AtelierLe journal · French, understood
English

Language

The course

Updated

Flashcards

French hot drinks vocabulary: café, crème, noisette and more

Edited by Chris Lee · Updated · About the library

Twelve French hot drinks with pictures: un café, un crème, une noisette, un déca, un chocolat chaud, une tisane. Know exactly what you'll get when you order.

In short

In many cafés in France, un café means a small espresso; drinks and names can vary by establishment and region. Un crème (or café crème) is a bigger coffee with hot milk, une noisette is an espresso with a dash of milk, un déca is decaf and une tisane is a herbal tea.

Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learn

A small cup of espresso on a saucer with a spoon and a packet marked SUCRE in a Paris café.
In a French café, un café usually means a small espresso. Photo: Anne Laure P, Unsplash License via Unsplash

Picture cards: twelve hot drinks

The whole deck

All 12 cards, with an example each

Set 1

  • un café / un expressespressoUn café, s'il vous plaît.
  • un café allongélong black coffeeUn café allongé, sans sucre.
  • un café crèmewhite coffeeUn grand crème au comptoir.
  • une noisetteespresso with a dash of milkUne noisette, s'il vous plaît.

Set 2

  • un cappuccinocappuccinoUn cappuccino avec du cacao.
  • un décadecafUn déca, je dors mal sinon.
  • un doubledouble espressoUn double, j'ai besoin de me réveiller.
  • un théteaUn thé au citron.

Set 3

  • une tisaneherbal teaUne tisane à la verveine.
  • un chocolat chaudhot chocolateUn chocolat chaud avec de la chantilly.
  • un lait chaudhot milkUn lait chaud au miel.
  • un vin chaudmulled wineUn vin chaud au marché de Noël.

How do you order coffee in France?

A café may charge different prices at the counter (au comptoir), at a table (en salle) and outside (en terrasse); check its displayed prices. Ask explicitly for milk or sugar if you need it. For a larger coffee with milk, you can ask about un grand crème. Sizes and recipes vary, so a short question is useful. In this practice menu, the same coffee costs €1.80 at the counter, €2.40 in the room and €2.80 on the terrace.

Ordering phrases
FrenchEnglish
Un café, s'il vous plaît.An espresso, please.
Un grand crème.A large white coffee.
Avec un peu de lait froid à côté.With a little cold milk on the side.
Sans sucre.No sugar.
C'est pour emporter.It's to take away.
Question 1No account needed
You want a small espresso with a dash of milk.

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

une noisette. Une noisette: hazelnut-coloured, from the dash of milk.

Question 2No account needed
Une tisane is…

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

a herbal tea. Une tisane (or infusion) is a herbal tea.

Question 3No account needed
In the practice menu above, where does the same coffee cost the least?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

au comptoir. The example lists €1.80 at the counter, €2.40 in the room and €2.80 on the terrace. These are practice prices, not a general rule for all cafés.

Sources and further reading

Keep going