Saying 'cheese!' for a photo is a classic way to get everyone to smile, but what do the French say? While they might understand the English expression, they have their own unique ways to coax a grin for the camera.

And let's not forget, 'cheese' in French is fromage, a word that opens up a whole delicious world of its own!

Whether you're posing for a picture on the Champs-Élysées or navigating a fromagerie, knowing the right way to talk about cheese is essential. Let's dive into nine ways to say 'cheese' in French, covering everything from picture-perfect smiles to mouth-watering dairy delights!

1. The standard 'cheese' – le fromage

The most fundamental and universal word for 'cheese' in French is le fromage.

Fromage is the general, all-encompassing term. It covers every type of cheese imaginable, from a creamy Brie to a sharp Roquefort. If you only learn one word for cheese, this is it.

A crucial point for learners: fromage is a masculine noun. This means it's always le fromage (the cheese) or un fromage (a cheese). You will never see it as la fromage.

The plural form is les fromages. For example, you might see a cheese platter described as un plateau de fromages (a platter of cheeses).

In France, le fromage isn't just a food; it's a cultural institution. It's traditionally served as a separate course after the main dish and before dessert. Understanding the word fromage is key to understanding French dining.

A fun and common idiom is en faire tout un fromage, which literally means 'to make a whole cheese out of it'. This is the French equivalent of saying 'to make a mountain out of a molehill' or 'to make a big deal out of nothing'.

To talk about a specific kind of cheese, you often use the structure fromage de + [origin] or fromage + [adjective].

• Fromage de chèvre: Goat cheese
• Fromage à pâte dure: Hard cheese
• Fromage bleu: Blue cheese

💡 * J'adore le fromage français.

• Tu veux un morceau de fromage avec ton pain ?
• Le plateau de fromages arrive après le plat principal.
• Pour une petite erreur, il en a fait tout un fromage !
• Quel est ton fromage préféré ?

1. The famous soft cheese from Normandy – le camembert

One of the most iconic French cheeses, le camembert is a soft, creamy, surface-ripened cow's milk cheese. It's a staple in French households and a true symbol of French gastronomy, recognized worldwide.

Originally from the region of Normandy in northwest France, authentic camembert is protected by an Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC). The label Camembert de Normandie AOC guarantees it's made with raw, unpasteurized milk from local Normande cows, ensuring its traditional quality and taste.

In French, camembert is a masculine noun, so you always say le camembert (the camembert) or un camembert (a camembert). The pronunciation is roughly /ka.mɑ̃.bɛʁ/, with a nasal 'an' sound and a silent 't' at the end.

To fully appreciate its rich, earthy flavor, camembert should be served at room temperature. It's traditionally enjoyed with a fresh baguette, and sometimes accompanied by fruits like apples or pears. A glass of red wine (like a Bordeaux) or a dry Normandy cider makes for a perfect pairing.

Beyond its culinary role, the word camembert is also used informally in French to refer to a pie chart! This is because the circular chart, divided into slices, resembles a wheel of the famous cheese.

💡 * J'ai acheté un bon camembert au marché ce matin.

• Pour le plateau de fromages, n'oublie pas le camembert.
• Tu préfères le camembert ou le brie ?
• Ce graphique en camembert montre les résultats du sondage.

The 'King of Cheeses' – le brie

Let's talk about one of France's most iconic cheeses, often hailed as 'le roi des fromages' (the king of cheeses) – le brie.

Le brie is a soft, creamy cheese made from cow's milk. It gets its name from the Brie region of France, located just east of Paris, where it has been produced for centuries.

Brie is famous for its pale, creamy interior and its white, bloomy rind. A key tip for newcomers: the rind, or 'la croûte', is completely edible and adds to its unique, mild, and buttery flavor!

French people often enjoy brie at room temperature to bring out its full flavor. It's commonly served with a fresh baguette, crackers, fruits like grapes or apples, or even baked until warm and gooey.

In French, cheese (le fromage) is a masculine noun, and so is brie. You will always refer to it as 'le brie' (the brie) or 'du brie' (some brie).

