Learning how to say “cheese” in different languages can be both fun and helpful, especially if you love food. In this article, we’ll explore how to say “cheese” in French, along with some common phrases like “grilled cheese,” “cheese board,” and “cheese omelette.” French cuisine is known for its delicious cheeses, so knowing the right words will come in handy whether you’re cooking or ordering at a café.
Whether you’re traveling to France or simply trying to expand your French vocabulary, this guide will help you feel more confident. Let’s delve into the different ways to talk about cheese and cheese dishes in French, so you can impress your friends and enjoy delicious meals with ease.
Ways to Say “Cheese” in French
In French, “cheese” is commonly used in daily life, especially when talking about food or taking photos. Here are 25 ways to say “cheese” in French, along with meanings, pronunciations, and example sentences.
Fromage (froh-mahzh)
Meaning: Cheese (general term)
In a Sentence:
- J’adore le fromage français. (I love French cheese.)
- Le fromage est sur la table. (The cheese is on the table.)
Camembert (kah-mom-behr)
Meaning: A type of soft cheese
In a Sentence:
- Le camembert est crémeux. (The Camembert is creamy.)
- Nous avons acheté du camembert au marché. (We bought Camembert at the market.)
Brie (bree)
Meaning: A soft, creamy cheese
In a Sentence:
- Le brie est délicieux avec du pain. (Brie is delicious with bread.)
- J’aimerais un morceau de brie, s’il vous plaît. (I would like a piece of Brie, please.)
Gruyère (gwee-yehr)
Meaning: A type of hard cheese
In a Sentence:
- Le gruyère est parfait pour les sandwichs. (Gruyère is perfect for sandwiches.)
- J’utilise du gruyère dans ma soupe à l’oignon. (I use Gruyère in my onion soup.)
Roquefort (rok-fohr)
Meaning: A strong, blue cheese
In a Sentence:
- Le roquefort a un goût fort. (Roquefort has a strong taste.)
- Ce roquefort est bien affiné. (This Roquefort is well-aged.)
Comté (kom-tay)
Meaning: A French hard cheese
In a Sentence:
- Le comté se marie bien avec le vin rouge. (Comté pairs well with red wine.)
- Je vais acheter du comté à la fromagerie. (I will buy Comté at the cheese shop.)
Bleu (bluh)
Meaning: Blue cheese
In a Sentence:
- J’aime la salade au bleu. (I like salad with blue cheese.)
- Le fromage bleu est fort en goût. (Blue cheese is strong in flavor.)
Chèvre (shev-ruh)
Meaning: Goat cheese
In a Sentence:
- Le chèvre est parfait pour les salades. (Goat cheese is perfect for salads.)
- J’ai préparé une tarte au chèvre. (I made a goat cheese tart.)
Tomme (tohm)
Meaning: A type of rustic cheese
In a Sentence:
- La tomme de Savoie est délicieuse. (Tomme de Savoie is delicious.)
- Je préfère la tomme légère. (I prefer mild Tomme.)
Raclette (rah-kleht)
Meaning: A cheese used for melting
In a Sentence:
- On mange de la raclette en hiver. (We eat raclette in winter.)
- La raclette est parfaite pour les soirées entre amis. (Raclette is perfect for friendly gatherings.)
Mozzarella (mo-zah-rehl-lah)
Meaning: Mozzarella cheese
In a Sentence:
- J’adore la pizza avec de la mozzarella. (I love pizza with mozzarella.)
- La mozzarella est fraîche et légère. (Mozzarella is fresh and light.)
Emmental (em-mahn-tal)
Meaning: A mild Swiss cheese
In a Sentence:
- L’emmental fond bien dans les sandwichs. (Emmental melts well in sandwiches.)
- Je mets de l’emmental sur mes pâtes. (I put Emmental on my pasta.)
Reblochon (ruh-bloh-shon)
Meaning: A creamy cheese from the Alps
In a Sentence:
- Le reblochon est parfait pour la tartiflette. (Reblochon is perfect for tartiflette.)
- J’aime le goût du reblochon fondu. (I love the taste of melted Reblochon.)
