Une tasse is the most common way to say 'cup' in French, but what about a mug for your morning coffee, a measuring cup for baking, or a plastic cup for a picnic? The French language has a specific word for almost every situation.

Whether you're ordering your morning café, following a recipe, or enjoying a drink with friends, knowing the right term will make you sound more like a native speaker.

Let’s dive into the 9 essential ways to say 'cup' in French!

The standard 'cup' (for hot drinks) – une tasse

The most common and standard French word for a 'cup'—specifically the kind you use for hot drinks like coffee or tea—is une tasse.

As indicated by the article une, tasse is a feminine noun. Its plural form is des tasses. You'll always need to use feminine articles and adjectives with it (e.g., une jolie tasse, ma tasse).

You use une tasse almost exclusively for hot beverages. Think of a classic teacup or coffee mug, which typically has a handle. You would order une tasse de café (a cup of coffee) or offer someone une tasse de thé (a cup of tea).

A crucial point for learners is distinguishing une tasse from un verre. While both can be translated as 'cup' in some contexts, un verre specifically means 'a glass' and is used for cold drinks like water, juice, or wine. You would ask for un verre d'eau, never une tasse d'eau.

The word tasse also appears in a few common expressions. The most famous is Ce n'est pas ma tasse de thé, which translates directly to 'It's not my cup of tea' and carries the exact same meaning as in English. Another is the idiom boire la tasse (literally 'to drink the cup'), which means to swallow water accidentally while swimming.

💡 * Je voudrais une tasse de thé, s'il vous plaît.

• Il a cassé sa tasse préférée ce matin.
• Combien de tasses de café buvez-vous par jour ?
• Le football, ce n'est pas vraiment ma tasse de thé.

The 'glass' (for cold drinks) – un verre

The 'glass' (for cold drinks) – un verre

Your go-to word for a standard drinking glass in French is un verre. This is what you'll use for cold beverages like water, juice, or wine. It's one of the most fundamental vocabulary words for any dining situation.

It's important to distinguish un verre from une tasse (a cup/mug). While both are for drinking, un verre is almost exclusively for cold drinks. For hot coffee or tea, you must use une tasse.

You will constantly hear and use the phrase un verre de... which means 'a glass of...'. For example, you would ask for un verre d'eau (a glass of water) or order un verre de vin rouge (a glass of red wine).

The expression prendre un verre (literally 'to take a glass') is the standard way to say 'to have a drink' or 'to go for a drink'. It's a very common social invitation, like asking, « On va prendre un verre ce soir ? » (Shall we go for a drink tonight?).

Finally, remember that le verre also means the material 'glass'. So, a window is en verre (made of glass), and if you drop your drinking glass, you might say, « Attention, il y a du verre par terre. » (Careful, there's glass on the floor).

💡 * Je voudrais un verre d'eau, s'il vous plaît.

• Pour le café, prends une tasse, pas un verre.
• On va prendre un verre après le travail ?
• Attention, ce verre est très fragile.
• Il a commandé un verre de jus d'orange.

The 'mug' – un mug

Sometimes, learning a French word is incredibly easy because it's borrowed directly from English. This is the case for 'mug'. The French word for a 'mug' is simply un mug.

As a loanword, the pronunciation is very close to the English original, just with a French accent. It's used in exactly the same context: a large, sturdy cup, usually with a handle, for hot drinks like coffee, tea, or hot chocolate.

It's important to know the gender of every noun in French. Mug is a masculine noun. Therefore, you will always see it preceded by masculine articles like un (a), le (the), or mon (my).

The plural form follows the standard French rule for most nouns: simply add an 's'. So, 'mugs' becomes des mugs.

While un mug is common, you should know its counterpart, une tasse, which means 'a cup'. A tasse is typically smaller, more delicate, and often comes with a saucer, used for espresso or a more formal tea setting. A mug is larger and more casual.

💡 * J'ai un mug préféré pour mon café du matin.

