The most common way to say “tea” in French is, quite simply, thé. You can walk into any café in a French-speaking country and ask for un thé and be perfectly understood. But what about herbal tea, or a nice cup of tea? The French language has more than one way to talk about this cherished beverage. As you delve deeper into French culture and conversation, you'll discover various expressions that can make your language skills sound more natural and nuanced. Let's explore 9 wonderful ways to say 'tea' in French!

1. The standard 'tea' – le thé

Le thé is the fundamental and most direct word for 'tea' in French. It refers specifically to the beverage made from the leaves of the tea plant, Camellia sinensis.

The word thé is a masculine noun. Therefore, it is always used with masculine articles like le (the) or un (a). For example, you would say le thé for 'the tea' and un thé for 'a tea'. It is almost always used in its singular form.

When ordering in a French café, the simplest way is to say, Je voudrais un thé, s'il vous plaît (I would like a tea, please). This is the standard phrase you'll need.

If you want a specific kind of tea, you simply add an adjective or a descriptive phrase after thé. Common examples include:

un thé vert (a green tea)
un thé noir (a black tea)
un thé à la menthe (a mint tea)
un thé au citron (a lemon tea)

It is very important to understand the difference between thé and tisane. Thé contains caffeine and comes from the tea plant. For any herbal, caffeine-free infusion (like chamomile, verbena, or peppermint), the correct French word is une tisane. If you ask for un thé expecting chamomile, you will likely receive black tea instead.

While coffee (le café) dominates many French cafés, France has a refined tea culture with dedicated salons de thé (tea rooms). These establishments offer a vast selection of high-quality teas and are a wonderful part of French social life.

💡 * Je bois du thé tous les matins.

Vous voulez un thé ou un café ?

J'ai commandé un thé vert au jasmin.

Le soir, je préfère boire une tisane plutôt qu'un thé.

Il y a un excellent salon de thé près d'ici.

The 'herbal tea' – la tisane

When you want a warm, comforting drink in France but without the caffeine, you'll ask for une tisane. This term specifically refers to an 'herbal tea' or an 'infusion' made from steeping plants, flowers, fruits, or herbs in hot water.

It's crucial not to confuse la tisane with le thé. While both are infusions, le thé (tea) specifically comes from the leaves of the tea plant, Camellia sinensis, and contains caffeine. La tisane, on the other hand, is naturally caffeine-free, making it a distinct category of beverage.

Culturally, la tisane is often enjoyed in the evening as a soothing drink to aid with digestion (pour la digestion) or to promote sleep (pour dormir). It's a common after-dinner ritual in French homes, seen as a gentle way to wind down the day.

You'll find a wide variety of tisanes available in France. Some of the most popular choices include la camomille (chamomile) for relaxation, la verveine (verbena) for its calming properties, and le tilleul (linden blossom), often enjoyed before bedtime.

So, if you're at a café and want a non-caffeinated hot drink, you can confidently ask, 'Je voudrais une tisane, s'il vous plaît.' (I would like an herbal tea, please.). It's the perfect way to participate in the café culture without the late-night buzz.

💡 * Le soir, je bois toujours une tisane à la camomille pour bien dormir.

Vous désirez un café ou une tisane ?

Cette tisane à la verveine est très bonne pour la digestion.

Peux-tu mettre de l'eau à bouillir pour la tisane, s'il te plaît ?

The 'infusion' – l'infusion

In French, l'infusion (feminine, starts with a vowel so it's l' instead of la) refers to a beverage made by steeping parts of a plant—such as leaves, flowers, or fruit—in hot water. It's the general term for what English speakers often call 'herbal tea' or an 'infusion'.

The key difference between l'infusion and le thé (tea) is the plant used. Le thé is specifically made from the leaves of the tea plant (Camellia sinensis) and usually contains caffeine. In contrast, l'infusion is made from any other plant (like chamomile, mint, or verbena) and is typically caffeine-free.

You will very often hear the word la tisane used interchangeably with l'infusion. While l'infusion technically refers to the process of infusing, in everyday language, both terms are used to mean 'herbal tea'. La tisane is perhaps slightly more common when ordering in a café, but both are perfectly understood.

