The French word for 'tomato' seems simple enough, right? It's la tomate. But what if you're at a bustling Parisian market and hear someone ask for a tomate-cerise? Or you see cœur de bœuf on a menu and wonder what that has to do with your salad?

Just like in English, the French have several ways to talk about this versatile fruit (or is it a vegetable?). From different varieties to more descriptive terms, knowing these words will not only expand your vocabulary but also help you navigate menus and markets like a true local.

Let's dive into nine delicious ways to say 'tomato' in French!

The standard 'tomato' – la tomate

The standard word for 'tomato' in French is la tomate.

La tomate is the direct and most common term for 'tomato'. It's a fundamental word you'll hear in markets, kitchens, and restaurants across the French-speaking world.

Crucially, tomate is a feminine noun. This means you will always use feminine articles with it.

A tomato: une tomate
The tomato: la tomate
The tomatoes (plural): les tomates

This word is primarily used in the context of food and cooking. You will see it on menus in dishes like salade de tomates (tomato salad) or as a key ingredient, such as sauce tomate (tomato sauce).

Like in English, different types of tomatoes have specific names. The most common variation you'll encounter is la tomate cerise, which means 'cherry tomato'.

There's a popular and descriptive idiom using this word. To say someone is blushing or very embarrassed, you can say they deviennent rouge comme une tomate (become red as a tomato).

💡 * J'achète des tomates au marché tous les samedis. (I buy tomatoes at the market every Saturday.)

Cette soupe à la tomate est délicieuse. (This tomato soup is delicious.)

Il faut couper la tomate en petits dés. (You have to cut the tomato into small dice.)

Quand il a réalisé son erreur, il est devenu rouge comme une tomate. (When he realized his mistake, he turned red as a tomato.)

Pour cette recette, tu as besoin de trois grosses tomates. (For this recipe, you need three large tomatoes.)

The 'cherry tomato' – la tomate cerise

The 'cherry tomato' – la tomate cerise

La tomate cerise is the French term for 'cherry tomato.' The name literally translates to 'cherry tomato,' making it a direct and easy-to-remember cognate for English speakers who are learning food vocabulary.

It's important to note the grammar here. Tomate is a feminine noun, so the adjective cerise (cherry) remains in its standard form. When you make it plural, it becomes les tomates cerises, with both the noun and the adjective taking an 's'.

You will commonly encounter this term in French recipes, at the grocery store (l'épicerie), or at a farmer's market (le marché). It specifically refers to the small, round variety of tomato popular in salads and as snacks.

Les tomates cerises are a staple in French summer cuisine, often served as an apéritif (a pre-dinner drink and snack), or mixed into a fresh salade niçoise and other seasonal dishes.

Unlike some French food terms that can be tricky, la tomate cerise is wonderfully straightforward, showing how language can sometimes be as simple and delightful as the food it describes.

💡 * J'ai acheté des tomates cerises pour la salade.

Les enfants adorent manger les tomates cerises directement du jardin.

Pour l'apéritif, nous servons des brochettes de mozzarella et de tomates cerises.

Une tomate cerise est tombée de mon assiette.

The 'beefsteak tomato' – la tomate cœur de bœuf

One of the most prized tomatoes in France, especially during the summer, is the tomate cœur de bœuf. This variety is the French equivalent of the beefsteak tomato, celebrated for its size and flavor.

Literally, cœur de bœuf translates to 'ox heart'. The name is a direct reference to its large, often irregular, heart-like shape. It's a classic heirloom variety that you'll frequently see in French markets (marchés).

The tomate cœur de bœuf is characterized by its meaty, dense flesh, which contains very few seeds and has low acidity. Its skin is thin and its flavor is sweet and rich, making it a culinary favorite.

Thanks to its superior taste and texture when raw, the cœur de bœuf is most famously used in simple salads. A classic French preparation involves slicing it thinly and serving it with a drizzle of good olive oil, a sprinkle of fleur de sel (sea salt), and fresh basil.

