French · Food & Drink

"Butter" in French: beurre

le beurre

Say it: BUHRmasculine · le beurrenoun/bœʁ/

Butter in French is le beurre, masculine. Du beurre means some butter. Tartine beurrée is bread with butter.

At breakfast

Passe-moi le beurre, s'il te plaît.
Pass me the butter, please.
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How to pronounce beurre

Say it

BUHR

/bœʁ/

BUHR. French eu like the vowel in "blur" without a strong r. Final e is silent.

"Butter" in French: quick reference

FrenchEnglish
le beurrebutter

The food noun.

du beurresome butter

Partitive for uncountable butter.

beurre doux / saléunsalted / salted butter

At the supermarket.

beurré(e)buttered

Adjective from beurre.

How to use beurre in real life

  1. 1At breakfast

    Passe-moi le beurre, s'il te plaît.

    Pass me the butter, please.

    Le beurre on the table.

  2. 2Cooking

    Fais fondre un peu de beurre dans la poêle.

    Melt a little butter in the pan.

    De beurre after un peu.

  3. 3Bakery order

    Un croissant au beurre, s'il vous plaît.

    A butter croissant, please.

    Au beurre marks the classic butter croissant.

Mistakes English speakers make with beurre

Incorrect: La beurre est froid.

Correct: Le beurre est froid.

Beurre is masculine: le, not la.

Incorrect: Je veux un beurre.

Correct: Je veux du beurre.

For some butter as food, use the partitive du beurre.

Good to know

French breakfast often means baguette and beurre, and bakeries distinguish croissant au beurre from cheaper versions with margarine. Beurre salé is popular in Brittany; elsewhere beurre doux is the default in many homes.

Try it in a ChatPal conversation

Making toast at home

  1. ChatPal

    Il reste du beurre ?

    Is there any butter left?

  2. You

    Oui, le beurre est dans le frigo.

    Yes, the butter is in the fridge.

  3. ChatPal

    Parfait. J'en mets sur le pain.

    Perfect. I'll put some on the bread.

  4. You

    Prends le beurre doux, pas le salé.

    Take the unsalted butter, not the salted.

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"Butter" in other languages

FAQ

Common questions about "Butter" in French

Is beurre masculine or feminine?

Masculine: le beurre.

How do I say some butter?

Du beurre.

What is beurre salé?

Salted butter.

How do you pronounce beurre?

BUHR, with French eu and a soft r.

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