Let’s be honest : learning French is difficult, but it’s all worth it when you can order some delicious food at a French restaurant. Well, maybe it’s not the most important thing to do with your French skills. But it’s also not something to dismiss. Here are some French words about food to learn if you’re a foodie or if you want to impress someone in a French restaurant.
When you’re learning a new language, it’s recommended to start with some basic vocabulary. And what do we use every day? Food words to order or to cook food. It makes sense to learn French food words.
1French Words to Communicate With the Waiter
Let’s start at the beginning. When you go to a restaurant, you need to speak with a waiter or waitress and ask for the menu. And maybe you want to know more about the specials of the day. In both cases, you might want to learn some French words about food.
Le serveur / la serveuse: waiter / waitress
Est-ce que vous servez encore ? : Is the kitchen still open?
J’aimerai juste prendre un verre: I’ll just have something to drink
La carte / le menu: the menu
Menu dégustation: tasting menu
Le petit déjeuner: breakfast
Le déjeuner: lunch
Le dîner: dinner
Plat du jour: special of the day
Je voudrais: I would like…
Je suis allergique à…: I’m allergic to…
Avez-vous des plats végétariens ? : Do you have vegetarian dishes?
Avez-vous des plats végétaliens ? : Do you have vegan dishes?
Pain: bread
Couteau: knife
Fourchette: fork
Assiette: plate
Compris / Inclus: included
L’addition: the check / the bill
Le pourboire: tip
2French Words for Ordering Drinks
While you decide what to eat, you might want to order a drink. Obviously, France is famous for all the wines they are producing. But if you’re not a wine lover, here are some French words to keep you hydrated.
J’aimerai du vin blanc : I would like some white wine
Vin rouge : red wine
La carte de vins: the wine list
Une bouteille: a bottle
La bière: beer
Le café: coffee
Le thé: tea
L’eau: water
Une carafe: a glass bottle
Le cidre: cider
Le Kir: white wine with cassis or blackberry liqueur
Le Kir Royal : champagne with cassis liqueur
Avec des glaçons: on the rocks
Un pichet: a small pitcher (usually of wine)
3French Words About Food for Meat Lovers
You might notice it in French restaurants : the French cuisine is mostly based on meaty dishes. If you like meat, you will be in heaven. But be sure to learn all the right words to know the difference between beef and pork, for example.
La viande: meat
Bleu, saignant: rare (“blue” or “bleeding”)
À point: medium rare
Bien cuit: well done
Bifteck: steak
À la broche: cooked on a skewer
Charcuterie: an assortment of cured and dried meats
Boeuf: beef
Porc: pork
Saucisse / saucisson: sausage
Veau: veal
Ailes de poulet: chicken wings
Blanc de poulet: chicken breast
Coquelet: young male chicken
Poulet: chicken
Poulet rôti: roast chicken
Agneau: lamb
