The most common way to say “soap” in French is savon. But what if you're looking for a specific type, like a bar of soap, liquid soap, or even soap flakes?

Whether you're navigating a French supermarket, trying to decipher hotel amenities, or just want to expand your everyday vocabulary, knowing the right word is essential.

Let’s lather up and explore 9 different ways to talk about “soap” in French!

1. The standard 'soap' – le savon

The most common and essential word for 'soap' in French is le savon. It's a fundamental vocabulary word for daily life, from personal hygiene to household cleaning.

Le savon is a masculine noun. This is important for getting your articles and adjectives right. You would say un bon savon (a good soap), not une bonne savon. The plural form is les savons.

French speakers often specify the type of soap. Common collocations you'll encounter include:

• Un pain de savon: A bar of soap.
• Du savon liquide: Liquid soap.
• Des copeaux de savon: Soap flakes (often for laundry).

You cannot discuss le savon without mentioning the world-famous Savon de Marseille. This traditional hard soap, made from vegetable oils, is a cultural touchstone and a protected geographical indication, similar to Champagne. It's renowned for its purity and is used for everything from body washing to laundry.

The specific verb for 'to soap oneself' or 'to lather up' is se savonner. For example, Il se savonne sous la douche means 'He is lathering up in the shower.' More generally, you can use se laver avec du savon (to wash with soap).

💡 * J'ai besoin d'acheter du savon pour les mains.

• Ce savon de Marseille est excellent pour la peau sensible.
• Lave-toi bien les mains avec du savon et de l'eau chaude.
• Il n'y a plus de savon liquide dans le distributeur.
• Elle adore l'odeur de ce savon à la lavande.

The 'bar of soap' – la savonnette

The “bar of soap” – la savonnette

While the general word for “soap” in French is le savon, when you want to specifically refer to a bar of soap, the correct term is la savonnette. The -ette suffix often indicates something small, so you can think of it as a “little soap” or a single bar.

Using la savonnette is crucial for clarity. If you ask for le savon, you might be offered liquid soap (savon liquide) or soap flakes. Asking for une savonnette makes it clear you want a solid bar for washing your hands or for the shower.

You'll commonly use this word when talking about bathroom items. For instance, you might find a decorative savonnette in a guest bathroom or need to buy a new one for your daily use. It's the tangible object you hold and use.

France is famous for its soaps, especially the Savon de Marseille. When you buy this traditional soap, you are buying une savonnette. This term connects directly to a well-known and authentic French product.

💡 * Peux-tu me passer la savonnette, s'il te plaît ? (Can you pass me the bar of soap, please?)

• La savonnette a glissé et est tombée par terre. (The bar of soap slipped and fell on the floor.)
• J'ai acheté une savonnette parfumée à la lavande au marché. (I bought a lavender-scented bar of soap at the market.)
• Il n'y a plus de savonnette dans la douche. (There is no bar of soap left in the shower.)

The 'liquid soap' – le savon liquide

When you need to wash your hands and are looking for something other than a bar of soap, the term you'll need is le savon liquide.

This phrase translates directly and literally to 'the liquid soap.' The structure is very straightforward for English speakers: le savon means 'the soap,' and liquide is the adjective for 'liquid.'

A key grammatical point is that savon is a masculine noun in French. Consequently, it is always preceded by the masculine article le (the) or un (a). You will always see it as le savon liquide.

This is the standard term used in everyday life, whether you're at home, in a public restroom, or shopping at a supermarket. You'll often find it in a dispenser, which is called un distributeur de savon.

To distinguish it from a traditional bar of soap, you can refer to the latter as le savon solide (solid soap) or, more commonly, un pain de savon (a bar of soap). Knowing both terms allows you to be specific about your preference.

💡 * Il n'y a plus de savon liquide dans la salle de bain.

• Peux-tu acheter du savon liquide pour les mains ?
• Je préfère le savon liquide au savon en pain.
• Ce savon liquide sent la lavande.

1. The 'Marseille soap' – le savon de Marseille

Le savon de Marseille is a world-renowned traditional hard soap made from vegetable oils. Its production has been centered around Marseille, France, for centuries, making it a cultural and artisanal emblem of the region.

