Learning how to say “perfume” in French is an exciting step if you’re interested in the French language or planning to travel to France. French is known for its rich culture, and fragrance plays an important role in it. Perfume, or “parfum” in French, is a key part of French history and daily life. Many famous perfume brands come from France, making this word essential for anyone who loves scent and culture.
In this article, we’ll explore how to say “perfume” in French, different ways you can use it, and how to respond when someone asks you about it. Whether you’re shopping in a French store or talking about your favorite scents, learning the correct vocabulary will help you communicate with ease. Let’s dive into the basics of how to talk about perfume in French!
Ways to Say “Perfume” in French
Here are 25 different ways to say “perfume” in French, along with their pronunciations and meanings. These can help you understand how this word is used in various contexts.
1. Parfum (pahr-fuhm)
Meaning: This is the most common way to say “perfume.”
In a sentence:
- J’adore ce parfum! (I love this perfume!)
- Elle porte un parfum floral. (She is wearing a floral perfume.)
2. Eau de toilette (oh duh twa-let)
Meaning: A lighter version of perfume, typically with less fragrance concentration.
In a sentence:
- Il utilise de l’eau de toilette chaque matin. (He uses eau de toilette every morning.)
- Cette eau de toilette a une odeur fraîche. (This eau de toilette has a fresh scent.)
3. Eau de parfum (oh duh pahr-fuhm)
Meaning: A stronger fragrance than eau de toilette, with more perfume oil.
In a sentence:
- Elle préfère l’eau de parfum aux eaux de toilette. (She prefers eau de parfum over eau de toilette.)
- L’eau de parfum dure plus longtemps. (The eau de parfum lasts longer.)
4. Senteur (sahn-teur)
Meaning: A more general term for scent or fragrance.
In a sentence:
- La senteur de la rose est délicate. (The scent of the rose is delicate.)
- J’aime la senteur des fleurs fraîches. (I like the scent of fresh flowers.)
5. Fragrance (fra-grahnss)
Meaning: Another term for fragrance, often used for perfumes and scents.
In a sentence:
- Cette fragrance me rappelle l’été. (This fragrance reminds me of summer.)
- La fragrance de ce savon est douce. (The fragrance of this soap is soft.)
6. Bouquet (boo-kay)
Meaning: A bouquet of scents, often used to describe the mixture of fragrances in perfume.
In a sentence:
- Ce parfum a un bouquet floral. (This perfume has a floral bouquet.)
- Le bouquet du parfum est très agréable. (The bouquet of the perfume is very pleasant.)
7. Parfum d’ambiance (pahr-fuhm dahm-byahns)
Meaning: A scent used to create a certain atmosphere, often found in home perfumes.
In a sentence:
- J’aime utiliser des parfums d’ambiance chez moi. (I like to use ambient perfumes at my home.)
- Ce parfum d’ambiance est parfait pour la soirée. (This ambient perfume is perfect for the evening.)
8. Aromatique (ah-roh-ma-teek)
Meaning: Aromatic, used for scents that are pleasant and strong.
In a sentence:
- Cette bougie a une odeur aromatique. (This candle has an aromatic scent.)
- Il a un parfum aromatique de menthe. (It has an aromatic mint fragrance.)
9. Essence (ess-ahns)
Meaning: Often used for essential oils or very concentrated scents.
In a sentence:
- J’ai acheté de l’essence de lavande. (I bought lavender essence.)
- Cette essence est extraite de la fleur. (This essence is extracted from the flower.)
10. Flacon (flah-kohn)
Meaning: The bottle of perfume.
In a sentence:
- Le flacon de parfum est très élégant. (The perfume bottle is very elegant.)
- Elle a un flacon de parfum très cher. (She has a very expensive perfume bottle.)
11. Vaporisateur (vah-poh-ree-zah-teur)
Meaning: A spray bottle for perfume.
In a sentence:
- J’utilise un vaporisateur pour appliquer mon parfum. (I use a spray bottle to apply my perfume.)
- Le vaporisateur est facile à transporter. (The spray bottle is easy to carry.)
12. Musc (moosk)
Meaning: Musk, a common note in perfumes.
In a sentence:
- Ce parfum contient du musc. (This perfume contains musk.)
- Le musc est une note populaire dans les parfums. (Musk is a popular note in perfumes.)
13. Floral (flor-al)
Meaning: Describing a perfume that has floral scents like roses, jasmine, etc.
In a sentence:
- Ce parfum a une odeur florale. (This perfume has a floral smell.)
- Elle adore les parfums floraux. (She loves floral perfumes.)
14. Boisé (bwah-zay)
Meaning: Woody, used for perfumes that have earthy or woody scents.
In a sentence:
- Ce parfum a une note boisée. (This perfume has a woody note.)
