This guide lists the most common terms you may come across on French menus or when shopping for food. If you can’t find an exact phrase, try looking up its component parts.
A
abats
offal
abricot
apricot
à emporter
to carry out
agneau
lamb
aiguillette de bœuf
slices of rump steak
ail
garlic
aïoli
garlic mayonnaise
à l’ancienne
traditional style
à la broche
spit roast
à la boulangère
baked in the oven with sliced potatoes and onions
à la jardinière
with assorted vegetables
à la lyonnaise
garnished with onions
à la marinière
cooked in white wine
à la normande
in cream sauce
à la vapeur
steamed
amande
almond
amuse-bouche
appetizer
ananas
pineapple
anchoïade
anchovy and tomato paste
anchois
anchovies
andouillette
spicy sausage
anguille
eel
à point
medium (steak)
artichaut
artichoke
asperge
asparagus
assiette anglaise
selection of cold meats
au gratin
baked in a cream and cheese sauce
au vin blanc
in white wine
avocat
avocado
B
banane
banana
barbue
brill (fish)
basilic
basil
bavaroise
light mousse
béarnaise
with butter sauce
bécasse
woodcock
béchamel
white sauce
beignet
fritter, doughnut
betterave
beet
beurre
butter
beurre d’anchois
anchovy paste
beurre noir
dark, melted butter
bien cuit
well done
bière
beer
bière à la pression
draft beer
bière blonde
lager
bière brune
bitter beer
bière panachée
shandy
bifteck
steak
bisque
fish soup
blanquette de veau
veal stew
bleu
very rare
Bleu d’Auvergne
blue cheese from Auvergne
bœuf bourguignon
casserole of beef cooked in red wine
bœuf braisé
braised beef
bœuf en daube
beef casserole
bœuf miroton
beef and onion stew
bœuf mode
beef stew with carrots
bolet
boletus (mushroom)
bonne femme
traditional “home style” cooking
bouchées
small puff pastries
boudin blanc
white pudding
boudin noir
black pudding
bouillabaisse
fish soup
bouilli
boiled
bouillon
broth
bouillon de légumes
vegetable stock
bouillon de poule
chicken stock
boulette
meatball
bouquet rose
shrimp
bourride
fish soup
brandade
cod in cream and garlic
brioche
round roll
brochet
pike
brochette
kebab
brugnon
nectarine
brûlot
flambéed brandy
brut
very dry
C
cabillaud
cod
café
coffee (black)
café au lait
coffee with milk
café complet
continental breakfast
café crème
coffee with cream
café glacé
iced coffee
café liégeois
iced coffee with cream
caille
quail
calamar/calmar
squid
calvados
apple brandy
canard
duck
canard laqué
Peking duck
caneton
duckling
Cantal
white cheese from Auvergne
câpres
capers
carbonnade
beef cooked in beer
cari
curry
carotte
carrot
carottes Vichy
carrots in butter and parsley
carpe
carp
carré d’agneau
rack of lamb
carrelet
plaice
carte
menu
carte des vins
wine list
casse-croûte
snacks
cassis
blackcurrant
cassoulet
bean, pork, and duck casserole
céleri/céleri rave
celery root
céleri en branches
celery
cèpe
cep (mushroom)
cerise
cherry
cerises à l’eau de vie
cherries in brandy
cervelle
brains
chabichou
goat’s and cow’s milk cheese
Chablis
dry white wine from Burgundy
champignon
mushroom
champignon de Paris
white button mushroom
chanterelle
chanterelle mushroom
chantilly
whipped cream
charcuterie
sausages, ham and pâtés; pork products
charlotte
dessert with fruit, cream, and cookies
chasseur
with mushrooms and herbs
chausson aux pommes
apple turnover
cheval
horse
chèvre
goat’s cheese
chevreuil
venison
chicorée
endive
chocolat chaud
hot chocolate
chocolat glacé
iced chocolate
chou
cabbage
chou à la crème
cream puff
choucroute
sauerkraut with sausages and ham
chou-fleur
cauliflower
chou rouge
red cabbage
choux de Bruxelles
Brussels sprouts
cidre
cider
citron
lemon
citron pressé