💡 * J'achète du brie pour le dîner. (I'm buying some brie for dinner.)

• Le brie est mon fromage préféré. (Brie is my favorite cheese.)
• Tu veux un morceau de brie avec ta baguette ? (Do you want a piece of brie with your baguette?)
• Ce brie est très crémeux. (This brie is very creamy.)

1. The popular hard cheese – le comté

One of France's most popular and cherished cheeses is le comté. It is a firm, unpasteurized cow's milk cheese known for its complex yet approachable flavor, making it a staple on any French cheese board, or plateau de fromages.

Le comté has a protected designation of origin (AOP) status, meaning it can only be produced in the Jura Massif region of eastern France. The flavor is directly influenced by the diet of the Montbéliarde cows, which graze on the area's diverse pastures.

The taste of le comté varies significantly with its aging period, known as affinage. A young comté is mild, milky, and fruity, while an older, more aged comté develops a deeper, nuttier flavor with small, crunchy salt crystals called tyrosine.

Besides being a star on a cheese plate, le comté is an incredibly versatile cooking cheese. It melts beautifully, making it perfect for classics like fondue, gratins, quiches, or simply melted on a croque-monsieur.

💡 * J'aimerais un morceau de comté, s'il vous plaît. (I would like a piece of comté, please.)

• Ce comté a été affiné pendant 18 mois. (This comté was aged for 18 months.)
• On va faire une fondue avec du comté ce soir. (We are going to make a fondue with comté tonight.)
• Le comté est mon fromage français préféré. (Comté is my favorite French cheese.)

The strong and tangy blue cheese – le roquefort

One of France's most iconic cheeses is the strong and tangy blue cheese known as le roquefort.

Le roquefort is a famous sheep's milk cheese from the south of France. It is one of the world's best-known blue cheeses, protected by an Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC), meaning it can only be made in a specific region and way.

It is characterized by its blue-green veins of mold (Penicillium roqueforti), which give it a sharp, tangy, and salty flavor. The texture is moist and crumbles easily.

The word roquefort is a masculine noun. When referring to it as a food item you're eating or buying, you use the partitive article du, as in du roquefort (some Roquefort).

The French often enjoy le roquefort on a cheese platter after the main course. It's also delicious in salads, sauces for steak, or paired with sweet things like figs, honey, or a sweet white wine like Sauternes to balance its strong flavor.

💡 * J'aimerais un morceau de roquefort, s'il vous plaît. (I would like a piece of Roquefort, please.)

• La salade aux noix et au roquefort est un classique. (The salad with walnuts and Roquefort is a classic.)
• Le roquefort a un goût très prononcé, mais c'est délicieux. (Roquefort has a very strong taste, but it's delicious.)
• Pour cette recette, il faut émietter du roquefort sur la viande. (For this recipe, you need to crumble some Roquefort on the meat.)

The classic goat cheese – le chèvre

The classic goat cheese – le chèvre

In French, le chèvre is the common term for goat cheese. This can be tricky for learners because the animal, the goat, is feminine: la chèvre. However, the cheese is masculine, le chèvre, which is a shortened form of le fromage de chèvre (cheese from a goat).

Le chèvre is a cornerstone of French gastronomy. You'll find it in countless forms, from fresh and creamy (frais) to dry and aged (sec). It's a star ingredient in many beloved dishes, most famously the salade de chèvre chaud (warm goat cheese salad).

When you're at a market (marché) or cheese shop (fromagerie), you can simply ask for du chèvre. The vendor will then likely ask you for more specifics, like “Quel type?” (What type?). It's a simple and direct way to refer to this delicious cheese.

💡 * J'adore la tarte au chèvre et aux épinards.

• Pour le plateau de fromages, je vais prendre un chèvre frais.
• La salade de chèvre chaud est un classique des bistrots français.
• Tu préfères le chèvre sec ou crémeux ?

The cheese platter or board – un plateau de fromages

The most common and direct way to say 'cheese platter' or 'cheese board' in French is un plateau de fromages. This literally translates to 'a platter of cheeses' and is the standard term used in restaurants, homes, and shops.

