French Vocabulary: French Meals
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Identify:
French Vocabulary: French Meals
le vocabulaire français: les repas de la journée
The French love their food! They take a lot of care in preparing meals and spend lots of time at the table to enjoy them! In fact, the traditional multi-course French meal is so ingrained in the culture that in 2010 it was added to UNESCO’s list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Learning words related to meals can help you discover great food and when to eat it!
Study:
The French love their food! They take a lot of care in preparing meals and spend lots of time at the table to enjoy them! In fact, the traditional multi-course French meal is so ingrained in the culture that in 2010 it was added to UNESCO’s list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Learning words related to meals can help you discover great food and when to eat it!
Meals of the Day:
un repas : meal
En France on mange trois repas par jour.
In France they eat three meals per day.
le petit déjeuner : breakfast
D’habitude je prends un croissant pour le petit déjeuner.
Usually I have a croissant for breakfast.
le déjeuner : lunch
Nous servons le déjeuner entre midi et quatorze heures.
We serve lunch between noon and two o’clock in the afternoon.
le dîner : dinner
Le dîner comprends de la soupe et une salade verte.
The dinner includes soup and a green salad.
le goûter : snack
Les enfants prennent un goûter après l’école.
The children have a snack after school.
Courses of a Fancy French Dinner (listed in the order in which they are served) :
un apéritif : pre-dinner drink / cocktail
Tu veux un apéritif?
Do you (informal) want a cocktail?
un amuse-bouche / un amuse-gueule : small appetizer
Nous commençons avec un amuse-bouche.
We are starting with a small appetizer.
une entrée : appetizer / starter
Comme entrée, elle prend des escargots.
As an appetizer, she’s having snails.
le plat principal : main course
Comme plat principal, je voudrais le Coq au Vin.
For the main course, I would like the chicken stew.
le fromage : cheese
Nous commandons un peu de fromage après le plat principal.
We are ordering a little cheese after the main course.
le dessert : dessert
Pour le dessert, je conseille la mousse au chocolat.
For dessert, I recommend the chocolate mousse.
un café : coffee
En général, les Français préfèrent le café très fort.
In general, the French prefer very strong coffee.
un digestif : after-dinner drink
Mon mari aime prendre un digestif après un grand repas.
My husbands likes to have an after-dinner drink after a big meal.
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boire : to drink
J’aime boire de l’eau gazeuse.
I like to drink sparkling water.
déguster : to taste / to savor
Nous dégustons la nourriture afin de l’apprécier à sa juste valeur.
We savor the food in order to appreciate it fully.
dîner : to eat dinner
Ils dînent dans un restaurant ce soir.
They (masculine) are eating dinner in a restaurant this evening.
goûter : to taste / to sample
Je peux goûter un peu de ton saumon?
Can I taste a little of your salmon?
manger : to eat
Je préfère manger chez moi.
I prefer to eat at home.
prendre : to take / to have (to eat)
Comme dessert, elles prennent une tarte aux pommes.
For dessert, they (feminine) are having an apple tart.
prendre le petit déjeuner : to eat breakfast
Tu prends le petit déjeuner à sept heures du matin.
You (informal) eat breakfast at seven o’clock in the morning.
prendre le déjeuner : to eat lunch
Nous prenons le déjeuner ensemble.
We eat lunch together.
prendre un goûter : to have a snack
J’ai un peu faim. Je vais prendre un goûter.
I’m a little hungry. I’m going to have a snack.
servir : to serve
Ils nous servent la soupe dans quelques minutes.
They (masculine) are going to serve the soup in a few minutes.
Adapt:
Qui prépare les repas chez vous?
Who prepares the meals at your (formal) house?
Ma mère prépare tous les repas.
My mother prepares all the meals.
Qu’est-ce que vous allez prendre?
What are you (formal) going to have?
Je vais prendre le poisson, s’il vous plaît.
I’m going to have the fish, please.
Tu aimes prendre un goûter l’après-midi?
Do you (informal) like to have a snack in the afternoon?
Non, je n’aime pas manger entre les repas.
No, I don’t like to eat between meals.
Qu’est-ce qu’ils servent comme plat principal?
What are they (masculine) serving as the main course?
Ils servent des pâtes.
They (masculine) are serving pasta.