Authentic Marseille soap is known for its purity and simple ingredients. Traditionally, it must contain at least 72% vegetable oils. It typically comes in a cube shape and is either green (from olive oil) or white (from palm or coconut oil).

This versatile soap is celebrated for its gentle, hypoallergenic properties. French people use le savon de Marseille not only for personal hygiene, like washing hands and body, but also for a variety of household tasks, including laundry and general cleaning.

💡 * J'ai acheté un gros cube de savon de Marseille pour la lessive. (I bought a big cube of Marseille soap for the laundry.)

• Ce savon de Marseille est très doux pour les peaux sensibles. (This Marseille soap is very gentle for sensitive skin.)
• Ma grand-mère a toujours utilisé du savon de Marseille pour tout nettoyer. (My grandmother always used Marseille soap to clean everything.)
• Peux-tu me rapporter du vrai savon de Marseille de tes vacances ? (Can you bring me back some real Marseille soap from your vacation?)

The 'black soap' – le savon noir

The 'black soap' – le savon noir

Le savon noir is a traditional, multi-purpose soap with North African origins, particularly from Morocco. It's not a solid bar, but a dark, thick paste or liquid made from natural ingredients.

It is typically made from a base of olive oil and macerated olives, which are then mixed with potash and salt. This natural composition makes it completely biodegradable and gentle on surfaces and skin.

In France, le savon noir is famous for two distinct purposes: as a powerful, all-natural household cleaner (produit ménager) for floors, surfaces, and even gardens, and as a key part of the hammam (steam bath) beauty ritual for deep skin exfoliation.

While it's a staple for eco-friendly cleaning (nettoyage écologique), its strong association with the wellness and purification rituals of the hammam gives it a special status beyond a simple cleaning product.

For cleaning, it's usually diluted in warm water. For skincare, a small amount is applied to damp skin, left to soften for a few minutes, and then scrubbed off with an exfoliating glove called a gant de kessa.

💡 * J'utilise le savon noir pour nettoyer les sols de ma maison. (I use black soap to clean the floors of my house.)

• Au hammam, le gommage au savon noir laisse la peau très douce. (At the steam bath, exfoliating with black soap leaves the skin very soft.)
• Le savon noir est un excellent dégraissant naturel pour la cuisine. (Black soap is an excellent natural degreaser for the kitchen.)
• Tu peux trouver du savon noir dans les magasins bio. (You can find black soap in organic stores.)

The 'shaving soap' – le savon à raser

In French, the term for 'shaving soap' is a straightforward translation: le savon à raser. This phrase literally means 'the soap to shave'.

Let's break down the components. Le savon means 'the soap'. The part à raser comes from the infinitive verb raser, which means 'to shave'. The preposition à is used here to indicate the purpose or function of the soap.

While le savon à raser refers specifically to a hard soap puck or bar, you will also commonly see la mousse à raser (shaving foam) or la crème à raser (shaving cream) which are often sold in aerosol cans.

To use traditional shaving soap, you need other tools. A shaving brush is called un blaireau, and a razor is un rasoir. Together, these items make up a shaving kit, or un kit de rasage.

💡 * Je cherche un bon savon à raser pour peau sensible. (I'm looking for a good shaving soap for sensitive skin.)

• Mon grand-père utilise toujours un blaireau et du savon à raser. (My grandfather still uses a shaving brush and shaving soap.)
• Il a oublié d'emporter son savon à raser en vacances. (He forgot to pack his shaving soap for vacation.)
• La mousse de ce savon à raser est très riche et onctueuse. (The lather from this shaving soap is very rich and creamy.)

The 'soap flakes' – les copeaux de savon

Les copeaux de savon is the French term for 'soap flakes' or 'soap shavings'. The singular noun, un copeau, means a shaving, chip, or flake, often referring to wood (copeaux de bois).

This term is widely used in France, especially in the context of traditional and eco-friendly cleaning. You'll often find copeaux de savon de Marseille (Marseille soap flakes) sold in bags for making your own laundry detergent (lessive maison).

The word copeau is a masculine noun. While the singular form is un copeau, you will almost always encounter it in its plural form, les copeaux, when referring to soap flakes.

