French · Food & Drink
"Pepper (spice)" in French: poivre
le poivre
Pepper as a spice in French is le poivre. Say du poivre and poivre moulu. Black pepper is poivre noir; a pepper mill is un moulin à poivre.
Dinner table
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How to pronounce poivre
Say it
PWAHV-ruh
/pwavʁ/
PWAHV-ruh. Soft pwahv; light final ruh.
"Pepper (spice)" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| le poivre | pepper (spice) Default. | Default. |
| du poivre | some pepper Partitive. | Partitive. |
| poivre noir / blanc | black / white pepper Types. | Types. |
| moulin à poivre | pepper mill Tableware. | Tableware. |
How to use poivre in real life
- 1Dinner table
Tu veux du poivre sur les pâtes ?
Want some pepper on the pasta?
Seasoning.
- 2Cooking
Deux tours de poivre et c'est bon.
Two turns of pepper and it's done.
Mill.
- 3Too spicy
J'ai mis trop de poivre dans la sauce.
I put too much pepper in the sauce.
Amount.
Mistakes English speakers make with poivre
Incorrect: La poivre est fort.
Correct: Le poivre est fort.
Poivre is masculine.
Incorrect: Passe le pepper.
Correct: Passe le poivre.
Use poivre for the spice.
Good to know
Poivre is the spice; le poivron is the bell pepper vegetable—easy mix-up. French tables often keep sel et poivre side by side. Steak au poivre is a bistro classic.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Finishing a pan sauce
ChatPal
Encore un peu de poivre ?
A bit more pepper?
You
Oui, une pincée de poivre noir.
Yes, a pinch of black pepper.
ChatPal
Voilà le poivre. Goûte.
Here's the pepper. Taste.
You
Parfait, on sert.
Perfect—let's serve.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Pepper (spice)" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Pepper (spice)" in French
How do you say pepper (spice)?
Le poivre.
What is a bell pepper?
Un poivron—different word.
How do I ask for pepper?
Tu me passes le poivre ?
How do you pronounce poivre?
PWAHV-ruh.
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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