How to Order Coffee in France

How to Order Coffee in France If you think ordering coffee in a French cafà © or bar is the same as back home, you might be in for an unpleasant surprise. Ask for un cafà © and youll be presented with a tiny cup of espresso, and if you then request milk, youre likely to get a dirty look or sigh of exasperation. Whats the problem? Le Cafà © Franà §ais In France, un cafà ©, which may also be called un petit cafà ©, un cafà © simple, un cafà © noir, un petit noir, un cafà © express, or un express, is an espresso: a tiny cup of strong black coffee. Thats what the French drink, so thats what the simple word cafà © refers to. Many visitors to France, however, prefer a large cup of filtered, relatively weak coffee, which in France is known as un cafà © amà ©ricain or un cafà © filtre. If you like the taste but not the strength of espresso, order un cafà © allongà © and youll get an espresso in a large cup which you can dilute with hot water. On the other hand, if youd like something even stronger than espresso, ask for un cafà © serrà ©. In the unlikely event that you find a place serving iced coffee, it will be called cafà © glacà ©. For decaffeinated coffee, add the word dà ©ca to your order: un cafà © dà ©ca, un cafà © amà ©ricain dà ©ca, etc. Du Lait, Sil Vous Plaà ®t If you want milk, you have to order it with the coffee: un cafà © au lait, un cafà © crà ¨me, un crà ¨me - espresso with hot milk (large cup)un cappuccino - espresso with foamed milk (large cup)un cafà © noisette, une noisette - espresso with a dash of milk or a spoonful of foam (small cup) Et Du Sucre? You dont need to ask for sugar - if its not already on the bar or table, it will arrive with your coffee, in little envelopes or cubes. (If its the latter, you can do like the French and faire un canard: dip a sugar cube in your coffee, wait a moment for it to turn brown, and then eat it.) Coffee Notes At breakfast, the French like to dip croissants and day-old baguettes into cafà © crà ¨me - indeed, thats why it comes in such a large cup or even a bowl. But breakfast is the only meal at which coffee is consumed (1) with milk and (2) with food. The French drink un express after lunch and dinner, which means after- not with- dessert. French coffee is not meant to be consumed on the street, so theres no takeaway. But if youre in a hurry, drink your petit cafà © standing up at the bar, rather than sitting at a table. Youll be rubbing elbows with locals, and youll save money to boot. (Some cafà ©s have three different prices: bar, indoor table, and outdoor table.) Un cafà © lià ©geois is not a drink, but rather a dessert: a coffee ice cream sundae. (Youre also likely to encounter un chocolat lià ©geois.) Other Hot Drinks un chocolat - hot chocolateun thà © - black teaun thà © vert - green teaune tisane, une infusion - herbal tea In the mood for something different? This article has an extensive list of other drinks and their French pronunciations.