When ordering a drink, you can simply ask for the type you want. For example, you could say, "Je vais prendre une infusion à la verveine, s'il vous plaît" (I'll have a verbena tea, please) or "Qu'est-ce que vous avez comme infusions ?" (What kind of herbal teas do you have?).

Some popular infusions in France include:

La verveine (verbena)
Le tilleul (linden flower)
La camomille (chamomile)
La menthe (mint)

💡 * Le soir, je bois toujours une infusion pour bien dormir.

Pourriez-vous m'apporter une infusion à la menthe, s'il vous plaît ?

L'infusion de gingembre et citron est excellente pour la digestion.

Tu préfères le thé ou une infusion ?

The 'iced tea' – le thé glacé

The direct and most common way to say 'iced tea' in French is le thé glacé.

This phrase literally translates to 'the iced tea.' Le thé means 'the tea,' and glacé is the adjective for 'iced' or 'frozen,' derived from the word glace (ice).

The word thé is a masculine noun in French. Therefore, it uses the masculine article le and the masculine form of the adjective, glacé. If the noun were feminine, the adjective would be glacée.

Le thé glacé is the standard term you would use when ordering at a café, buying from a store, or discussing refreshing drinks, especially during hot weather.

💡 * Je voudrais un thé glacé à la pêche, s'il vous plaît. (I would like a peach iced tea, please.)

En été, rien de mieux qu'un bon thé glacé maison. (In summer, there's nothing better than a good homemade iced tea.)

Tu préfères le thé glacé ou le café glacé ? (Do you prefer iced tea or iced coffee?)

Ce thé glacé est très rafraîchissant. (This iced tea is very refreshing.)

The 'cup of tea' – une tasse de thé

First, let's start with the basics. The French phrase for 'a cup of tea' is a direct and literal translation: une tasse de thé.

Just like in English, this phrase has a popular idiomatic meaning. To express that something isn't to your liking or preference, you use the expression ce n'est pas ma tasse de thé, which translates perfectly to 'it's not my cup of tea.'

This is a very common and slightly formal way to express dislike in everyday French. You can use it for hobbies, music, food, or any activity you don't particularly enjoy. It's a polite and gentle way to state a negative preference.

The structure is straightforward. If the subject is plural, the verb changes accordingly: Les maths, ce n'est pas ma tasse de thé (Math isn't my cup of tea), but Les films d'horreur ne sont pas ma tasse de thé (Horror movies are not my cup of tea).

Interestingly, while the negative form is widespread, the positive version (c'est ma tasse de thé) is rarely used. To say you like something, it's much more common for French speakers to say c'est mon truc ('it's my thing') or simply j'adore ('I love it').

💡 * Le football, ce n'est pas du tout ma tasse de thé. (Football is not my cup of tea at all.)

J'ai essayé de lire ce livre, mais ce n'est pas ma tasse de thé. (I tried to read this book, but it's not my cup of tea.)

La musique classique, ce n'est pas sa tasse de thé. (Classical music isn't his/her cup of tea.)

Aller à des grandes fêtes ? Non, ce n'est pas vraiment notre tasse de thé. (Going to big parties? No, it's not really our cup of tea.)

The 'pot of tea' – une théière

To talk about a 'pot of tea' in French, the essential word you need to know is une théière. This word specifically refers to the vessel used for brewing and serving tea.

The French word for 'teapot' is une théière. It's important to remember its gender: as the article une indicates, théière is a feminine noun. This will affect the adjectives you use to describe it, for example, une théière rouge (a red teapot).

A common point of confusion for learners is the difference between une théière (the pot) and le thé (the tea). Remember that théière is the container, while le thé is the masculine noun for the beverage itself. You put le thé into une théière.

You would use une théière when ordering tea to share in a café or restaurant, or when talking about the physical object in your kitchen. For instance, when ordering, you might say, 'Nous voudrions une théière de thé vert, s'il vous plaît' (We would like a pot of green tea, please).

💡 * J'ai cassé ma théière préférée hier soir.

Pourrions-nous avoir une grande théière pour quatre personnes ?

Cette théière en fonte garde le thé chaud plus longtemps.

Elle a reçu une magnifique théière en cadeau d'anniversaire.

