French food vocabulary

Food in French

As most of you know, food and meals is a very important part of the French culture and heritage.

Learning words about food in French

French people continue to give much time and effort in preparing and cooking meals, buying fresh local products from the markets, making their own salade dressings and of course fresh bread.

Whilst learning to speak French improving your vocabulary is also important. The following list has many common words about food. These words and phrases will be useful when ordering from a menu in a restaurant, shopping and for your general culture.

The meals

French English
  • Le repas
  • Le petit déjeuner
  • Le déjeuner
  • Le goûter
  • Le dîner
  • Le souper
  • L'entrée
  • Le plat principale
  • Le salade
  • Le désert
  • Le plat
  • The meal
  • The Breakfast
  • The Lunch
  • The Snack
  • The Dinner
  • The Soup (light evening soup)
  • The appertiser
  • The main course
  • The salade
  • The desert
  • The dish

Table items

French English
  • L'assiette
  • L'argenterie
  • La bouteille
  • Le bol
  • La carte
  • La carte des vins
  • Le couvert
  • Le couteau
  • La cuillère
  • La fourchette
  • Le menu
  • La nappe
  • La table
  • Le verre
  • The plate
  • Silverware
  • The bottle
  • The bowl
  • The menu
  • The wine menu
  • The cutlery

  • The knife
  • The spoon
  • The fork
  • The menu
  • The table cloth
  • The table
  • The glass


Le petit déjeuner

French English
  • Le biscuit
  • Le café
  • Le café au lait
  • Les céréales (la)
  • Le chocolat chaud
  • La confiture
  • Le croissant
  • Le jus de fruits
  • Le lait
  • Le miel
  • Le pain / la baguette
  • Le pain aux rasins
  • La tartine
  • Le thé
  • Le yaourt
  • The biscuit
  • The coffee
  • The milk coffee
  • The cereals
  • The hot chocolate
  • The jam
  • The croissant
  • The fruit juice
  • The milk
  • The honey
  • The bread / French loaf
  • The bread (with raisins)
  • Slice of bread with butter
  • The tea
  • The yogurt

A typical French breakfast is a light meal, generally coffee and bread or the traditional Croissant which is a crescent shaped pastry.