When you're at the market, you can ask for this specific tomato by name. For example: Je voudrais une belle tomate cœur de bœuf, s'il vous plaît. (I would like a nice beefsteak tomato, please).

💡 * Pour la salade de ce soir, j'ai acheté deux grosses tomates cœur de bœuf.

Un carpaccio de tomates cœur de bœuf avec de la mozzarella, c'est délicieux.

Ma grand-mère cultive des cœurs de bœuf dans son jardin.

Le goût de la tomate cœur de bœuf est bien meilleur que celui des tomates ordinaires.

The 'plum tomato' – la tomate olivette

In French, the common term for a 'plum tomato' is la tomate olivette.

The name olivette is a diminutive of 'olive', referencing the tomato's small, oval shape which is similar to that of an olive (une olive). This makes the name quite descriptive and easy to remember.

The word tomate is feminine in French. Therefore, you always use feminine articles and adjectives with it, such as la tomate olivette (the plum tomato) or une bonne tomate olivette (a good plum tomato).

You will encounter this term most often at the grocery store (à l'épicerie), at a market (au marché), or in recipes. Because of their lower water content, tomates olivettes are particularly popular for making sauces.

💡 * Pour la sauce, j'utilise toujours des tomates olivettes. (For the sauce, I always use plum tomatoes.)

Vous trouverez les tomates olivettes à côté des concombres. (You will find the plum tomatoes next to the cucumbers.)

J'ai ajouté quelques tomates olivettes à la salade. (I added a few plum tomatoes to the salad.)

Combien coûte le kilo de tomates olivettes ? (How much is a kilo of plum tomatoes?)

The 'heirloom tomato' – la tomate ancienne

To talk about an 'heirloom tomato' in French, you use the term la tomate ancienne.

Literally, this translates to 'ancient tomato' or 'old tomato'. The adjective ancienne highlights the non-hybrid, traditional nature of these varieties, emphasizing their heritage.

This term is used in culinary and gardening contexts to refer to non-hybrid, open-pollinated varieties passed down through generations. It distinguishes them from modern, commercially uniform tomatoes by their unique flavors, shapes, and colors.

Remember that tomate is a feminine noun, so the adjective must always be in the feminine form: la tomate ancienne (singular) or les tomates anciennes (plural).

You'll commonly encounter this term at a French marché (farmer's market), in a seed catalog, or on a restaurant menu describing a fresh, seasonal salad.

💡 * J'ai acheté de belles tomates anciennes au marché pour faire une salade.

Le goût d'une tomate ancienne est bien meilleur que celui des tomates de supermarché.

Mon grand-père cultive plusieurs variétés de tomates anciennes dans son potager.

Le chef propose un carpaccio de tomates anciennes avec de la mozzarella di bufala.

The old-fashioned 'love apple' – la pomme d'amour

The term la pomme d'amour literally translates to 'the apple of love.' In modern French, it refers to what English speakers know as a candy apple or toffee apple—a whole apple covered in a hard, red sugar candy coating, with a stick inserted for easy handling.

You'll typically find les pommes d'amour sold at fairs (fêtes foraines), carnivals, and Christmas markets in France. They are a nostalgic treat, often associated with childhood, festivities, and a touch of old-fashioned romance.

Interestingly, the name has a historical twist. Pomme d'amour was an old French term for the tomato, which was once believed to be an aphrodisiac when it was first introduced to Europe. While the name stuck to the candy apple, it's no longer used for tomatoes in everyday language.

Today, if you ask for a pomme d'amour in France, you will always be understood as wanting the sweet confection. The term carries a whimsical and romantic connotation, making it a popular treat for couples and families enjoying a day out at a festive event.

💡 * À la fête foraine, j'ai acheté une pomme d'amour pour ma copine.

Les enfants adorent manger des pommes d'amour, même si c'est très collant.

Cette pomme d'amour rouge et brillante me rappelle mon enfance.

Tu veux goûter ma pomme d'amour ?

The 'green tomato' – la tomate verte

The 'green tomato' – la tomate verte

La tomate verte literally translates to 'the green tomato' and refers to an unripe tomato. While not typically eaten raw like its red counterpart, it's a key ingredient in certain French recipes, especially for preserves.