- Il préfère les parfums boisés. (He prefers woody perfumes.)
15. Chypré (shee-pruh)
Meaning: A type of fragrance with a combination of citrus and woody notes.
In a sentence:
- Elle aime les parfums chyprés. (She likes chypre perfumes.)
- Ce parfum est très chypré et riche. (This perfume is very chypre and rich.)
16. Oriental (or-ee-ahn-tal)
Meaning: A term for perfumes that have spicy, warm, and exotic scents.
In a sentence:
- Ce parfum oriental est parfait pour l’hiver. (This oriental perfume is perfect for winter.)
- Les parfums orientaux sont très populaires. (Oriental perfumes are very popular.)
17. Cuir (kweer)
Meaning: Leather, often used in perfumes with deep, rich notes.
In a sentence:
- Ce parfum a une touche de cuir. (This perfume has a touch of leather.)
- Il préfère les parfums au cuir. (He prefers leather-scented perfumes.)
18. Fruité (froo-tay)
Meaning: Fruity, used for perfumes that have fresh fruit scents.
In a sentence:
- Ce parfum est très fruité. (This perfume is very fruity.)
- Elle adore les parfums fruités. (She loves fruity perfumes.)
19. Citrus (see-trus)
Meaning: A scent that comes from citrus fruits like lemon, lime, and orange.
In a sentence:
- Il porte un parfum citronné. (He wears a citrus-scented perfume.)
- Ce parfum a des notes de citrus. (This perfume has citrus notes.)
20. Douceur (doo-suhr)
Meaning: Sweetness, often used for light and sweet scents.
In a sentence:
- Cette eau de toilette a une douceur agréable. (This eau de toilette has a pleasant sweetness.)
- Il préfère les parfums doux. (He prefers sweet perfumes.)
21. Vanille (vah-neel)
Meaning: Vanilla, a sweet and warm note often found in perfumes.
In a sentence:
- Ce parfum a une note de vanille. (This perfume has a vanilla note.)
- Elle aime les parfums à la vanille. (She likes vanilla-scented perfumes.)
22. Ambre (ahm-bruh)
Meaning: Amber, a warm, musky, and sweet note in perfumes.
In a sentence:
- Ce parfum contient de l’ambre. (This perfume contains amber.)
- Les parfums à l’ambre sont très populaires. (Amber perfumes are very popular.)
23. Rafraîchissant (rah-fray-shiss-ahnt)
Meaning: Refreshing, often used for light, crisp scents.
In a sentence:
- Ce parfum est rafraîchissant. (This perfume is refreshing.)
- J’aime les parfums rafraîchissants pour l’été. (I like refreshing perfumes for summer.)
24. Luxueux (loo-zoo-uh)
Meaning: Luxurious, used for high-end, rich perfumes.
In a sentence:
- Ce parfum est très luxueux. (This perfume is very luxurious.)
- Elle porte toujours des parfums luxueux. (She always wears luxurious perfumes.)
25. Agréable (ah-gray-ah-bluh)
Meaning: Pleasant, used to describe a pleasant fragrance.
In a sentence:
- L’odeur de ce parfum est agréable. (The smell of this perfume is pleasant.)
- Ce parfum a une odeur agréable et douce. (This perfume has a pleasant and soft scent.)
Other Ways to Say “Perfume” in French
Here’s a table with more ways to say “perfume” in French, including their pronunciation, meaning, and example sentences. This will help you learn even more vocabulary related to fragrances.