• Peux-tu mettre les mugs dans le lave-vaisselle ?
• Il a reçu un mug avec une photo de son chat pour son anniversaire.
• Ce mug est parfait pour un grand chocolat chaud.

The 'disposable cup' – un gobelet

The 'disposable cup' – un gobelet

Un gobelet is the French term for a disposable cup, typically made of plastic or paper. It's the kind of cup you'd use at a picnic, a party, or grab from a water cooler. It is distinct from a ceramic mug (une tasse) or a drinking glass (un verre).

To be more precise, you can specify the material. For instance, un gobelet en plastique refers to a plastic cup, while un gobelet en carton refers to a paper or cardboard cup. This is very common in everyday language.

The word gobelet is a masculine noun. Therefore, it is always preceded by masculine articles like un (a) or le (the). For example, you would say, "Passe-moi le gobelet" (Pass me the cup).

💡 * Peux-tu me donner un gobelet pour l'eau, s'il te plaît ? (Can you give me a cup for water, please?)

• Après la fête, il y avait des gobelets rouges partout. (After the party, there were red cups everywhere.)
• Je préfère les gobelets en carton pour mon café. (I prefer paper cups for my coffee.)
• N'oubliez pas de jeter vos gobelets dans la poubelle de recyclage. (Don't forget to throw your cups in the recycling bin.)

The 'bowl' (for café au lait or soup) – un bol

In French, the word for a bowl, especially the kind used for breakfast drinks like café au lait or for soup, is un bol.

A bol is typically a deep, rounded bowl without handles. It's a staple in French households for morning coffee, hot chocolate, or cereal (céréales). It is also the standard term for a soup bowl.

Remember that bol is a masculine noun. You must always use masculine articles and adjectives with it, such as un bol (a bowl), le bol (the bowl), or mon bol (my bowl).

While un bol is very common, it's distinct from une tasse (a cup, which has a handle) and une assiette creuse (a soup plate, which is shallower and wider). Using the correct term is key to sounding natural.

Whether you're enjoying a warm drink for breakfast or a comforting soup for dinner, un bol is the essential and correct word to use for your handleless bowl.

💡 * Je bois mon café au lait dans un grand bol chaque matin.

• Peux-tu me donner un bol pour mettre mes céréales ?
• Ce restaurant sert la soupe à l'oignon dans de jolis bols en céramique.
• Attention, le bol est chaud !

The 'goblet' or 'chalice' (for champagne or trophies) – une coupe

The French word une coupe is a versatile term that translates to 'goblet,' 'chalice,' or 'cup,' particularly when referring to celebratory items like champagne glasses or trophies.

The two most common and distinguished uses of une coupe are for beverages and awards. You would order une coupe de champagne (a glass of champagne) to celebrate. In the world of sports, a major trophy is also called une coupe, as in la Coupe du Monde (the World Cup).

Beyond celebrations, une coupe also means 'a cut.' This is frequently used for une coupe de cheveux (a haircut). Additionally, it can refer to a bowl, especially for desserts like une coupe de glace (a bowl/sundae of ice cream). The context is crucial for distinguishing the meaning.

All these meanings are logically linked to the verb couper (to cut). A trophy is 'cut' or crafted, a haircut is a literal 'cut,' and a bowl or goblet has a distinct, 'cut' shape. Understanding this connection helps solidify the word's various applications in your memory.

💡 * On a fêté sa promotion avec une coupe de champagne.

• Qui a gagné la coupe cette année ?
• J'aime bien ta nouvelle coupe de cheveux.
• En dessert, je prendrai une coupe de fraises à la crème.

The 'measuring cup' – un verre doseur

In a French kitchen, the tool you'd use to measure ingredients for a recipe is called un verre doseur. The literal translation is a "dosing glass," and it's the standard term for a measuring cup.

Let's break down the term. Un verre means "a glass," and doseur is an adjective derived from the verb doser, which means "to measure out" or "to dose." So, it's a glass used for measuring specific quantities.

