English–French

“cheek kiss” in French

French

Pronunciation

IPA/biz/

Example

En France, on fait souvent la bise entre amis.

In France, friends often exchange cheek kisses.

Illustration for bise (cheek kiss)

How to say “cheek kiss” in French

“Cheek kiss” in French is bise.

A brief cheek kiss shared as a greeting or sign of affection.

Full entry for bise: usage tips, similar words and word origin

Example sentences with bise

Après une longue absence, elle lui a fait la bise.

After a long absence, she gave him a kiss on the cheek.

Tips for using bise

  • The usual expression is faire la bise, and this feminine noun takes la rather than the masculine article le.

“cheek kiss” in other languages