une crème in 30 Seconds
- Feminine noun meaning 'cream' in food or cosmetics.
- Used figuratively to describe an exceptionally kind person.
- Essential in French cooking (crème fraîche, chantilly).
- Commonly heard in cafes (un crème) and pharmacies.
In French, the word une crème is a versatile and fundamental noun that translates most directly to "a cream" in English. However, its usage extends far beyond the dairy aisle of a supermarket. At its core, it refers to a substance with a thick, smooth, and viscous consistency, whether that substance is meant to be eaten, applied to the skin, or used as a metaphor for quality. Understanding 'une crème' requires looking at three primary domains: gastronomy, cosmetics, and figurative language.
- The Culinary Domain
- In French cooking, 'la crème' is the lifeblood of many classic sauces and desserts. It refers to the fatty part of milk that rises to the top. You will encounter 'crème fraîche' (a thick, slightly soured cream), 'crème chantilly' (sweetened whipped cream), and 'crème anglaise' (a light custard sauce). It is essential for adding richness and texture to soups, gratins, and pastries.
J'ajoute un peu de crème liquide dans ma soupe de potiron pour la rendre plus onctueuse.
- The Cosmetic and Medical Domain
- When you visit a French pharmacy or 'parapharmacie', you will see 'une crème' used for everything from hydration to sun protection. It implies a semi-solid emulsion. Common types include 'crème hydratante' (moisturizer), 'crème solaire' (sunscreen), and 'crème mains' (hand cream). In a medical context, it refers to topical treatments applied to the skin.
N'oublie pas de mettre de la crème solaire avant d'aller à la plage.
- The Figurative and Social Domain
- Perhaps the most charming use of 'une crème' is when describing a person. If someone says 'C'est une crème', they mean that person is incredibly kind, sweet, and easy-going—much like the smooth texture of the substance itself. Furthermore, 'la crème de la crème' refers to the absolute best of a group, whether that be social status, talent, or quality of goods.
Mon nouveau collègue est vraiment une crème ; il aide toujours tout le monde.
In summary, whether you are ordering a 'café crème' in a Parisian bistro, buying a 'crème anti-rides' in a boutique, or praising a friend's gentle nature, 'une crème' is a word that embodies smoothness, richness, and excellence in French culture.
Using 'une crème' correctly in French requires attention to its grammatical gender and the specific type of cream you are referring to. As a feminine noun, it is always accompanied by feminine articles: 'la crème', 'une crème', or 'de la crème'.
- With Partitive Articles
- When talking about an unspecified amount of cream (usually in cooking), use 'de la'. For example, 'Je mets de la crème dans mon café' (I put some cream in my coffee). If the sentence is negative, it becomes 'pas de crème'.
Est-ce qu'il reste de la crème dans le frigo ?
- Compound Nouns and Adjectives
- To specify the type of cream, the adjective or qualifying noun usually follows 'crème'. 'Crème hydratante' (moisturizing cream), 'crème brûlée' (burnt cream - the dessert), 'crème fraîche' (fresh cream). Note that 'fraîche' is the feminine form of 'frais'.
La crème brûlée est mon dessert préféré.
- The Personification Usage
- When using 'une crème' to describe a person, the article 'une' is always used, even if the person is male. 'Il est une crème' is grammatically possible, but 'C'est une crème' is the standard idiomatic way to express this.
Tu devrais rencontrer mon grand-père, c'est une crème.
Whether in a recipe, a beauty routine, or a compliment, the placement of 'crème' and its accompanying words follow standard French syntax rules where the descriptor typically follows the noun.
You will hear 'une crème' in a variety of everyday French settings. Its presence in the language is as ubiquitous as the substance itself is in French life.
- At the Café
- One of the most common places to hear the word is at a café. While 'un café au lait' is common, 'un crème' (short for 'un café crème') is the classic order for an espresso with steamed milk, similar to a latte or cappuccino. Note that in this specific order, it is often treated as masculine because 'café' is masculine.
Garçon, un crème et un croissant, s'il vous plaît !
- In the Kitchen
- In a domestic or professional kitchen, instructions will frequently involve 'monter la crème' (to whip the cream) or 'lier à la crème' (to thicken a sauce with cream). You'll hear it in cooking shows, read it in recipes, and hear it during family dinners.
- In the Pharmacy (La Pharmacie)
- French pharmacies are world-renowned. Pharmacists often recommend 'une crème apaisante' (a soothing cream) for a rash or 'une crème de jour' (day cream) for skincare. It is the standard term for most semi-solid topical applications.
Le pharmacien m'a donné une crème pour soulager ma brûlure.
From the morning coffee to the evening skincare routine, 'crème' is a word woven into the daily fabric of French life.
Even though 'crème' seems like a straightforward cognate, English speakers often stumble on its gender, its specific culinary definitions, and its idiomatic uses.