Mascarpone (mas-kar-pohn)
Meaning: A creamy Italian cheese often used in desserts
In a Sentence:
- Je prépare un tiramisu avec du mascarpone. (I’m making tiramisu with mascarpone.)
- La mascarpone est douce et crémeuse. (Mascarpone is soft and creamy.)
Parmesan (par-meh-zahn)
Meaning: Parmesan cheese
In a Sentence:
- Le parmesan ajoute du goût aux pâtes. (Parmesan adds flavor to pasta.)
- Mets du parmesan sur ta pizza. (Put some Parmesan on your pizza.)
Cheddar (sheh-dahr)
Meaning: Cheddar cheese
In a Sentence:
- Le cheddar est bon pour les hamburgers. (Cheddar is good for burgers.)
- J’adore les macaronis au cheddar. (I love macaroni with cheddar.)
Fontina (fon-tee-nah)
Meaning: An Italian cheese
In a Sentence:
- La fontina fond bien sur les pizzas. (Fontina melts well on pizzas.)
- Nous avons mangé une fondue à la fontina. (We ate a fondue with Fontina.)
Ricotta (ree-ko-tah)
Meaning: A soft Italian cheese
In a Sentence:
- Je fais des lasagnes avec de la ricotta. (I make lasagna with ricotta.)
- La ricotta est parfaite pour les desserts. (Ricotta is perfect for desserts.)
Feta (feh-tah)
Meaning: Greek cheese
In a Sentence:
- J’ajoute de la feta à ma salade. (I add feta to my salad.)
- La feta est salée et savoureuse. (Feta is salty and tasty.)
Grana Padano (grah-nah pah-dah-noh)
Meaning: A hard, Italian cheese similar to Parmesan
In a Sentence:
- J’ajoute du Grana Padano sur mes pâtes. (I add Grana Padano on my pasta.)
- Le Grana Padano est plus doux que le parmesan. (Grana Padano is milder than Parmesan.)
Saint-Nectaire (san-nuh-tehr)
Meaning: A soft, creamy French cheese from the Auvergne region
In a Sentence:
- Le Saint-Nectaire a une texture crémeuse. (Saint-Nectaire has a creamy texture.)
- Nous avons servi du Saint-Nectaire avec du pain. (We served Saint-Nectaire with bread.)
Munster (moon-stehr)
Meaning: A soft, smelly cheese from the Alsace-Lorraine region
In a Sentence:
- Le Munster est connu pour son goût fort. (Munster is known for its strong flavor.)
- J’ai mangé un sandwich avec du Munster. (I had a sandwich with Munster cheese.)
Boursin (boor-sahn)
Meaning: A creamy, herbed French cheese
In a Sentence:
- Le Boursin est délicieux sur des crackers. (Boursin is delicious on crackers.)
- J’ai acheté du Boursin pour le dîner. (I bought Boursin for dinner.)
Cantal (kahn-tahl)
Meaning: A firm, cow’s milk cheese from the Auvergne region
In a Sentence:
- Le Cantal se marie bien avec du vin rouge. (Cantal pairs well with red wine.)
- J’aime le goût du Cantal dans les salades. (I like the taste of Cantal in salads.)
Abbaye (ah-bay)
Meaning: A cheese made by monks in monasteries
In a Sentence:
- Ce fromage d’abbaye est vieilli à la perfection. (This abbey cheese is aged to perfection.)
- L’abbaye produit un fromage unique. (The abbey produces a unique cheese.)
Other Ways to Say “Cheese” in French
Here is a table with other ways to say “cheese” in French. This includes variations, specific types of cheese, and their pronunciation, meaning, and examples.
