Phrasebook

Ordering ice cream in French: scoops, flavours, cup or cone

Order ice cream in French: une boule, deux boules, en cornet ou en pot, the flavours, and the questions the server will ask. Real phrases with a practice filter.

In short

Say how many scoops and how you want it: Deux boules en cornet, s'il vous plaît : chocolat et pistache. The server will ask En pot ou en cornet ? (cup or cone?) and maybe Avec de la chantilly ? (with whipped cream?).

Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learn

An ice-cream server offering a cone with chocolate and pistachio scoops, a plain cup beside it, no shop labels.
A summer treat prompts en pot ou en cornet. Illustration: Atelier
1

Choosing

ServerBonjour ! Qu'est-ce que je vous sers ?Hello! What can I get you?
YouBonjour. Je peux goûter le parfum caramel au beurre salé ?Hello. Can I taste the salted caramel flavour?
ServerBien sûr, tenez.Of course, here you go.
YouMmm, c'est très bon. Alors deux boules : caramel et vanille.Mmm, that's lovely. Then two scoops: caramel and vanilla.
2

Cup or cone

ServerEn pot ou en cornet ?In a cup or a cone?
YouEn cornet, s'il vous plaît.In a cone, please.
ServerAvec de la chantilly ?With whipped cream?
YouNon merci, c'est parfait comme ça.No thanks, it's perfect like that.
3

For a child

YouEt une petite boule fraise pour mon fils, en pot avec une cuillère.And a small strawberry scoop for my son, in a cup with a spoon.
ServerAvec un petit bonbon dessus ?With a little sweet on top?
YouOui, il va être content !Yes, he'll be happy!
4

Paying

ServerÇa fera sept euros cinquante.That'll be seven fifty.
YouJe peux payer par carte ?Can I pay by card?
ServerOui, sans contact.Yes, contactless.

If you're sharing, ask for une coupe (a sundae served in a glass bowl) at a café; une coupe de glace usually has three scoops with cream and sauce. At a takeaway counter, prices are per number of scoops: une boule, deux boules, trois boules.

What are the ice-cream flavours in French?

Les parfums
FrenchEnglish
vanillevanilla
chocolatchocolate
fraisestrawberry
pistachepistachio
caramel au beurre salésalted caramel
citron (sorbet)lemon (sorbet)
noix de cocococonut
menthe-chocolatmint choc chip

In French, an ice-cream flavour is un parfum (also the word for perfume). Sorbets have no milk: un sorbet framboise. Many ice-cream shops (glaciers) let you taste before you choose: Je peux goûter ?

Question 1No account needed
"Two scoops in a cone"

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

deux boules en cornet. Une boule is a scoop and un cornet a cone.

Question 2No account needed
Un parfum at an ice-cream shop is…

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

a flavour. Quel parfum ? means which flavour?

Question 3No account needed
"Can I taste it?"

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

Je peux goûter ?. Goûter is to taste; essayer is to try on clothes.