- The Gender Trap
- 'Crème' is feminine. However, as mentioned, ordering 'un crème' at a café is common. This leads learners to think the word itself is masculine. Remember: it's 'LA crème' unless you are specifically ordering the coffee drink 'un (café) crème'.
Incorrect: Le crème est sur la table.
Correct: La crème est sur la table.
- Ice Cream Confusion
- In English, we often just say 'cream' or 'ice cream'. In French, 'ice cream' is 'une glace'. If you say 'Je veux de la crème', a French person will think you want a bowl of liquid or whipped cream, not a scoop of vanilla ice cream. For that, you need 'une crème glacée' or simply 'une glace'.
- Figurative Misuse
- While 'C'est une crème' is a compliment for a person, you cannot use it for an object to mean 'sweet' or 'kind'. It only applies to people's personalities. For an object, you would use 'doux' or 'agréable'.
Elle est une crème (She is a sweetheart).
Cette musique est douce (This music is sweet/soft).
Avoiding these pitfalls will help you sound more natural and ensure you get exactly what you're asking for, whether it's at a restaurant or a pharmacy.
Depending on the context, there are several words that are related to 'crème' but carry distinct meanings.
- Pommade vs. Crème
- In a medical context, 'une pommade' (ointment) is usually oil-based and greasier than 'une crème', which is water-based and absorbs faster. Use 'crème' for daily hydration and 'pommade' for intensive healing.
J'applique une crème le matin, mais une pommade grasse le soir.
- Lait vs. Crème
- 'Lait' (milk) is much thinner. In skincare, 'un lait corporel' is a runny body lotion, whereas 'une crème' is thicker and used for the face or very dry areas.
- Onctueux (Adjective)
- If you want to describe something that has the quality of cream without using the noun, use the adjective 'onctueux' (creamy/smooth). It's a high-level word often used by food critics.
Ce velouté est particulièrement onctueux.
Knowing these distinctions allows for more precise communication, especially when dealing with French culinary arts or the sophisticated world of French skincare.
How Formal Is It?
Fun Fact
The word 'crème' was spelled 'cresme' until the 18th century. The circumflex accent in 'crême' was once common but is now replaced by the grave accent 'crème'.
Pronunciation Guide
- Pronouncing it like 'cream' (English).
- Adding an 'a' sound at the end.
- Making the 'r' too soft like an English 'r'.
- Confusing the 'è' sound with 'é' (closed e).
- Nasalizing the 'm' (it should be a clear 'm').
Difficulty Rating
Easy to recognize as it looks like 'cream'.
Must remember the grave accent (è) and feminine gender.
The French 'r' and open 'e' can be tricky for beginners.
Clear pronunciation usually makes it easy to hear.
What to Learn Next
Prerequisites
Learn Next
Advanced
Grammar to Know
Feminine nouns ending in -me
La crème, la plume, la pomme.
Partitive articles with mass nouns
Je mange de la crème.
Invariable colors derived from nouns
Des rideaux crème (not crèmes).
Adjective placement after nouns
Une crème solaire.
Grave accent usage for open 'e' sound
Crème, problème, père.
Examples by Level
J'aime la crème.
I like cream.
Feminine noun with definite article 'la'.
Tu as de la crème ?
Do you have some cream?
Partitive article 'de la' for an unspecified amount.
C'est une crème pour le visage.
It is a face cream.
Indefinite article 'une'.
La crème est blanche.
The cream is white.
Adjective agreement (blanche).
Je mange de la crème.
I am eating cream.
Verb 'manger' + partitive.
Il n'y a pas de crème.
There is no cream.
Negative 'pas de' replaces 'de la'.
La crème est bonne.
The cream is good.
Adjective agreement (bonne).
Voici la crème.
Here is the cream.
Presentative 'voici'.
Je voudrais un café crème, s'il vous plaît.
I would like a coffee with cream, please.
'Un crème' is short for 'un café crème' (masculine).
Applique cette crème solaire toutes les deux heures.
Apply this sunscreen every two hours.
Compound noun 'crème solaire'.
Ma mère achète de la crème fraîche au marché.
My mother buys crème fraîche at the market.
'Fraîche' is the feminine form of 'frais'.
Cette crème hydratante sent très bon.
This moisturizing cream smells very good.
Present tense of 'sentir'.
On ajoute la crème à la fin de la cuisson.
We add the cream at the end of the cooking.
Prepositional phrase 'à la fin de'.
Elle a besoin d'une crème pour les mains sèches.
She needs a cream for dry hands.
Expression 'avoir besoin de'.
Le dessert est servi avec de la crème chantilly.
The dessert is served with whipped cream.
Passive voice 'est servi'.
Tu préfères la crème liquide ou épaisse ?
Do you prefer liquid or thick cream?
