Words ending in -eur and -euse in French
You are having a coffee on a café terrace, and the waitress tells you about the neighborhood people walking past.
The phrase
La serveuse de ce café est très gentille.10 words10 sentences
The ten words
- serveuse/sɛʁvøz/
waitressnoun
A woman who serves customers at a café.
- vendeur/vɑ̃dœʁ/
salesmannoun
A man who sells in a shop.
- coiffeur/kwafœʁ/
hairdressernoun
A person who cuts hair.
- facteur/faktœʁ/
mail carriernoun
A person who delivers the mail.
- travailleur/tʁavajœʁ/
hard-workingadjective
Who works a lot and seriously.
- menteur/mɑ̃tœʁ/
liarnoun
A person who doesn't tell the truth.
- joueur/ʒwœʁ/
playfuladjective
Who likes to play and have fun.
- odeur/ɔdœʁ/
smellnoun
What the nose senses.
- fraîcheur/fʁɛʃœʁ/
coolnessnoun
A slight, pleasant cold.
- meilleur/mɛjœʁ/
the bestnoun
What is the best there is.
The sentences
La serveuse de ce café est très gentille.
The waitress at this café is very kind.
Le vendeur de la boulangerie passe tous les matins.
The bakery salesman comes by every morning.
Mon coiffeur habite juste à côté du café.
My hairdresser lives right next to the café.
Le facteur arrive toujours vers dix heures.
The mail carrier always arrives around ten o'clock.
Son fils est très travailleur et toujours poli.
His son is very hard-working and always polite.
Attention, cet homme est un vrai menteur.
Watch out, that man is a real liar.
Son chien est très joueur avec les enfants.
Their dog is very playful with the children.
Il y a une bonne odeur de pain chaud.
There's a nice smell of warm bread.
On profite de la fraîcheur du matin en terrasse.
We're enjoying the morning coolness on the terrace.
Je vous souhaite le meilleur pour votre voyage.
I wish you all the best for your trip.
Pronunciation
serveuse/sɛʁvøz/
The ending is closed, like the « eu » in « deux », whereas « serveur » opens.
vendeur/vɑ̃dœʁ/
The « en » is nasal, as in « vent », with no n heard.
travailleur/tʁavajœʁ/
The « ill » is said like the y of « yeux », with no l at all.
joueur/ʒwœʁ/
One syllable only: the « ou » glides straight into the « eu ».
meilleur/mɛjœʁ/
The start is open, like « mè », not like « mé ».
Good to know
- pourboire
- Service is almost always included in the bill. Leaving a little change on the table is appreciated, not required.
- terrasse
- You can stay a long time at a table with a single coffee, and nobody rushes you. Terrace prices are often a little higher than at the counter.
- au comptoir
- Drinking your coffee standing at the counter usually costs less than sitting inside or on the terrace. Cafés often post both prices.
- Monsieur, Madame
- You call the staff by saying « Monsieur » or « Madame », or « s'il vous plaît ». Saying « Garçon » is old-fashioned.
Questions
- How do you say waitress in French?
- You say « serveuse ». The ending is closed, like the « eu » in « deux », while « serveur » opens.
- What is the French word for someone who doesn't tell the truth?
- It is « menteur », a person who doesn't tell the truth. For example: « Attention, cet homme est un vrai menteur. »
- How do you say that someone is hard-working in French?
- You say « travailleur », which means working a lot and seriously. For example: « Son fils est très travailleur et toujours poli. »