The 'tea time' – l'heure du thé

The French equivalent for 'tea time' is l'heure du thé. This phrase literally translates to 'the hour of the tea' and is the most common way to refer to this mid-afternoon break.

While the expression is widely understood, the tradition is less formal in France compared to the UK. It often overlaps with le goûter, the traditional French afternoon snack, especially for children. L'heure du thé can imply a more adult, relaxed break with tea and pastries.

You can use l'heure du thé to announce the time for a break, such as C'est l'heure du thé ! (It's tea time!), or to invite someone, for example, Je t'invite pour l'heure du thé (I'm inviting you for tea time).

💡 *C'est l'heure du thé, tu veux un biscuit ? (It's tea time, do you want a cookie?)
*Vers 16h, c'est souvent l'heure du thé en France. (Around 4 PM is often tea time in France.)
*Elle m'a invité pour l'heure du thé demain après-midi. (She invited me for tea time tomorrow afternoon.)

1. The 'tea bag' – un sachet de thé

The most common and direct way to say 'tea bag' in French is un sachet de thé. This is the term you'll hear and use in everyday situations, from cafés to supermarkets.

Let's break it down: Un sachet is a masculine noun meaning 'a small bag,' 'packet,' or 'pouch.' De thé simply means 'of tea.' Together, they literally form 'a small bag of tea.'

You use this phrase when ordering tea or buying it in a store. For example, you might buy une boîte de sachets de thé (a box of tea bags). This term helps differentiate from thé en vrac (loose-leaf tea).

💡 * Pourrais-je avoir un sachet de thé vert, s'il vous plaît ? (Could I have a green tea bag, please?)

J'ai acheté une nouvelle boîte de sachets de thé à la camomille. (I bought a new box of chamomile tea bags.)

Laisse infuser le sachet de thé dans l'eau chaude pendant cinq minutes. (Let the tea bag steep in the hot water for five minutes.)

1. The 'mint tea' – le thé à la menthe

The direct and most common way to say 'mint tea' in French is le thé à la menthe. This literally translates to 'the tea with the mint.' The phrase is composed of le thé (the tea), the preposition à combined with the article la (meaning 'with' or 'in the style of'), and la menthe (the mint).

In France, le thé à la menthe is not just any mint-flavored tea. It specifically refers to the sweet, hot green tea with fresh mint leaves prepared in the North African, particularly Moroccan, style. It is a strong symbol of hospitality and social life, often served when welcoming guests or after a meal.

Traditionally, le thé à la menthe is prepared with Chinese gunpowder green tea, a large bunch of fresh spearmint, and a significant amount of sugar. It is famously poured from a height into small glasses to aerate the tea and create a thin layer of foam on top, known as its 'turban'.

You would use this term when ordering at a café, especially one with North African influence, or when offered a drink in someone's home. It's a widely recognized and appreciated beverage across France. For instance, you could say: Je vais prendre un thé à la menthe, s'il vous plaît.

💡 * Après le couscous, on boit toujours un thé à la menthe.

J'adore l'odeur du thé à la menthe frais.

Pourriez-vous me servir un thé à la menthe très chaud et bien sucré ?

Le thé à la menthe est un symbole de l'hospitalité au Maghreb.

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

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

Our list features the most common ways to say “tea” in French, from the basic thé to infusion and tisane. But French tea culture is rich with specific terms for different blends, preparations, and regional specialties.

You can also do an online search for a specific type of tea followed by “en français” to find its exact name, for example, “earl grey tea en français” will lead you to le thé Earl Grey.

You might find some interesting vocabulary this way. As always, check the word’s definition and try to see it used in context—for instance, on a French café menu or in a recipe—before using it yourself.

Pay attention as you visit a French salon de thé, read menus, or watch French films. You may discover a whole new world of tea-related vocabulary and customs.

And if you’re looking for vocabulary related to different kinds of teas or the equipment used to make it, the Larousse dictionary entry for thé is an excellent place to start!

I hope this guide has been a refreshing brew of information. To finish, here’s a perfect quote to ponder over your next cup, often attributed to Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin: Le thé est la boisson de la tempérance, du calme et de la sagesse. (Tea is the drink of temperance, calm, and wisdom.)

'9 ways to say "tea" in French'