Choice between two feminine adjectives.
Mon voisin est une crème, il s'occupe de mon chat.
My neighbor is a sweetheart; he looks after my cat.
Figurative use of 'une crème' for a person.
Battez la crème jusqu'à ce qu'elle soit ferme.
Beat the cream until it is firm.
Subjunctive 'soit' after 'jusqu'à ce que'.
La texture de cette sauce est très crémeuse.
The texture of this sauce is very creamy.
Adjective 'crémeuse' derived from 'crème'.
Il a passé de la crème sur sa cicatrice.
He applied cream to his scar.
Verb 'passer' used for applying.
Cette pâtisserie est célèbre pour sa crème pâtissière.
This pastry shop is famous for its pastry cream.
Possessive 'sa' agreeing with 'crème'.
On peut remplacer la crème par du yaourt grec.
One can replace the cream with Greek yogurt.
Verb 'remplacer... par'.
La crème est montée en neige très rapidement.
The cream whipped up very quickly.
Idiomatic 'monter en neige' (usually for egg whites, but used for cream).
Elle utilise une crème de nuit pour régénérer sa peau.
She uses a night cream to regenerate her skin.
Noun complement 'de nuit'.
Ces étudiants représentent la crème de la crème de l'université.
These students represent the best of the best of the university.
Idiomatic 'la crème de la crème'.
La crème a tourné car elle est restée trop longtemps au soleil.
The cream has soured because it stayed too long in the sun.
Verb 'tourner' meaning to go bad/sour.
Le chef a fait réduire la crème pour épaissir la sauce.
The chef reduced the cream to thicken the sauce.
Causative construction 'faire réduire'.
C'est une crème d'homme, toujours prêt à rendre service.
He is a gem of a man, always ready to help.
Expression 'une crème d'homme'.
Le marché des crèmes anti-âge est en pleine expansion.
The anti-aging cream market is expanding rapidly.
Compound noun 'anti-âge'.
Il faut écrémer le lait pour obtenir du lait écrémé.
One must skim the milk to get skimmed milk.
Verb 'écrémer' and adjective 'écrémé'.
La couleur crème des murs rend la pièce plus lumineuse.
The cream color of the walls makes the room brighter.
Color 'crème' is invariable.
Elle a versé une crème de cassis dans son vin blanc.
She poured a blackcurrant liqueur into her white wine.
'Crème de...' refers to a thick liqueur.
Le gouvernement a décidé d'écrémer les effectifs de la fonction publique.
The government decided to downsize/skim the public service workforce.
Figurative use of 'écrémer' (to reduce/select).
L'onctuosité de cette crème de légumes est incomparable.
The creaminess of this vegetable cream soup is incomparable.
Noun 'onctuosité' related to cream texture.
Elle possède cette douceur, cette onction, bref, c'est une crème.
She possesses that softness, that grace—in short, she is a sweetheart.
Literary list of qualities.
La crème de la noblesse se réunissait autrefois dans ce château.
The elite of the nobility used to gather in this castle.
Figurative 'la crème' as elite.
Ce vin présente une crémance délicate et persistante.
This wine shows a delicate and persistent creaminess/fizz.
Technical term 'crémance' in oenology.
Il ne faut pas se fier à son air de crème, il est très sévère.
Don't be fooled by his sweet appearance; he is very strict.
Contrast using 'air de crème'.
Le projet a été écrémé de ses éléments les plus coûteux.
The project was stripped of its most expensive elements.
Passive figurative use of 'écrémer'.
L'écume des jours s'évapore comme la crème sur le lait chaud.
The froth of days evaporates like cream on hot milk.
Literary comparison.
L'onctuosité de la pâte est le fruit d'un crémage méticuleux du beurre et du sucre.
The smoothness of the dough is the result of a meticulous creaming of butter and sugar.
Technical baking term 'crémage'.
Elle a su écrémer les profits avant que la bulle n'éclate.
She managed to skim off the profits before the bubble burst.
Financial metaphor.
La subtilité de cette crème de soin réside dans son émulsion inverse.
The subtlety of this skincare cream lies in its water-in-oil emulsion.
Scientific terminology.
Sous une apparence de crème, il cache une volonté de fer.
Beneath a sweet exterior, he hides a will of iron.
Complex character description.
Le langage diplomatique consiste parfois à passer de la crème pour éviter les heurts.
Diplomatic language sometimes consists of 'buttering up' to avoid clashes.
Idiomatic 'passer de la crème'.
Ce manuscrit est la crème de sa production littéraire tardive.
This manuscript is the pinnacle of his late literary production.
Metaphor for peak quality.
La crème s'est désolidarisée de la phase aqueuse, signe d'une instabilité.
The cream has separated from the aqueous phase, a sign of instability.
Technical scientific description.
