French · Greetings & Essentials

"And" in French: et

et

Say it: ayconjunction/e/

And in French is et. Pain et fromage means bread and cheese. It links words and clauses the same way and does in English.

Ordering food

Je voudrais du pain et du beurre.
I'd like some bread and butter.
Practice French out loud

Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free

How to pronounce et

Say it

ay

/e/

Et sounds like ay (as in day, without a strong y glide). It is not pronounced like English et.

"And" in French: quick reference

FrenchEnglish
etand

Default linker.

et puisand then / and also

Adding a next point.

et toi ?and you?

Turning the question back.

et ceteraand so on

Often written etc.

How to use et in real life

  1. 1Ordering food

    Je voudrais du pain et du beurre.

    I'd like some bread and butter.

    Et links two items.

  2. 2Plans

    On marche et après on boit un café.

    We'll walk and then have a coffee.

    Et joins actions.

  3. 3Introducing people

    Voici Léa et son frère.

    This is Léa and her brother.

    Et between names.

Mistakes English speakers make with et

Incorrect: Pain est fromage.

Correct: Pain et fromage.

Est means is; et means and. They sound similar but spell differently.

Incorrect: Toi and moi.

Correct: Toi et moi.

Use et, not English and.

Good to know

Learners mix et and est because both can sound like ay. In writing, et is and; est is is. In speech, context usually makes it clear: tu es là ? vs pain et eau.

Try it in a ChatPal conversation

Packing a picnic

  1. ChatPal

    Tu prends du fromage et des fruits ?

    Are you taking cheese and fruit?

  2. You

    Oui, fromage et raisins secs.

    Yes, cheese and raisins.

  3. ChatPal

    Parfait. Eau et serviettes aussi.

    Perfect. Water and napkins too.

  4. You

    C'est noté.

    Got it.

This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.

Practice this conversation in ChatPal

"And" in other languages

FAQ

Common questions about "And" in French

How do you say and in French?

Et.

How do you pronounce et?

Like ay.

What is the difference between et and est?

Et = and; est = is (from être).

How do you say and you?

Et toi ?

Learn a word, then use it out loud

  1. Step 1: See it in context
  2. Step 2: Say it out loud
  3. Step 3: Get feedback
  4. Step 4: Use it in real scenarios

Keep reading

Ready to say it out loud?

ChatPal is a voice-first app for practicing real conversations in French. Try real scenarios and get personalized feedback on your speaking.

Start with 7 days free.