fresh lemon juice
clafoutis
baked batter pudding with fruit
cochon de lait
suckling pig
cocotte
cooked in a casserole or ramekin
coing
quince
colin
hake
compote
stewed fruit
Comté
hard cheese from the Jura
concombre
cucumber
confit de canard
duck preserved in fat
confit d’oie
goose preserved in fat
confiture
jam
congre
conger eel
consommé
clear broth
coq au vin
chicken in red wine
coque
cockle
coquilles Saint-Jacques
scallops in cream sauce
côte de porc
pork chop
côtelette
chop
cotriade bretonne
fish soup from Brittany
coulis
sauce or purée
Coulommiers
rich, soft cheese
crabe
crab
crème
cream; creamy sauce or dessert; white (coffee)
crème à la vanille
vanilla custard
crème anglaise
custard
crème d’asperges
cream of asparagus soup
crème de bolets
cream of mushroom soup
crème de volaille
cream of chicken soup
crème d’huîtres
cream of oyster soup
crème pâtissière
rich, creamy custard
crème renversée
set custard
crème vichyssoise
chilled leek and potato soup
crêpe
pancake
crêpe de froment
wheat pancake
crêpes Suzette
pancakes flambéed with orange sauce
crépinette
small sausage patty wrapped in fat
cresson
cress
crevette grise
shrimp
crevette rose
prawn
croque-madame
grilled ham and cheese sandwich with a fried egg
croque-monsieur
grilled ham and cheese sandwich
crottin de Chavignol
small goat’s cheese
crustacés
shellfish
cuisses de grenouille
frogs’ legs
D
dartois
pastry with jam
daurade
sea bream
dégustation
wine tasting
digestif
liqueur
dinde
turkey
doux
sweet
E
eau minérale gazeuse
sparkling mineral water
eau minérale plate
still mineral water
échalote
shallot
écrevisse
freshwater crayfish
endive
chicory; Belgian endive
en papillote
baked in foil or paper
entrecôte
rib steak
entrecôte maître d’hôtel
steak with butter and parsley
entrée
starter
entremets
dessert
épaule d’agneau farcie
stuffed shoulder of lamb
épinards
spinach
escalope de veau milanaise
veal scallop with tomato sauce
escalope panée
breaded scallop
escargot
snail
estouffade de bœuf
beef casserole
estragon
tarragon
F
faisan
pheasant
farci
stuffed
fenouil
fennel
fève
broad bean
filet
fillet
filet de bœuf Rossini
fillet of beef with foie gras
filet de perche
perch fillet
fine fine
brandy
fines herbes
mixed herbs
flageolets
kidney beans
flan
custard tart
foie de veau
veal liver
foie gras
goose or duck liver preserve
foies de volaille
chicken livers
fonds d’artichaut
artichoke hearts
fondue bourguignonne
meat fondue
fondue savoyarde
cheese fondue
forestier
with mushrooms
fraise
strawberry
fraise des bois
wild strawberry
framboise
raspberry
frisée
curly lettuce
frit
deep fried
frites
French fries
fromage
cheese
fromage blanc
fromage frais
fromage de chèvre
goat’s cheese
fruits de mer
seafood
fumé
smoked
G
galantine
rolled, stuffed meat or poultry
galette
round, flat cake or savory wholewheat crèpe
garbure
thick soup
garni
with potatoes and vegetables
gâteau
cake
gaufre
wafer; waffle
gelée
jelly
Gewürztraminer
dry white wine from Alsace
gibier
game
gigot d’agneau
leg of lamb
girolle
chanterelle mushroom
glace
ice cream
gougère
choux pastry dish
goujon
gudgeon (fish)
gratin
dish baked with cheese and cream
gratin dauphinois
sliced potatoes baked in cream
gratinée
baked onion soup
grillé
grilled
grondin
gurnard (fish)
groseille rouge
redcurrant
H
hachis parmentier
shepherd’s pie
hareng mariné
marinated herring
haricots
beans
haricots blancs
white beans
haricots verts
green beans
homard
lobster
hors-d’œuvre
starter
huître
oyster
J
jambon
ham
jambon de Bayonne
smoked and cured ham
julienne
soup with chopped vegetables
jus de fruits