You will hear and use this term when following a French recipe (une recette). It's used for both liquid ingredients like milk (le lait) or water (l'eau) and dry ingredients like flour (la farine) or sugar (le sucre). The word is masculine, so you always use un or le.

💡 * Pour la recette, il vous faut un verre doseur pour mesurer le lait.

• J'ai cassé mon verre doseur, je dois en acheter un nouveau.
• Peux-tu me passer le verre doseur qui est sur la table ?
• Versez 250 grammes de farine dans le verre doseur.

1. The 'small cup' (for espresso) – une petite tasse

The phrase for a small espresso cup is quite literal: une petite tasse.

Une tasse means 'a cup,' and petite is the feminine adjective for 'small.' Together, they directly translate to 'a small cup.' This is the standard term for the demitasse cup used for serving espresso.

In France, if you order un café at a bar or restaurant, you will automatically receive an espresso served in une petite tasse. You don't usually need to specify the cup size, but this is the correct term to use if you need to refer to it.

Using petite is crucial to distinguish it from a larger cup or mug used for other types of coffee, like a café au lait, which would be served in une grande tasse or un bol.

💡 * Je voudrais un café, servi dans une petite tasse s'il vous plaît. (I would like a coffee, served in a small cup please.)

• Attention, la petite tasse est brûlante ! (Be careful, the small cup is scorching hot!)
• J'ai acheté un jeu de six petites tasses pour mon nouvel appartement. (I bought a set of six small cups for my new apartment.)

1. The 'beaker' or 'small cup': un godet

The French noun for a small cup, pot, or beaker, especially in a technical, laboratory, or gardening context, is un godet. It is a masculine noun. The core meaning revolves around a small, functional container for holding liquids, samples, or plants.

One of the most common uses for un godet is in horticulture. It refers to the small, often square plastic pots used for growing seedlings or young plants before they are transplanted. For instance, you might buy des godets de basilic (small pots of basil) at a market.

In a scientific or medical context, un godet refers to a small beaker, a sample cup, or the small plastic cup used for dispensing a dose of liquid medicine. It emphasizes the container's small size and functional purpose.

The term un godet can also describe the bucket of an excavator (le godet de la pelleteuse) or a small container for paint or other materials in a workshop. In all cases, it retains the idea of a cup-like container designed for a specific task.

💡 * J'ai planté six godets de salade dans le potager. (I planted six small pots of lettuce in the vegetable garden.)

• L'infirmière a versé le sirop pour la toux dans un godet. (The nurse poured the cough syrup into a small cup.)
• Le chimiste a utilisé un godet pour mesurer le réactif. (The chemist used a small beaker to measure the reagent.)
• Attention, le godet de la machine est plein de terre. (Be careful, the machine's bucket is full of soil.)

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

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

Our list features the most common ways to say “cup” in French, like une tasse for a coffee cup and un verre for a drinking glass. But the French language is full of specific terms for different kinds of cups, from regional variations to words for antique vessels.

You can expand your vocabulary by doing an online search for “les types de tasses en France” or looking up terms related to French kitchenware (la vaisselle).

When you encounter a new word for a cup, like un gobelet or un bol, try to find a picture of it. Visual context is crucial for understanding the difference and using the word correctly.

Pay attention when you watch French movies or visit a café in a French-speaking country. Notice what people are drinking from. Is it a tasse, a mazagran, or something else? This is a great way to learn through observation.

For a deeper dive into related vocabulary and to see these words used in different phrases, the WordReference entry for tasse is a fantastic starting point. The user forums there often contain detailed explanations from native speakers.

I hope this guide has been useful! To finish, here is a fitting quote from the French author Marcel Proust that evokes the simple comfort a cup can bring: “Une heure n'est pas qu'une heure, c'est un vase rempli de parfums, de sons, de projets et de climats.” (An hour is not merely an hour; it is a vase full of scents, sounds, projects, and climates.)