French Food Vocabulary: 'La Nourriture'

Produce stand France
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Whether you're traveling in Europe or just going out to a local French restaurant, food is one of the necessities of life. The French love la nourriture (literally, "the food"), and talking about it is one of the most common topics of French conversations.

The Language of Food

French food vocabulary terms are listed together with their English translations. Click on the links to bring up sound files that will allow you to hear the correct pronunciation of each word or phrase.

Note that unlike in English, French food terms are generally preceded by an article such as le (the) or un (a). Where appropriate, the English translation of the term is preceded by an indication of the gender of the word, either female (f) or male (m). So, learn the terms and then Bon appétit! (Enjoy your meal!)

General Terms

Meals

Dishes

* In American English, "entrée" refers to the main course, but in French, the term only indicates an appetizer.

Places

Miscellaneous Terms

Fruits

Vegetables

Meats

Dairy

Desserts

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Team, ThoughtCo. "French Food Vocabulary: 'La Nourriture'." ThoughtCo, Apr. 5, 2023, thoughtco.com/french-food-vocabulary-la-nourriture-1371252. Team, ThoughtCo. (2023, April 5). French Food Vocabulary: 'La Nourriture'. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/french-food-vocabulary-la-nourriture-1371252 Team, ThoughtCo. "French Food Vocabulary: 'La Nourriture'." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/french-food-vocabulary-la-nourriture-1371252 (accessed March 19, 2024).