fruit juice
K
kir
white wine with blackcurrant liqueur
kir royal
champagne with blackcurrant liqueur
kirsch
cherry brandy
L
lait
milk
laitue
lettuce
langouste
spiny lobster
langoustine
Dublin Bay prawn/scampi
lapereau
young rabbit
lapin
rabbit
lapin de garenne
wild rabbit
lard
bacon
lardon
small cube of bacon
légume
vegetable
lentilles
lentils
lièvre
hare
limande
lemon sole
Livarot
strong, soft cheese
lotte
monkfish
loup de mer
sea bass
M
macédoine de légumes
mixed vegetables
mâche
lamb’s lettuce
maison
homemade
mangue
mango
maquereau
mackerel
marc
grape brandy
marcassin
young boar
marchand de vin
in red wine sauce
marjolaine
marjoram
marron
chestnut
massepain
marzipan
menthe
peppermint
menthe à l’eau
mint cordial with water
menu du jour
today’s menu
menu gastronomique
gourmet menu
menu touristique
tourist menu
merlan
whiting
mesclun
dark green leaf salad
millefeuille
custard slice
millésime
vintage
morille
morel (mushroom)
morue
cod
moules
mussels
moules marinière
mussels in white wine
mousseline
fish mousse
mousseux
sparkling
moutarde
mustard
mouton
mutton
mulet
mullet
Munster
strong cheese from eastern France
mûre
blackberry
muscade
nutmeg
Muscadet
dry white wine
myrtille
bilberry
N
nature
plain
navarin
mutton stew with vegetables
navet
turnip
noisette
hazelnut
noisette d’agneau
medallion of lamb
noix
nuts, walnuts
nouilles
noodles
O
œuf à la coque
boiled egg
œuf dur
hard-boiled egg
œuf mollet
soft-boiled egg
œuf poché
poached egg
œufs brouillés
scrambled eggs
œuf sur le plat
fried egg
oie
goose
oignon
onion
omelette au naturel
plain omelet
omelette paysanne
omelet with potatoes and bacon
orange pressée
fresh orange juice
oseille
sorrel
oursin
sea urchin
P
pain
bread
pain au chocolat
chocolate croissant
pain complet
wholewheat bread
pain de seigle
rye bread
palette de porc
shoulder of pork
palourde
clam
pamplemousse
grapefruit
pastis
anise-flavored alcoholic drink
pâte brisée
shortcrust pastry
pâté de canard
duck pâté
pâté de foie de volaille
chicken liver pâté
pâte feuilletée
puff pastry
pâtes
pasta
pêche
peach
perdreau
young partridge
perdrix
partridge
persillade
finely chopped parsley and garlic
petite friture
whitebait
petit pain
roll
petit pois
peas
petits fours
small pastries
petit salé
salted pork
petit suisse
fromage frais
pied de porc
pig’s feet
pigeonneau
young pigeon
pignatelle
cheese fritter
pignon
pine nut
pilaf de mouton
rice dish with mutton
pintade
guinea fowl
piperade
dish of egg, tomatoes, and peppers
pissaladière provençale
dish similar to pizza
pissenlit
dandelion
pistache
pistachio
pistou
basil and garlic sauce
plat du jour
dish of the day
plateau de fromages
cheese board
pochouse
fish casserole
poire
pear
poireau
leek
pois chiches
chick peas
poisson
fish
poivre
pepper
poivron
red/green pepper
pomme
apple
pomme de terre
potato
pommes de terre à l’anglaise
boiled potatoes
pommes de terre en robe de chambre/des champs
baked potatoes
pommes de terre sautées
fried potatoes
pommes frites
French fries
pommes paille
thin fries
pommes vapeur
steamed potatoes
porc
pork
potage
soup
potage bilibi
fish and oyster soup
potage Crécy
carrot and rice soup
potage cressonnière
watercress soup
potage Esaü
lentil soup
potage parmentier
leek and potato soup
potage printanier
vegetable soup
potage Saint-Germain
split pea soup
potage velouté
creamy soup
potiron
pumpkin
pot-au-feu
beef and vegetable stew
potée
vegetable and meat stew
Pouilly-Fuissé
dry white wine from Burgundy
poule au pot
chicken and vegetable stew
poulet basquaise
chicken with ratatouille
poulet chasseur