| Other ways to say | Pronunciation | Meaning | Example Sentences |
| Parfum floral | pahr-fuhm floh-ral | Floral perfume, with flower scents | – Ce parfum floral est parfait pour l’été. (This floral perfume is perfect for summer.) – Elle adore les parfums floraux. (She loves floral perfumes.) |
| Eau de cologne | oh duh koh-lohn | Cologne, a lighter, fresh scent | – Il porte de l’eau de cologne tous les matins. (He wears cologne every morning.) – J’aime l’odeur de l’eau de cologne. (I like the smell of cologne.) |
| Parfum de luxe | pahr-fuhm duh lüks | Luxury perfume, high-end fragrance | – Ce parfum de luxe coûte très cher. (This luxury perfume is very expensive.) – Elle aime les parfums de luxe. (She loves luxury perfumes.) |
| Senteur agréable | sahn-teur ah-gray-ah-bluh | Pleasant scent | – La senteur agréable de ce parfum est douce. (The pleasant scent of this perfume is soft.) – Elle porte toujours des senteurs agréables. (She always wears pleasant scents.) |
| Parfum de rose | pahr-fuhm duh rohz | Rose-scented perfume | – Ce parfum de rose est ma préférée. (This rose-scented perfume is my favorite.) – Le parfum de rose est doux et romantique. (Rose perfume is soft and romantic.) |
| Essence florale | ess-ahns floh-ral | Floral essence, often for oils | – J’ai acheté de l’essence florale de lavande. (I bought lavender floral essence.) – L’essence florale est parfaite pour les huiles essentielles. (Floral essence is perfect for essential oils.) |
| Parfum fruité | pahr-fuhm froo-tay | Fruity perfume, with fruit scents | – Ce parfum fruité me rappelle l’été. (This fruity perfume reminds me of summer.) – J’aime les parfums fruités. (I like fruity perfumes.) |
| Parfum épicé | pahr-fuhm eh-pee-say | Spicy perfume | – Ce parfum épicé est parfait pour l’automne. (This spicy perfume is perfect for autumn.) – Elle porte un parfum épicé pour les soirées. (She wears a spicy perfume for evenings.) |
| Cadeau parfumé | kah-doh pahr-fuh-may | Scented gift, often a perfume gift | – J’ai offert un cadeau parfumé à ma mère. (I gave a scented gift to my mother.) – Ce cadeau parfumé sent merveilleusement bien. (This scented gift smells wonderful.) |
| Eau parfumée | oh pahr-fyoo-may | Scented water, a lighter fragrance | – L’eau parfumée a un léger parfum de fleurs. (The scented water has a light floral fragrance.) – Elle utilise de l’eau parfumée dans son bain. (She uses scented water in her bath.) |
| Parfum au jasmin | pahr-fuhm oh jass-meen | Jasmine-scented perfume | – Ce parfum au jasmin est très populaire. (This jasmine-scented perfume is very popular.) – J’aime les parfums au jasmin. (I like jasmine perfumes.) |
| Parfum de nuit | pahr-fuhm duh nwee | Night perfume, often heavier scents | – Le parfum de nuit est plus intense. (Night perfume is stronger.) – Elle aime porter un parfum de nuit. (She likes to wear a night perfume.) |
| Parfum d’été | pahr-fuhm day-tay | Summer perfume, light and fresh | – Ce parfum d’été est parfait pour la plage. (This summer perfume is perfect for the beach.) – J’adore les parfums d’été. (I love summer perfumes.) |
| Parfum à la vanille | pahr-fuhm ah lah vah-neel | Vanilla-scented perfume | – Ce parfum à la vanille est doux et sucré. (This vanilla-scented perfume is sweet and soft.) – Elle porte un parfum à la vanille. (She wears a vanilla-scented perfume.) |
| Parfum boisée | pahr-fuhm bwah-zay | Woody perfume | – Ce parfum boisée a une touche d’ambre. (This woody perfume has a touch of amber.) – Les parfums boisés sont souvent plus masculins. (Woody perfumes are often more masculine.) |
Response to “Perfume” in French
When someone talks about perfume in French, you can respond in different ways depending on the situation. Here are some common responses you might hear or use when discussing perfume with others.
1. J’aime beaucoup ce parfum !
Pronunciation: (zhaym boh-koo suh pahr-fuhm)
Meaning: “I really like this perfume!”
In a sentence:
- Person 1: Ce parfum est incroyable ! (This perfume is amazing!)
- Person 2: J’aime beaucoup ce parfum ! (I really like this perfume!)
2. Il sent super bien !
Pronunciation: (eel sahn soo-pehr byan)
Meaning: “It smells really good!”
In a sentence:
- Person 1: Comment tu trouves ce parfum ? (What do you think of this perfume?)
- Person 2: Il sent super bien ! (It smells really good!)
3. C’est un parfum de luxe.
Pronunciation: (seh uhn pahr-fuhm duh lüks)
Meaning: “It’s a luxury perfume.”
In a sentence:
- Person 1: Ce parfum est tellement cher ! (This perfume is so expensive!)
- Person 2: C’est un parfum de luxe. (It’s a luxury perfume.)
4. Je préfère les parfums floraux.
Pronunciation: (zhuh preh-fehr lay pahr-fuhm floh-ral)
Meaning: “I prefer floral perfumes.”
In a sentence:
- Person 1: Ce parfum a une odeur de bois. (This perfume has a woody scent.)
- Person 2: Je préfère les parfums floraux. (I prefer floral perfumes.)
5. Ça me rappelle mon enfance.
Pronunciation: (sah muh rah-pel mon ahn-fahns)
Meaning: “It reminds me of my childhood.”
In a sentence:
- Person 1: Cette fragrance est si douce. (This fragrance is so soft.)
- Person 2: Ça me rappelle mon enfance. (It reminds me of my childhood.)
6. Quel parfum as-tu choisi ?
Pronunciation: (kel pahr-fuhm ah-tew swah-zee)
Meaning: “Which perfume did you choose?”
In a sentence:
- Person 1: J’ai trouvé un parfum magnifique. (I found a magnificent perfume.)
