French Conversation · Level 64
75 words
French word
découper
Pronunciation
IPA/dekupe/
Meaning
- verbcut
Example
Je vais découper le gâteau pour tout le monde.
I'm going to cut the cake for everyone.
More examples
Elle va découper des photos pour son album.
She is going to cut out photos for her album.
Core concept
A prepared dish or material is divided along deliberate lines rather than cut randomly into tiny fragments.
Common phrases
découper en tranches
cut into slices
découper des photos
cut out photos
découper la viande
cut up the meat
Similar words
couper: To cut something apart with a blade or other tool.
trancher: To cut something into thick slices with flat surfaces.
hacher: To cut something repeatedly until it becomes small and finely chopped.
partager: To divide an item or food among people or into portions.
Definition in French
Couper un objet ou un aliment en plusieurs parts ou morceaux définis, souvent pour le partager ou le servir.
Word origin
The verb is an Old French formation based on dé- and couper, where dé- signals separation and couper means to cut.
Usage tips
- For fine chopping, hacher is more specific, while découper usually suggests separate pieces or portions and trancher suggests slices.