| Other Ways to Say | Pronunciation | Meaning | Example Sentences |
| Grilled Cheese | (sandwich au fromage grillé) | A sandwich with melted cheese | – J’ai préparé un sandwich au fromage grillé pour le déjeuner. (I made a grilled cheese sandwich for lunch.) – Mon frère adore le sandwich au fromage grillé. (My brother loves grilled cheese sandwiches.) |
| Cheese Board | (plateau de fromage) | A selection of cheeses served together | – Le plateau de fromage comprend du brie et du camembert. (The cheese board includes Brie and Camembert.) – Nous avons mangé un plateau de fromage pour l’apéritif. (We had a cheese board for appetizers.) |
| Cheese Omelette | (omelette au fromage) | An omelette with cheese inside | – J’adore l’omelette au fromage le matin. (I love a cheese omelette in the morning.) – L’omelette au fromage est facile à préparer. (A cheese omelette is easy to make.) |
| Cheese Fondue | (fondue au fromage) | A dish of melted cheese served with bread | – La fondue au fromage est parfaite pour une soirée en hiver. (Cheese fondue is perfect for a winter evening.) – Nous avons mangé de la fondue au fromage avec des légumes. (We ate cheese fondue with vegetables.) |
| Swiss Cheese | (fromage suisse) | A cheese from Switzerland, usually mild | – Le fromage suisse est parfait pour les sandwiches. (Swiss cheese is perfect for sandwiches.) – J’ai ajouté du fromage suisse sur mon hamburger. (I added Swiss cheese to my burger.) |
| Cheese Sauce | (sauce au fromage) | A creamy sauce made with melted cheese | – La sauce au fromage est délicieuse avec des pâtes. (Cheese sauce is delicious with pasta.) – Nous avons mis de la sauce au fromage sur les nachos. (We put cheese sauce on the nachos.) |
Response to “Cheese” in French
When someone offers you cheese or says something related to cheese, there are a few polite and friendly ways to respond in French. Here are some typical responses you can use in different situations.
Ça a l’air délicieux !
Pronunciation: sah ah lehr day-lee-syu
Meaning: That looks delicious!
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Voici du fromage fait maison. (Here is homemade cheese.)
- Person 2: Ça a l’air délicieux ! (That looks delicious!)
- After a meal: “Ça a l’air délicieux, je vais goûter!” (That looks delicious, I’m going to try it!)
J’adore le fromage !
Pronunciation: zha-dor luh froh-mahzh
Meaning: I love cheese!
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: J’ai acheté du fromage de chèvre. (I bought goat cheese.)
- Person 2: J’adore le fromage ! (I love cheese!)
- After being offered some cheese: “J’adore le fromage, merci!” (I love cheese, thank you!)
Quel fromage est-ce que c’est ?
Pronunciation: kel froh-mahzh es-kuh seh
Meaning: What kind of cheese is this?
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Ce fromage vient de France. (This cheese comes from France.)
- Person 2: Quel fromage est-ce que c’est ? (What kind of cheese is this?)
- When trying a new cheese: “Quel fromage est-ce que c’est ? Il a un goût unique.” (What kind of cheese is this? It has a unique taste.)
Je vais prendre une tranche de fromage.
Pronunciation: juh veh prahndr oon trah-nsh duh froh-mahzh
Meaning: I will take a slice of cheese.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Voici du fromage, servez-vous. (Here is some cheese, help yourself.)
- Person 2: Je vais prendre une tranche de fromage. (I will take a slice of cheese.)
- While serving yourself: “Je vais prendre une tranche de fromage de chèvre.” (I will take a slice of goat cheese.)
C’est trop fort pour moi.
Pronunciation: seh troh for poor mwah
Meaning: It’s too strong for me.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Essayez ce roquefort, il est délicieux. (Try this Roquefort, it’s delicious.)
- Person 2: C’est trop fort pour moi. (It’s too strong for me.)
- Trying a strong cheese: “Je préfère des fromages plus doux, celui-ci est trop fort pour moi.” (I prefer milder cheeses; this one is too strong for me.)
Je n’aime pas trop le fromage bleu.
Pronunciation: zhuh nem pah troh luh froh-mahzh bluh
Meaning: I don’t really like blue cheese.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Ce fromage bleu est incroyable ! (This blue cheese is amazing!)
- Person 2: Je n’aime pas trop le fromage bleu. (I don’t really like blue cheese.)
- Sharing your preference: “Je n’aime pas trop le fromage bleu, mais j’adore le brie.” (I don’t really like blue cheese, but I love Brie.)
Ça sent bon !
Pronunciation: sah sahn bohng
Meaning: It smells good!
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Voici du fromage de chèvre. (Here is goat cheese.)
- Person 2: Ça sent bon ! (It smells good!)