In French cuisine, green tomatoes are famously used to make confiture de tomates vertes (green tomato jam), a sweet and tangy condiment. The noun tomate is feminine, so it is always referred to as la tomate verte or une tomate verte.

💡 * J'ai acheté des tomates vertes au marché pour faire de la confiture. (I bought some green tomatoes at the market to make jam.)

La confiture de tomates vertes est délicieuse avec du fromage. (Green tomato jam is delicious with cheese.)

Ne mange pas cette tomate, elle est encore verte. (Don't eat this tomato, it's still green.)

The 'sun-dried tomato' – la tomate séchée

The 'sun-dried tomato' in French is la tomate séchée.

This term is a direct translation. La tomate is the French word for 'the tomato.' Séchée is the feminine past participle of the verb sécher (to dry), acting as an adjective. Because tomate is a feminine noun, the adjective must also be in its feminine form.

You will most often encounter this term in its plural form, les tomates séchées, as they are typically used as an ingredient in various dishes. They are a staple in Mediterranean and French cooking, frequently found in salads, pasta, and appetizers, often preserved in oil (à l'huile).

💡 * J'ai préparé une quiche avec des épinards et des tomates séchées.

Pour l'apéritif, je sers du pain grillé avec du pesto de tomates séchées.

Cette salade de pâtes est meilleure avec quelques tomates séchées hachées.

On trouve des tomates séchées en bocal dans la plupart des supermarchés.

1. The Phrase for 'Canned Tomato': La Tomate en Conserve

The most direct and common way to say 'canned tomato' in French is la tomate en conserve. This literally translates to 'the tomato in preserve'. The term en conserve is a key phrase used for many canned or preserved foods, from vegetables to fish.

An important grammatical point is that en conserve is an invariable adjectival phrase. This means it doesn't change to agree in number. So, for the plural 'canned tomatoes', you simply say les tomates en conserve. Notice that tomates becomes plural, but en conserve remains the same.

In everyday conversation, you will often hear French speakers refer to the container itself. A very common alternative is une conserve de tomates (a can/preserve of tomatoes) or une boîte de tomates (a can/tin of tomatoes). This is similar to how one might say 'a can of tomatoes' in English to mean the same thing.

When you're at the supermarket (au supermarché), you'll encounter specific types of canned tomatoes. Be aware of useful terms like tomates pelées (peeled tomatoes), tomates concassées (diced/crushed tomatoes), and concentré de tomates (tomato paste).

💡 * J'ajoute toujours des tomates en conserve à ma sauce bolognaise.

Pour cette recette, il vous faut une boîte de tomates pelées en conserve.

Assure-toi que nous avons une conserve de tomates avant de commencer à cuisiner.

Les tomates en conserve sont moins chères que les tomates fraîches en hiver.

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

Our list features the most common ways to say 'tomato' in French, centered around the standard term la tomate. However, French is a language with deep culinary roots, so you might encounter other terms, from the historical pomme d'amour (love apple) to specific regional or dish-specific names.

You can also do an online search for “nom de la tomate en ___” followed by a specific Francophone region known for its cuisine, like Provence or Quebec, to uncover local variants.

You might find some interesting culinary synonyms for tomate this way. Of course, always check a word’s definition and see how it's used in a recipe or menu before using it yourself, as it might refer to a specific variety or preparation.

Pay attention as you read French recipes, watch cooking shows, or browse a market in a French-speaking country. You'll not only discover new vocabulary but also a deeper appreciation for the tomato's role in Francophone gastronomy.

And if you’re looking for more vocabulary related to tomatoes, from sauces to specific varieties, the WordReference entry for tomate is an excellent place to start your exploration.

I hope this guide has been helpful on your culinary and linguistic journey. To finish, here’s a delightful quote from the French dramatist Jean Anouilh that perfectly captures a certain zest for life: La vie est une tomate ! On la mord à pleines dents. (Life is a tomato! You bite into it with all your teeth.)

'9 ways to say "tomato" in French'