If you're looking to learn a new language, French is a great option – especially when it comes to the food in the French culture. French cuisine is renowned around the world for its incredible flavors and complex preparations. But before you can enjoy all the food that France has to offer, you need to know how to describe food in French.
This article will teach you the basics – from describing the taste and texture of a dish to baking the famous French croissants. So get started today. You may be surprised at just how much you can learn.
Learn French with Langster
Learn French with Langster
La nourriture / Les aliments – General Food Vocabulary
If you want to be able to discuss French food, you’ll first need the basic vocabulary. Here are the essentials:
Things Found in the Pantry
French
English
la confiture
jam
le croissant
croissant
la farine
flour
l'huile d'olive
olive oil
la mayonnaise
mayonnaise
la moutarde
mustard
un œuf, des œufs
egg, eggs
le pain
bread
les pâtes
pasta
le riz
rice
la sauce
sauce, dressing, gravy
le poivre
pepper
le sel
salt
le sucre
sugar
Common Foods
French
English
les légumes
vegetables
les fruits
fruits
les viandes
meats
les poissons
fish
les frites
french fries
le pain
bread
la salade
salad
la pizza
pizza
le pain grillé
a toast
French Cooking Verbs
French
English
avoir faim
to be hungry
manger
to eat
déjeuner
to have breakfast or lunch
dîner
to have dinner
goûter
to taste
nourrir
to feed
Dishes in French
French
English
le hors d'œuvre, l'entrée
appetizer
Please note that in American English, an “entrée” means main course, but the same French word refers to an appetizer. Beware of the false cognates.
French
English
la soupe, le potage
soup
le plat principal
main course
la salade
salad
le dessert
dessert
Vegetables in French
French
English
un légume
vegetable
un artichaut
artichoke
les asperges
asparagus
une aubergine
eggplant
la carotte
carrot
le céleri
celery
le champignon
mushroom
le chou-fleur
cauliflower
le concombre
cucumber
les épinards
spinach
un haricot
bean
la laitue
lettuce
un oignon
onion
le maïs
corn
les petits pois
peas
la pomme de terre
potato
le radis
radish
la tomate
tomato
Fruits in French
French
English
le fruit
fruit
un abricot
apricot
un ananas
pineapple
une banane
banana
une cerise
cherry
un citron
lemon
un citron vert
lime
une fraise
strawberry
une framboise
raspberry
une mûre
blackberry
une myrtille
blueberry
une orange
orange
un pamplemousse
grapefruit
une pastèque
watermelon
une pêche
peach
une poire
pear
une pomme
apple
une prune
plum
un raisin
grape
Meats in French
French
English
la viande
meat
l'agneau
lamb
les anchois
anchovies
le bifteck
steak
la dinde
turkey
les escargots
snails
le jambon
ham
le lapin
rabbit
le porc
pork
le poulet
chicken
le rosbif
roast beef
le saucisson
sausage
le veau
veal
le poisson
fish
Dairy in French
French
English
le beurre
butter
la crème
cream
la crème fraîche
sour cream
le fromage
cheese
le fromage blanc
cream cheese
la glace
ice cream
le lait
milk
le yaourt
yogurt
Deserts in French
French
English
le dessert
dessert
le biscuit
cookie
les bonbons
candy
le chocolat
chocolate
la crème brûlée
a specific dish – custard with burnt sugar topping
la crème caramel
flan
le fromage
cheese
les fruits
fruit
le gâteau
cake
la mousse au chocolat
chocolate mousse
la tarte
pie
la vanille
vanilla
Common French Baking Words
French
English
un gâteau
a cake
un biscuit
a cookie
du pain
bread
la pâtisserie
pastry
la pâte brisée
shortcrust base or short crust pastry
la pâte sablée
sweet shortcrust pastry dough
la pâte feuilletée
puff pastry
croustillant
crunchy
la crème au citron
lemon curd
un fouet
a whisk
une pincée de sel
a pinch of salt
la maïzena
cornstarch
le beurre coupé en dés
cubed | diced butter
un jaune d’œuf
an egg yolk
un blanc d’œuf
an egg white
rallonger
to thin out | add a little liquid
une meringue
a meringue
une cuillère à soupe (cs)
a tablespoon (tbsp.)
le papier sulfurisé
greaseproof paper
une casserole
a sauce pan
un fond de tarte
a tart bottom, a pie crust, bottom of a pie crust
battre les oeufs
beat, whisk the eggs
monter les blancs en neige
beat egg whites until stiff
le bicarbonate de soude
baking soda
la levure chimique
baking powder
le sucre vanillé
vanilla sugar
extrait de vanille
vanilla extract
How Is It Cooked?
French
English
au gratin
baked with cheese and breadcrumbs
à votre goût
to your liking
au jus
meat served with a sauce or gravy made from the juices released during cooking
en cocotte
cooked in a covered baking dish
confit
cooked in fat (either its own or the fat of something else)
en croute
wrapped in pastry
farci
stuffed
frit(e)
fried
fumé
smoked
haché
ground (meat)
piquant
spicy
au pistou
with basil
provençal
cooked with tomatoes, anchovies and olives
rôti
roasted
à la vapeur
steamed
julienne
to cut food (usually vegetables) into very thin pieces
Important Restaurant Vocabulary
French
English
allérgique à
allergic to
végétarien
vegetarian
végétalien
vegan
le serveur | la serveuse
waiter | waitress
Important – never call a waiter garçon, no matter how many times you’ve seen it in movies.
French
English
l’assiette
plate
la carte / le ménu
the menu
compris / inclus
included
la dégustation
tasting menu
plat du jour
dish of the day
un méli-mélo
an assortment
un morceau
a piece
l’addition
the check
délicieux
delicious
je voudrais
I would like…
et pour la madame/mademoiselle?
and for the mrs | miss?
le pourboire
tip
Please note: it’s not necessary to tip in French restaurants. Service and tax is almost always included in French restaurants, listed as servis compris. It doesn’t usually go directly to the staff, though. So if you’re very pleased with the service, you can leave a tip: 5-10% or simply round the bill.
Final Thoughts on French Food Vocabulary
Learning how to describe your food desires in French is a must for any aspiring chef or foodie. This article has provided you with the basics of French food vocabulary, from the essential pantry words to common French baking terms. With these words under your belt, you should be able to navigate any French menu with ease.
We also hope that these words will help you decipher the French recipes in the original, go through the cooking process easily, and get a bite of French cuisine in your own kitchen. Trust us: French dishes are worth the effort. Bon appétit!
