Common mistakes
Recette is not a receipt: shopping and cooking false friends
Une recette is a recipe; a receipt is un ticket de caisse or un reçu. Learn the false friends you meet when shopping and cooking, with examples.
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In short
Une recette is a recipe (or, in business, takings). A shop receipt is un ticket de caisse; a formal receipt for a payment is un reçu. Other shopping traps: la monnaie is change, not money, and un raisin is a grape, not a raisin.
Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learnRed watch out
- une recettea receipta recipe; takings
La recette de la tarte est dans ce livre.The recipe for the tart is in this book.
A receipt from a shop is un ticket de caisse.
- le raisina raisingrapes
J'achète du raisin pour le dessert.I'm buying grapes for dessert.
Raisins are des raisins secs.
- la monnaiemoneychange, coins; currency
Vous avez de la monnaie sur vingt euros ?Do you have change for twenty euros?
Money in general is l'argent.
- une prunea prunea plum
Une tarte aux prunes.A plum tart.
Prunes are des pruneaux.
- les chips (f.)chips (fries)crisps
Un paquet de chips.A packet of crisps.
Chips (fries) are des frites.
- la crèmecream (only)cream; also a white coffee
Un crème, s'il vous plaît.A white coffee, please.
In a café, un crème is coffee with milk.
In a kitchen, la recette is everywhere: une recette facile, la recette de ma grand-mère, un livre de recettes. In a shop or business, la recette du jour means the day's takings, the money taken at the till, which is perhaps where the confusion with "receipt" comes from.
How do you ask for a receipt in French?
| Situation | French |
|---|---|
| supermarket, café | le ticket (de caisse) |
| a payment needing proof (rent, a repair) | le reçu |
| a bill to pay | la facture / l'addition (restaurant) |
| card payment slip | le ticket de carte |
- Caissière
Vous voulez le ticket ?
Do you want the receipt?
- Vous
Oui, merci. Et je peux avoir une facture ? C'est pour mon travail.
Yes, thanks. And can I have an invoice? It's for work.
- Caissière
Bien sûr, à quel nom ?
Of course, in what name?