The French word for bread is pain, pronounced like pan but with less stress on the n.
Using Pain In Sentences
- Est-ce que je peux avoir du pain? (pronounced ess-kuh je puh avoir du pan?) = "Can I have some bread?"
- Peux-tu me passer le pain? (pronounced puh tu muh pass-ay le pan?) = "Can you pass me the bread?" This sentence uses the informal version of 'you' that you'd use among friends or close family. For the more formal version, replace peux-tu with pouvez-vous.
- Un pain, s'il vous plait. (pronounced un pan, sil voo play) = "One bread, please." This sentence uses the formal 'vous,' as this is how you'd address a shopkeeper or baker.
Different Types of Bread
- If you ask for un pain in a French bakery (or boulangerie) you're likely to be given an oval loaf of bread, like the one pictured on the right. For the long, thin stick of bread pictured above, ask for une baguette.
- Nearly everybody in France buys their bread fresh, but it's still possible to buy pre-packaged loaves in some larger supermarkets. This type of bread is often packaged under names such as 'American style.'
