thé
/te/masculine
The English word "tea" is translated into French as thé.
thé refers to the drink made from the leaves of the tea plant.
Meaning: drink made from leaves of tea plant (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
When you are expressing an unspecified quantity of tea, such as 'some tea', use the partitive article du instead of the definite article le (e.g., du thé).
How do you pronounce it?
/te/
When do people say it?
In France, there is a tradition of an afternoon tea called le goûter. Other related terms include la théière (teapot), la tasse (cup) and le sucrier (sugar bowl). Note that herbal teas are referred to as les tisanes rather than using the word thé.
Did you know?
- The French word thé is a linguistic relative of the word 'chai' used in English and Hindi.
- When ordering un thé in a French café, it is common for the server to bring a pot and a separate cup rather than a single large mug.
- If you ask for un thé in a French cafe, you are technically ordering a cup of tea, but the word itself refers to the liquid substance.
Examples in context
- Café ou thé ?Coffee or tea?This example is useful for offering a choice between coffee and tea.Tatoeba #1080207 by manuk7, translation #1080170 by shekitten
- Buvons du thé !Let us drink tea.This example is useful for suggesting that one drinks tea.Tatoeba #4910003 by sacredceltic, translation #2753614 by corvard
- Il aime le thé.He likes tea.This example is useful for stating a preference for tea.Tatoeba #5645495 by narnar, translation #1098268 by cntrational
- J'aimerais une tasse de thé, s'il vous plaît.I would like a cup of tea, please.
- Le thé est une boisson très appréciée en France.Tea is a highly appreciated beverage in France.
- Tu veux boire une tasse de thé avec moi ?Do you want to have a cup of tea with me?
- 518 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are sitting in a cafe.
- ManonTu veux un thé ?Do you want a tea?
- LucasOui, un thé vert, s'il te plaît.Yes, a green tea, please.
- ManonAvec du lait ou sans ?With milk or without?
- LucasSans lait, merci.Without milk, thanks.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “tea” translations and entries thé, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries thé, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
