like a takeaway coffee, please.
- Pourrais-je avoir un café à emporter, s'il vous plaît?Could I have a takeaway coffee, please?
- Est-ce que vous faites des cafés à emporter?Do you make takeaway coffees?
- Donne-moi un café à emporter, s'il te plaît.Give me a takeaway coffee, please.
- Je voudrais un petit café noir à emporter, s'il vous plaîtI would like a small black coffee to go, please.
- Est-ce que vous vendez du café à emporter ?Do you sell takeaway coffee?
- On peut prendre un café à emporter en marchant.We can have a takeaway coffee while walking.
Example conversation
Hugo and Emma are standing outside a cafe on a busy street.
- HugoEmma, tu veux un café à emporter ?Emma, do you want a takeaway coffee?
- EmmaOui, avec un peu de lait, s'il te plaît.Yes, with a little milk, please.
- HugoD'accord, je vais l'acheter pour nous deux.Okay, I'll go buy it for both of us.
- EmmaMerci beaucoup, Hugo !Thank you very much, Hugo!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries café, emporter, à, CC BY-SA 4.0.