- Person 2: Quel parfum as-tu choisi ? (Which perfume did you choose?)
7. Ce parfum est tellement agréable !
Pronunciation: (suh pahr-fuhm eh tehl-moh ah-gray-ah-bluh)
Meaning: “This perfume is so pleasant!”
In a sentence:
- Person 1: Comment est ce parfum ? (How is this perfume?)
- Person 2: Ce parfum est tellement agréable ! (This perfume is so pleasant!)
8. J’adore l’odeur du musc.
Pronunciation: (zhah-dohr loh-duhr doo moosk)
Meaning: “I love the scent of musk.”
In a sentence:
- Person 1: Ce parfum est si sucré. (This perfume is so sweet.)
- Person 2: J’adore l’odeur du musc. (I love the scent of musk.)
9. Il est très frais.
Pronunciation: (eel eh treh frey)
Meaning: “It is very fresh.”
In a sentence:
- Person 1: Que penses-tu de ce parfum ? (What do you think of this perfume?)
- Person 2: Il est très frais. (It is very fresh.)
10. Il a une touche de vanille.
Pronunciation: (eel ah oon toosh duh vah-neel)
Meaning: “It has a hint of vanilla.”
In a sentence:
- Person 1: Ce parfum a une odeur sucrée. (This perfume has a sweet smell.)
- Person 2: Il a une touche de vanille. (It has a hint of vanilla.)
11. C’est un parfum que j’utilise tous les jours.
Pronunciation: (seh uhn pahr-fuhm kuh zhuh-tew-leez too lay zhoor)
Meaning: “It’s a perfume that I use every day.”
In a sentence:
- Person 1: Tu as un parfum spécial. (You have a special perfume.)
- Person 2: C’est un parfum que j’utilise tous les jours. (It’s a perfume that I use every day.)
12. C’est une fragrance douce et agréable.
Pronunciation: (seh oon frah-grans dooss eh ah-gray-ah-bluh)
Meaning: “It’s a soft and pleasant fragrance.”
In a sentence:
- Person 1: Cette fragrance est parfaite pour l’été. (This fragrance is perfect for summer.)
- Person 2: C’est une fragrance douce et agréable. (It’s a soft and pleasant fragrance.)
Exercise to Practice Saying “Perfume” in French
Now let’s test your knowledge of the different ways to say “perfume” in French. Below are 12 fill-in-the-blank exercises using the words and phrases we’ve covered so far. Fill in the blanks with the correct word from the list.
Fill-in-the-Blank Exercise
- Il a acheté un ________ floral pour sa mère.
(He bought a floral ________ for his mother.) - J’adore cette ________ épicée, elle est parfaite pour l’hiver.
(I love this spicy ________, it’s perfect for winter.) - Ce ________ boisée sent comme le bois de santal.
(This woody ________ smells like sandalwood.) - Elle préfère l’________ de cologne aux autres parfums.
(She prefers ________ cologne over other perfumes.) - Ce ________ d’ambiance a une senteur agréable.
(This ambient ________ has a pleasant scent.) - Mon parfum préféré est ________ de rose.
(My favorite perfume is ________ rose.) - Le ________ que j’utilise tous les jours est léger et rafraîchissant.
(The ________ I use every day is light and refreshing.) - Elle aime les ________ fruités, surtout ceux avec une touche de citron.
(She likes ________ perfumes, especially those with a touch of lemon.) - Ce ________ de luxe est un cadeau parfait.
(This ________ of luxury is a perfect gift.) - Le ________ de musc dans ce parfum est très doux.
(The ________ of musk in this perfume is very soft.) - Ce ________ au jasmin est tellement rafraîchissant.
(This ________ with jasmine is so refreshing.) - Il a un ________ très sucré, comme de la vanille.
(It has a ________ scent, like vanilla.)
Answers
- parfum
- parfum
- parfum
- eau
- parfum
- parfum
- parfum
- parfums
- parfum
- odeur (Note: “odeur” means scent, but “parfum” can also fit in this context.)
- parfum
- parfum
Conclusion
Learning how to say “perfume” in French opens up a world of fragrant possibilities. Whether you are shopping for perfume in France, discussing your favorite scents, or simply sharing your thoughts on fragrances with a French-speaking friend, knowing the right words will make you feel more confident. From classic terms like parfum to more specific phrases like eau de toilette or parfum floral, each word helps you express the kind of perfume or fragrance you’re talking about.
As you continue to learn and practice, try to use these words in your daily conversations. The more you practice, the more comfortable you’ll become with French fragrance vocabulary. Remember, perfume is an important part of French culture, and by understanding how to talk about it, you’ll be connecting to a rich tradition of scents that has been cherished for centuries. Keep exploring and enjoy the sweet, spicy, and floral world of French perfumes!