French · Food & Drink
"Cake" in French: gâteau
le gâteau
Cake in French is le gâteau, masculine. Un gâteau is one cake; des gâteaux is the plural. Birthday cake is often un gâteau d'anniversaire.
Birthday
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How to pronounce gâteau
Say it
gah-TOH
/ɡa.to/
gah-TOH. Soft g, closed o. Plural gâteaux sounds the same in speech.
"Cake" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| le gâteau | the cake Default dessert cake. | Default dessert cake. |
| un gâteau | a cake Ordering or baking. | Ordering or baking. |
| des gâteaux | cakes / pastries Plural; also bakery sweets. | Plural; also bakery sweets. |
| gâteau d'anniversaire | birthday cake Parties. | Parties. |
How to use gâteau in real life
- 1Birthday
Qui coupe le gâteau ?
Who's cutting the cake?
Le gâteau at the table.
- 2Bakery
Je voudrais un gâteau au chocolat.
I'd like a chocolate cake.
Au chocolat for flavor.
- 3At home
J'ai fait un gâteau ce matin.
I baked a cake this morning.
Faire un gâteau.
Mistakes English speakers make with gâteau
Incorrect: La gâteau est bon.
Correct: Le gâteau est bon.
Gâteau is masculine.
Incorrect: Des gâteaus.
Correct: Des gâteaux.
Plural of -eau is -eaux.
Good to know
Gâteau covers layered cakes and many bakery sweets; piece means a slice. For birthday songs, people still gather around le gâteau d'anniversaire with candles.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Choosing dessert for a party
ChatPal
On prend un gâteau ou des fruits ?
Shall we get a cake or fruit?
You
Un gâteau, clairement.
A cake, clearly.
ChatPal
Chocolat ou citron pour le gâteau ?
Chocolate or lemon for the cake?
You
Chocolat. Tout le monde va être content.
Chocolate. Everyone will be happy.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Cake" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Cake" in French
How do I say cake?
Le gâteau.
What is the plural?
Gâteaux.
How do I say birthday cake?
Un gâteau d'anniversaire.
How do you pronounce gâteau?
Gah-TOH.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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