💡 * J'utilise des copeaux de savon pour faire ma propre lessive écologique.

• Tu peux dissoudre les copeaux de savon dans de l'eau chaude pour nettoyer les sols.
• Un sac de copeaux de savon dure plusieurs mois.
• Elle préfère l'odeur naturelle des copeaux de savon aux parfums synthétiques.

The 'soft soap' – le savon mou

The French expression le savon mou literally translates to 'the soft soap'.

Figuratively, le savon mou refers to flattery, sweet talk, or insincere praise used to persuade or manipulate someone. It's the verbal equivalent of 'buttering someone up' in English.

This expression is frequently used with the verb passer. The phrase passer du savon mou à quelqu'un means 'to soft-soap someone' or 'to flatter someone excessively'.

Using le savon mou implies that the praise is not genuine and is being used with an ulterior motive, such as getting a favor or avoiding trouble. It carries a slightly negative or cynical connotation.

💡 * Il m'a passé du savon mou toute la soirée pour que je l'aide à déménager. (He was soft-soaping me all evening so I would help him move.)

• Arrête avec ton savon mou, ça ne marchera pas avec moi ! (Stop with your flattery, it won't work on me!)
• La politicienne est connue pour utiliser le savon mou avec les électeurs avant les élections. (The politician is known for using sweet talk with voters before elections.)

1. The 'household soap' – le savon de ménage

The term le savon de ménage literally translates to “household soap.” It refers to a traditional, multi-purpose bar soap used for a wide variety of cleaning tasks around the home, rather than for personal hygiene. Think of it as a solid, all-purpose cleaner.

Very often, le savon de ménage is synonymous with the famous Savon de Marseille. This iconic, large cube of olive oil-based soap is the quintessential example of a household soap in France. It's celebrated for its natural ingredients and powerful, yet gentle, cleaning abilities.

The primary characteristic of le savon de ménage is its versatility. It can be used for:

• Laundry: As a pre-treatment for stains or grated to make homemade liquid detergent.
• Dishes: For hand-washing dishes, especially greasy pots and pans.
• General Cleaning: Dissolved in water to create a solution for cleaning floors, countertops, and other surfaces.

In an era focused on sustainability and reducing chemical use, le savon de ménage has seen a major comeback. It's a zero-waste, biodegradable, and economical alternative to the dozens of specialized cleaning products found in modern supermarkets. Many people appreciate it for its simplicity and effectiveness.

💡 * J'enlève les taches difficiles avec du savon de ménage avant de mettre le linge dans la machine. (I remove tough stains with household soap before putting the laundry in the machine.)

• Ma grand-mère a toujours un gros cube de savon de ménage près de l'évier. (My grandmother always has a big cube of household soap near the sink.)
• Pour un nettoyant multi-usages, il suffit de diluer des copeaux de savon de ménage dans de l'eau chaude. (For a multi-purpose cleaner, you just need to dilute flakes of household soap in hot water.)
• Le savon de ménage est très efficace pour dégraisser les casseroles. (Household soap is very effective for degreasing pans.)

Are there other ways to say 'soap' in French?

Are there other ways to say “soap” in French?

Our list features the most common and essential ways to say “soap” in French. However, the world of cleaning products is vast, and you might encounter other terms, especially specialized, technical, or brand-specific ones.

You can expand your vocabulary by searching for specific types of soap. For example, try looking up “savon à vaisselle” (dish soap) or “lessive” (laundry detergent), which is a related concept.

When you see a new word, look for context clues. Is it in the kitchen, bathroom, or laundry room? Is it liquid or a solid bar? This will help you understand its precise meaning before you start using it.

Pay attention when you're in a French supermarket or watching French commercials. You'll see the language used in its natural environment and discover the exact terms people use in their daily lives.

For a deeper dive into household and personal care vocabulary, online dictionaries like WordReference or Larousse are fantastic resources. The entry for savon can lead you to many related and useful terms.

I hope this guide has helped you clean up any confusion! Mastering everyday vocabulary like this is a fundamental part of feeling comfortable and fluent in a new language. Bonne continuation in your French studies!