In France, le plateau de fromages is a significant cultural element, often served as a separate course after the main dish and before dessert. It's an opportunity to showcase a variety of cheeses, typically an odd number, representing different milk types and textures.

The word plateau is a masculine noun, so you always use un (a) or le (the). It is followed by the preposition de and the plural noun fromages (cheeses), forming the complete phrase un plateau de fromages.

💡 * Pour ce soir, j'ai préparé un plateau de fromages avec du Comté et du Roquefort.

• Le restaurant propose un excellent plateau de fromages régionaux.
• En France, on mange souvent le plateau de fromages avant le dessert.
• Quel vin recommandez-vous avec ce plateau de fromages ?

1. The Swiss-style cheese with holes – l'emmental

The Swiss-style cheese with holes – l'emmental

L'emmental (m.) is a yellow, medium-hard cheese that originated in the Emme valley in Switzerland. While Swiss in origin, it's one of the most popular and widely produced cheeses in France, often referred to simply as 'Swiss cheese' in other countries.

Its most defining feature is the presence of large holes, known as yeux (eyes). These are formed by carbon dioxide bubbles released by bacteria during the aging process. The size of the holes can indicate the maturity of the cheese.

Thanks to its excellent melting properties and mild, slightly nutty flavor, l'emmental is a kitchen staple in France. It's the classic choice for a croque-monsieur, gratins, fondues, and is often sold pre-grated (emmental râpé) to be sprinkled over various dishes.

💡 * J'ai acheté de l'emmental pour faire un gratin dauphinois.

• Un croque-monsieur est meilleur avec de l'emmental bien fondu.
• Les enfants adorent regarder les gros trous dans l'emmental.

1. The Slang Term for 'Cheese': Le Frometon

While the standard French word for cheese is le fromage, a common and classic slang term you'll hear is le frometon. It's a colloquial alternative used in casual, everyday conversation.

The word frometon is a perfect example of how French slang (l'argot) works. It's formed by taking the root of fromage and adding the informal suffix -ton. This is a common way to create familiar or slightly playful versions of nouns in French.

You should use le frometon exclusively in informal situations. It's the kind of word you'd use with friends when planning a picnic or talking about groceries, but you would stick to le fromage when ordering at a fancy restaurant or speaking in a formal setting. It adds a touch of authentic, relaxed French to your vocabulary.

💡 * J'ai acheté du bon frometon au marché ce matin. (I bought some good cheese at the market this morning.)

• Tu veux encore un peu de frometon avec ton pain ? (Do you want a little more cheese with your bread?)
• Ce plateau de frometon a l'air délicieux ! (This cheese platter looks delicious!)
• Passe-moi le frometon, s'il te plaît. (Pass me the cheese, please.)

Are there other ways to say 'cheese' in French?

Are there other ways to say “cheese” in French?

Our list covers the most essential vocabulary, but with over 1,200 varieties, France has a vast and delicious lexicon for its national treasure! Beyond the general word fromage, there are countless specific names, regional terms, and descriptive words you'll encounter.

To dive deeper, try an online search for “les fromages de [region]” (the cheeses of [region]) to discover local specialties, like Reblochon from Savoie or Camembert from Normandy.

When you learn a new cheese name, look up its type (pâte molle - soft paste, pâte dure - hard paste) and the milk it's made from (lait de vache - cow's milk, lait de chèvre - goat's milk). This context will help you understand and remember it better.

Pay attention when you visit a French market (marché), browse a cheese shop (fromagerie), or read a restaurant menu. You'll quickly see how central cheese is to French culture and conversation.

For an encyclopedic look at French cheeses, exploring a dedicated site like the Guide du Fromage can be a fantastic (and mouth-watering) way to expand your vocabulary.

I hope this guide has been helpful for your culinary and linguistic journey. To finish, here is a famous and very French reflection from former president Charles de Gaulle: “Comment voulez-vous gouverner un pays où il existe 246 variétés de fromage?” (How can you govern a country which has 246 varieties of cheese?).