chicken with mushrooms and white wine
poulet créole
chicken in white sauce with rice
poulet fermier
free-range chicken
poulet rôti
roast chicken
praire
clam
printanier
with spring vegetables
provençale
with tomatoes, garlic, and herbs
prune
plum
pruneau
prune
purée
mashed potatoes
Q
quenelle
meat or fish dumpling
queue de bœuf
oxtail
quiche lorraine
egg, bacon, and cream tart
R
raclette
Swiss dish of melted cheese
radis
radish
ragoût
stew
raie
skate
raie au beurre noir
skate fried in butter
raifort
horseradish
raisin
grape
râpé
grated
rascasse
scorpion fish
ratatouille
stew of peppers, zucchini, eggplant, and tomatoes
ravigote
herb dressing
Reblochon
strong cheese from Savoy
rémoulade
mayonnaise dressing with herbs, mustard, and capers
Rigotte
small goat’s cheese from Lyon
rillettes
potted pork or goose meat
ris de veau
veal sweetbread
riz
rice
riz pilaf
spicy rice with meat or seafood
rognon
kidney
Roquefort
blue cheese
rôti
roasted/joint of meat
rouget
mullet
rouille
fish and chili sauce
S
sabayon
zabaglione
sablé
shortbread
saignant
rare
saint-honoré
cream puff cake
Saint-marcellin
goat’s cheese
salade composée
mixed salad
salade russe
diced vegetables in mayonnaise
salade verte
green salad
salmis
game stew
salsifis
oyster plant, salsify
sanglier
wild boar
sauce aurore
white sauce with tomato purée
sauce béarnaise
thick sauce of eggs and butter
sauce blanche
white sauce
sauce gribiche
dressing with hard-boiled eggs
sauce hollandaise
rich sauce of eggs, butter, and vinegar
sauce Madère
Madeira sauce
sauce matelote
wine sauce
sauce Mornay
béchamel sauce with cheese
sauce mousseline
hollandaise sauce with cream
sauce poulette
sauce of mushrooms and egg yolks
sauce ravigote
dressing with shallots and herbs
sauce suprême
creamy sauce
sauce tartare
mayonnaise with herbs and gherkins
sauce veloutée
white sauce with egg yolks and cream
sauce vinot
wine sauce
saucisse
sausage
saucisse de Francfort
hotdog
saucisse de Strasbourg
beef sausage
saucisson
salami
sauge
sage
saumon
salmon
saumon fumé
smoked salmon
Sauternes
sweet white wine
savarin
rum baba
sec
dry
seiche
cuttlefish
sel
salt
service (non) compris
service (not) included
sole bonne femme
sole in wine and mushrooms
sole meunière
floured sole fried in butter
soupe
soup
soupe au pistou
thick vegetable soup with basil
steak au poivre
peppered steak
steak frites
steak and fries
steak haché
ground beef
steak tartare
raw ground steak with a raw egg
sucre
sugar
suprême de volaille
chicken in cream sauce
T
tanche
tench (fish)
tapenade
Provencal olive and anchovy paste
tarte
tart
tarte frangipane
almond cream tart
tartelette
small tart
tarte Tatin
apple tart
tartine
bread and butter
tendrons de veau
breast of veal
terrine
pâté
tête de veau
calf’s head
thé
tea
thé à la menthe
mint tea
thé au lait
tea with milk
thé citron
lemon tea
tian
baked Provencal vegetable dish
thon
tuna
tomates farcies
stuffed tomatoes
tome de Savoie
white cheese from Savoy
tournedos
round beef steak
tourte
covered pie
tourteau
type of crab
tripes à la mode de Caen
tripe in spicy sauce
truffe
truffle
truite au bleu
poached trout
truite aux amandes
trout with almonds
truite meunière
trout in flour and fried in butter
V
Vacherin
strong, soft cheese from the Jura
vacherin glacé
ice cream meringue
vanille
vanilla
veau
veal
velouté de tomate
cream of tomato soup
vermicelle
vermicelli
viande
meat
vin
wine
vinaigrette
French dressing
vin blanc
white wine
vin de pays
local wine
vin de table
table wine
vin rosé
rosé wine
vin rouge
red wine
volaille
poultry
VSOP
mature brandy