- When sniffing cheese: “Wow, ça sent bon, j’ai hâte de goûter!” (Wow, it smells good, I can’t wait to taste it!)
Je ne mange pas de fromage.
Pronunciation: zhuh nuh mahnj pah duh froh-mahzh
Meaning: I don’t eat cheese.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Tu veux du fromage ? (Do you want some cheese?)
- Person 2: Je ne mange pas de fromage. (I don’t eat cheese.)
- Explaining your preference: “Je ne mange pas de fromage, mais merci pour l’offre.” (I don’t eat cheese, but thank you for offering.)
Le fromage est délicieux ici.
Pronunciation: luh froh-mahzh eh day-lee-syu ee-see
Meaning: The cheese is delicious here.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Vous aimez le fromage français ? (Do you like French cheese?)
- Person 2: Le fromage est délicieux ici. (The cheese is delicious here.)
- At a cheese shop: “Le fromage est délicieux ici, je vais acheter plusieurs variétés.” (The cheese is delicious here; I will buy several varieties.)
Je suis curieux de goûter ce fromage.
Pronunciation: zhuh swee keer-yoos duh goo-tay suh froh-mahzh
Meaning: I’m curious to taste this cheese.
In a Sentence:
- Person 1: Ce fromage est spécial, vous devez l’essayer. (This cheese is special, you should try it.)
- Person 2: Je suis curieux de goûter ce fromage. (I’m curious to taste this cheese.)
When trying a new cheese: “Je suis curieux de goûter ce fromage de montagne.” (I’m curious to taste this mountain cheese.)
Exercise to Practice Success with “Cheese” in French
Here is an exercise to practice using the different ways to say “cheese” in French. Fill in the blanks with the correct phrase from the options provided. The sentences are in French, and I’ve included the meaning of each sentence for you to understand how to use these phrases in context.
Fill-in-the-Blanks:
- J’ai acheté du ________ au marché.
(I bought some cheese at the market.)
Answer: fromage - Ce ________ a un goût vraiment fort.
(This cheese has a really strong taste.)
Answer: roquefort - Nous avons mangé un ________ délicieux pour le dîner.
(We ate a delicious cheese board for dinner.)
Answer: plateau de fromage - Ma maman prépare toujours un ________ au fromage pour le déjeuner.
(My mom always prepares a grilled cheese sandwich for lunch.)
Answer: sandwich au fromage grillé - J’ai essayé de faire une ________ au fromage, mais elle n’était pas parfaite.
(I tried making a cheese omelette, but it wasn’t perfect.)
Answer: omelette au fromage - Nous avons servi du ________ avec du vin rouge.
(We served cheese with red wine.)
Answer: fromage - Le ________ de chèvre est mon préféré.
(Goat cheese is my favorite.)
Answer: chèvre - Je vais préparer une ________ avec du brie et du camembert.
(I’m going to prepare a cheese board with Brie and Camembert.)
Answer: plateau de fromage - Elle a mis du ________ râpé sur les pâtes.
(She put grated cheese on the pasta.)
Answer: parmesan - Est-ce que tu veux un peu de ________ pour ta soupe ?
(Do you want some cheese for your soup?)
Answer: gruyère - J’adore les ________ crémeux comme le camembert.
(I love creamy cheeses like Camembert.)
Answer: fromages - Nous avons mangé une ________ au fromage avec des légumes.
(We ate a cheese fondue with vegetables.)
Answer: fondue au fromage
Conclusion
Learning how to say “cheese” in French can make your culinary experiences more enjoyable, whether you’re visiting France, cooking at home, or simply having fun with language. From basic terms like fromage to specific varieties such as camembert or brie, you now have a solid foundation in the French vocabulary for cheese.
In addition, exploring phrases like sandwich au fromage grillé (grilled cheese) or plateau de fromage (cheese board) will help you better describe dishes you love or even create your own delicious French-inspired meals. Practicing these expressions will boost your confidence, and soon, you’ll feel comfortable using them in real-life conversations, whether you’re at a restaurant, shopping for cheese, or chatting with French speakers.
Keep practicing, and enjoy exploring the wonderful world of French cheese!