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French Thanksgiving Vocabulary

French vocabulary related to the American celebration of Thanksgiving

By Laura K. Lawless, About.com

Thanksgiving is not celebrated in France, so here is some French vocabulary related to the American holiday, which occurs each year on the fourth Thursday in November.

   Thanksgiving   le jour de l'action de grâce

   autumn, fall   l'automne

   colony   une colonie

   family   la famille

   feast   un festin, un banquet

   football   le football américain

   grateful (adj)   reconnaissant

   harvest   la récolte

   horn of plenty   la corne d'abondance

   native (adj)   indigène

   (Native American) Indians   les Indiens (d'Amérique)

   November   novembre

   parade   une parade

   Pilgrims   les pèlerins

   settler   un colonisateur

   to share   partager

   thanks   les remerciements

   Thursday   jeudi

   tradition   une tradition

   traditional (adj)   traditionnel

   treaty   un pacte

   tribe   une tribu


The food served for the Thanksgiving feast varies from home to home, but here are some traditional dishes.

   food   la nourriture

   bread   le pain

   corn   le maïs

   cranberry   la canneberge

   gravy   la sauce au jus de viande

   mashed potatoes   la purée

   pumpkin pie   la tarte à la citrouille

   stuffing   la farce

   sweet potato   la patate douce

   turkey   la dinde

   yam   un igname


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