Words ending in -oir and -oire in French

1. 1
   soir/swaʁ/

   eveningnoun

   The end of the day, before night.
2. 2
   noir/nwaʁ/

   blackadjective

   Of the darkest colour.
3. 3
   boire/bwaʁ/

   to drinkverb

   To swallow a liquid.
4. 4
   pouvoir/puvwaʁ/

   canverb

   To be capable of doing something.
5. 5
   comptoir/kɔ̃twaʁ/

   counternoun

   A high table behind which an employee attends to customers.
6. 6
   pourboire/puʁbwaʁ/

   tipnoun

   Money left in addition to thank the person who served you.
7. 7
   trottoir/tʁɔtwaʁ/

   sidewalknoun

   A path beside the street, for people on foot.
8. 8
   bouilloire/bujwaʁ/

   kettlenoun

   An appliance that heats water.
9. 9
   peignoir/pɛɲwaʁ/

   bathrobenoun

   A loose garment you put on after a shower.
10. 10
    provisoire/pʁɔvizwaʁ/

    temporaryadjective

    Lasting only for a time.

The sentences

1. On se retrouve au café ce soir ?

   Shall we meet at the café tonight?

2. Je voudrais un café noir sans sucre.

   I'd like a black coffee with no sugar.

3. Je vais boire un verre avant de remonter.

   I'm going to have a drink before going back up.

4. Est-ce que je vais pouvoir payer par carte ?

   Will I be able to pay by card?

5. On peut prendre un verre au comptoir ?

   Can we have a drink at the counter?

6. Est-ce que le pourboire est compris dans l'addition ?

   Is the tip included in the bill?

7. La terrasse du café prend tout le trottoir.

   The café's terrace takes up the whole sidewalk.

8. Il y a une bouilloire dans la chambre ?

   Is there a kettle in the room?

9. Le peignoir de la chambre est très confortable.

   The bathrobe in the room is very comfortable.

10. La fermeture de la terrasse est seulement provisoire.

    The terrace closure is only temporary.

Pronunciation

• comptoir/kɔ̃twaʁ/

  The p is silent and "om" is nasal: /kɔ̃twaʁ/.

• pourboire/puʁbwaʁ/

  'ou' is said /u/ and 'oi' is said /wa/; both r's are pronounced.

• bouilloire/bujwaʁ/

  The "ill" sounds like the y of "yes", with no l at all.

• peignoir/pɛɲwaʁ/

  The "gn" sounds like the ny in "canyon", not a g followed by an n.

Good to know

service compris

In France, service is usually included in the prices shown. A tip is therefore not required.

pourboire

Leaving a little change or a few euros is a thank-you, not something owed. Many people round up the bill or leave their small change.

comptoir

In a café, you can often drink standing at the counter. Prices there are usually a bit lower than in the dining room or on the terrace.

terrasse

Posted prices can differ between the counter, the dining room and the terrace. Check the menu before you sit down.

Questions

How do I ask if I can have a drink at the counter in French?

You can say "On peut prendre un verre au comptoir ?" Comptoir is the counter.

How do I ask if the tip is included in French?

Say "Est-ce que le pourboire est compris dans l'addition ?" Pourboire means the extra money you leave to thank the person who served you.

How do I ask for a black coffee in French?

Say "Je voudrais un café noir sans sucre." Noir means black, the darkest colour.