L'écrémage social opéré par ce système de sélection est fustigé par les sociologues.
the social skimming operated by this selection system is criticized by sociologists.
Sociological term 'écrémage social'.
Common Collocations
Common Phrases
— An espresso with steamed milk. It is the French version of a latte.
Un café crème et l'addition, s'il vous plaît.
— A popular sweet chestnut spread in France.
J'adore les crêpes à la crème de marrons.
— A blackcurrant liqueur used to make Kir.
On mélange la crème de cassis avec du vin blanc.
— Thick custard used to fill eclairs and tarts.
La crème pâtissière est à la vanille.
Idioms & Expressions
— The very best of a group or category.
Ces athlètes sont la crème de la crème.
standard— Said of a person who is extremely kind and sweet.
Ma nouvelle prof est une crème.
informal— To flatter someone or butter them up.
Il lui passe de la crème pour obtenir une promotion.
informal— To become smooth or to end well (rare culinary/figurative).
Le mélange a fini par tourner en crème.
standard— Literally to whip cream, but can imply building up excitement.
Elle sait comment monter la crème pour son projet.
standard— To target the most profitable part of a market.
L'entreprise cherche à écrémer le marché du luxe.
business— To indulge excessively (slang, related to 's'en mettre plein la lampe').
Ils s'en sont mis plein la crème au buffet.
slang— The formal term for ice cream.
Je vais acheter une crème glacée au chocolat.
standard— To have a soft, gullible, or very kind face.
Avec sa tête de crème, personne ne le soupçonne.
informalWord Family
Nouns
Verbs
Adjectives
Related
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Think of a 'Crème Brûlée'. It is smooth and sweet, just like the word 'crème' which describes things that are thick and soft.
Visual Association
Imagine a white, smooth swirl of whipped cream on top of a cake. That texture is the essence of 'crème'.
Word Web
Challenge
Try to use 'crème' in three different ways today: for a food, for a skincare product, and to describe a nice person.
Word Origin
Derived from the Late Latin 'crama', which is believed to be of Gaulish (Celtic) origin. It entered Old French as 'cresme'.
Original meaning: The fatty part of milk.
Indo-European (Celtic -> Latin -> Romance).Cultural Context
No specific sensitivities, but avoid using 'écrémer' to describe people in a derogatory way regarding social class.
English speakers use 'creme' in 'creme de la creme' but often mispronounce it as 'krem'. In French, the 'r' is much stronger.
Practice in Real Life
Real-World Contexts
Cooking
- Fouetter la crème
- Crème liquide
- Une sauce à la crème
- Crème fraîche
Skincare
- Appliquer la crème
- Crème de jour
- Peau sensible
- Crème hydratante
Café/Restaurant
- Un café crème
- Avec ou sans crème ?
- La carte des desserts
- Crème brûlée
Descriptions
- C'est une crème
- La crème de la crème
- Couleur crème
- Texture crémeuse
Pharmacy
- Crème apaisante
- Crème pour les mains
- Tube de crème
- Ordonnance
Conversation Starters
"Tu préfères la crème chantilly ou la crème pâtissière ?"
"Quelle est ta marque de crème hydratante préférée ?"
"Est-ce que tu mets de la crème dans ton café le matin ?"
"Connais-tu quelqu'un qui est vraiment 'une crème' ?"
"Quel est le meilleur dessert à la crème que tu as goûté ?"
Journal Prompts
Décris ta routine de soin du visage. Utilises-tu une crème spécifique ?
Imagine une recette de cuisine originale qui utilise beaucoup de crème.
Parle d'une personne de ton entourage que tu considères comme 'une crème'.
Préfères-tu les glaces à base de crème ou les sorbets aux fruits ?
Pourquoi penses-tu que la France est célèbre pour ses crèmes (cuisine et cosmétique) ?
Summary
The word 'une crème' is essential for daily life in France, covering everything from your morning coffee ('un crème') and your skincare routine ('crème hydratante') to describing a sweet friend ('C'est une crème'). Always remember it is feminine.
- Feminine noun meaning 'cream' in food or cosmetics.
- Used figuratively to describe an exceptionally kind person.
- Essential in French cooking (crème fraîche, chantilly).
- Commonly heard in cafes (un crème) and pharmacies.
Related Content
More health words
à condition de
B1On condition that; provided that.
à court terme
B1Short-term, over a short period of time.
à jeun
B1On an empty stomach, before eating.
à l'abri
B1Sheltered; safe from danger or harm.
à l'aide de
A2With the help of, by means of.
à l'encontre de
B1Against; contrary to (e.g., advice, rules).
à l'hôpital
B1Located or being in a hospital.
à long terme
B1Long-term, over a long period of time.
à risque
B1At risk of harm, illness, or danger.
à titre
B1As a (e.g., as a preventive measure); by way of.
