French Food Vocabulary

French food camembert cheese

Quel est le plat du jour ?

Food plays a central role in our lives, ranging from daily shopping to socializing with friends over a nice meal. In France, this is taken to a whole different level, which is why you will find many opportunities to talk about food with French natives. That is why learning French food vocabulary is so important!

Our “Nutrition” deck is perfect for this goal. You can learn the 50 most common words for food items in French very quickly and recall them whenever you need them.

All of the words appear in example sentences like the one that opened this article and demonstrate their real-world use, so you can be sure you’re choosing the right words when speaking French.

That means no more awkward hesitation or silence with a French waiter when ordering at a bistro in Paris. French vocabulary will roll off your tongue, surprising you and those around you. Bon appétit!

Sign up below to try out the first few words! All new users get access to a free trial of Lingvist, during which you can access all of our French decks, as well as 5000+ words in the general French deck!

Food in French

Here is a list of food-related vocabulary in French that you will find in our “Nutrition” deck. This is only an example, and there are many more words that you will get access to when you study with Lingvist.

French

English

eau
water

Cette eau vient de la source du village.

This water comes from the village's spring.

cuisine
cuisine

J'aime bien la cuisine italienne.

I like Italian cuisine.

huile
oil

Mets un peu d'huile d'olive dans la salade !

Put a bit of olive oil on the salad!

fruits
fruits

J'ai acheté des pommes et d'autres fruits.

I bought apples and other fruits.

vin
wine

J'adore le vin rouge !

I love red wine!

alimentation
diet

Une alimentation saine est essentielle pour être en forme.

A healthy diet is essential to stay in shape.

repas
meal

Le repas est sur la table.

The meal is on the table.

manger
to eat

Tu ne veux pas manger ? – Si, je veux.

You don't want to eat? – Yes, I do.

restaurant
restaurant

Je t'emmènerai dans un vrai restaurant français.

I'll take you to an authentic French restaurant.

lait
milk

J'ai acheté du lait frais.

I bought fresh milk.

plat
dish, course

Quel est le plat du jour ?

What's the dish of the day?

salade
salad

Un croque-monsieur est un plat que vous pouvez servir avec une bonne salade verte.

A croque-monsieur is a dish that you can serve with a green salad.

sauce
sauce

Voulez-vous de la sauce blanche avec le plat du jour ?

Would you like some white sauce with your daily special?

légumes
vegetables

Il faut manger plus de légumes.

You've got to eat more vegetables.

pain
bread

Quelle est la différence entre pain complet et pain blanc ?

What's the difference between whole-grain and white bread?

aliments
foods

Les aliments contenant ces substances sont interdits.

Foods containing these substances are forbidden.

viande
meat

Elle ne mange pas beaucoup de viande.

She doesn't eat much meat.

nourriture
food

Cette nourriture est très bonne.

This food is very good.

jus
juice

Je voudrais boire un verre de jus.

I would like to drink a glass of juice.

poisson
fish

J'aime manger du poisson.

I like to eat fish.

FrenchEnglish
eau

Cette eau vient de la source du village.
water

This water comes from the village's spring.
cuisine

J'aime bien la cuisine italienne.
cuisine

I like Italian cuisine.
huile

Mets un peu d'huile d'olive dans la salade !
oil

Put a bit of olive oil on the salad!
fruits

J'ai acheté des pommes et d'autres fruits.
fruits

I bought apples and other fruits.
vin

J'adore le vin rouge !
wine

I love red wine!
alimentation

Une alimentation saine est essentielle pour être en forme.
diet

A healthy diet is essential to stay in shape.
repas

Le repas est sur la table.
meal

The meal is on the table.
manger

Tu ne veux pas manger ? – Si, je veux.
to eat

You don't want to eat? – Yes, I do.
restaurant

Je t'emmènerai dans un vrai restaurant français.
restaurant

I'll take you to an authentic French restaurant.
lait

J'ai acheté du lait frais.
milk

I bought fresh milk.
plat

Quel est le plat du jour ?
dish, course

What's the dish of the day?
salade

Un croque-monsieur est un plat que vous pouvez servir avec une bonne salade verte.
salad

A croque-monsieur is a dish that you can serve with a green salad.
sauce

Voulez-vous de la sauce blanche avec le plat du jour ?
sauce

Would you like some white sauce with your daily special?
légumes

Il faut manger plus de légumes.
vegetables

You've got to eat more vegetables.
pain

Quelle est la différence entre pain complet et pain blanc ?
bread

What's the difference between whole-grain and white bread?
aliments

Les aliments contenant ces substances sont interdits.
foods

Foods containing these substances are forbidden.
viande

Elle ne mange pas beaucoup de viande.
meat

She doesn't eat much meat.
nourriture

Cette nourriture est très bonne.
food

This food is very good.
jus

Je voudrais boire un verre de jus.
juice

I would like to drink a glass of juice.
poisson

J'aime manger du poisson.
fish

I like to eat fish.

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