Learning how to say “food” in French can be fun and useful. Whether you are ordering at a restaurant, shopping for groceries, or talking about your favorite meals, knowing this word helps you in many real-life situations. French is a beautiful language spoken by millions around the world, and learning basic words like “food” is a great place to begin.
In this article, you will learn how to say “food” in French, explore other related words, and practice using them in sentences. By the end, you’ll be ready to use these words in everyday conversations, making your French-speaking experience even more enjoyable. Let’s dive in!
Ways to Say “Food” in French
There are many ways to say “food” in French, depending on the situation. Some words are formal, while others are casual or specific to certain types of food. Here are 25 ways to say “food” in French, along with meanings and example sentences:
1. Nourriture (noo-ree-toor)
Meaning: General term for food.
In a Sentence:
- La nourriture est délicieuse ici. (The food is delicious here.)
- J’aime la nourriture italienne. (I love Italian food.)
2. Alimentation (ah-lee-mahn-ta-syon)
Meaning: Food or nutrition (formal).
In a Sentence:
- L’alimentation équilibrée est importante. (Balanced food is important.)
- Ils travaillent dans l’industrie de l’alimentation. (They work in the food industry.)
3. Repas (ruh-pah)
Meaning: Meal.
In a Sentence:
- Le repas était incroyable. (The meal was amazing.)
- Préparons un repas ensemble. (Let’s prepare a meal together.)
4. Plat (plah)
Meaning: Dish or course.
In a Sentence:
- Quel est ton plat préféré? (What is your favorite dish?)
- Le plat principal est prêt. (The main course is ready.)
5. Cuisine (kwee-zeen)
Meaning: Cooking or cuisine.
In a Sentence:
- J’adore la cuisine française. (I love French cuisine.)
- Sa cuisine est exceptionnelle. (His cooking is exceptional.)
6. Mets (meh)
Meaning: A dish (formal or literary).
In a Sentence:
- Les mets servis étaient exquis. (The dishes served were exquisite.)
- Chaque mets était parfaitement préparé. (Each dish was perfectly prepared.)
7. Bouffe (boof)
Meaning: Slang for food or grub.
In a Sentence:
- On va chercher de la bouffe. (Let’s grab some food.)
- La bouffe ici est géniale! (The food here is great!)
8. Provisions (proh-vee-zyon)
Meaning: Supplies or groceries.
In a Sentence:
- J’ai acheté des provisions pour la semaine. (I bought groceries for the week.)
- Les provisions sont dans la cuisine. (The supplies are in the kitchen.)
9. Casse-croûte (kas-kroot)
Meaning: Snack.
In a Sentence:
- Prenons un casse-croûte. (Let’s have a snack.)
- Elle a apporté un casse-croûte pour le voyage. (She brought a snack for the trip.)
10. Denrée (dahn-ray)
Meaning: Food product or commodity.
In a Sentence:
- Le riz est une denrée essentielle. (Rice is an essential food product.)
- Les denrées sont en vente au marché. (The food products are on sale at the market.)
11. Aliments (ah-lee-mohn)
Meaning: Food items.
In a Sentence:
- Les aliments frais sont meilleurs pour la santé. (Fresh food items are better for health.)
- Ces aliments sont biologiques. (These food items are organic.)
12. Pâtisserie (pah-tees-ree)
Meaning: Pastry or bakery goods.
In a Sentence:
- La pâtisserie est ouverte le dimanche. (The pastry shop is open on Sunday.)
- J’adore la pâtisserie française. (I love French pastries.)
13. Gastronomie (gas-troh-noh-mee)
Meaning: Culinary art or fine dining.
In a Sentence:
- Paris est célèbre pour sa gastronomie. (Paris is famous for its culinary art.)
- La gastronomie française est mondialement connue. (French fine dining is world-renowned.)
14. Goûter (goo-tay)
Meaning: Snack or afternoon treat.
In a Sentence:
- Les enfants aiment le goûter après l’école. (Kids love having a snack after school.)
- On prépare un goûter pour les invités. (We’re preparing a snack for the guests.)
15. Friandise (free-ahn-deez)
Meaning: Treat or delicacy.
In a Sentence:
- Les friandises sont sur la table. (The treats are on the table.)
- Elle adore les friandises sucrées. (She loves sweet treats.)
16. Restauration (res-tah-rah-syon)
Meaning: Food service or catering.
In a Sentence:
- La restauration rapide est populaire ici. (Fast food is popular here.)
- Il travaille dans la restauration. (He works in the food service industry.)
17. Consommable (kon-soh-mah-bluh)
Meaning: Edible or consumable.
In a Sentence:
- Tout ce qui est sur la table est consommable. (Everything on the table is edible.)
- Ces fruits ne sont plus consommables. (These fruits are no longer edible.)
18. Manger (mahn-zhay)
Meaning: Food (as a noun or verb for eating).
In a Sentence:
- J’aime manger des fruits. (I like eating fruits.)
- Le manger est prêt! (The food is ready!)
19. Délice (day-lees)
Meaning: Delight or delicacy.
In a Sentence:
- Ce gâteau est un vrai délice. (This cake is a real delight.)
- Le repas était un délice total. (The meal was a total delight.)
20. Vivres (vee-vruh)
Meaning: Food supplies or rations.
In a Sentence:
- Les vivres sont limités en hiver. (Food supplies are limited in winter.)
- Ils ont apporté des vivres pour la randonnée. (They brought food supplies for the hike.)
21. Denrées alimentaires (dahn-rayz ah-lee-mahn-tehr)
Meaning: Foodstuffs.
In a Sentence:
- Les denrées alimentaires sont indispensables. (Foodstuffs are essential.)
- Il faut stocker des denrées alimentaires. (We need to stock up on foodstuffs.)
22. Cuisine de rue (kwee-zeen duh roo)
Meaning: Street food.
In a Sentence:
- La cuisine de rue est délicieuse à Paris. (Street food is delicious in Paris.)
- Ils vendent de la cuisine de rue savoureuse. (They sell tasty street food.)
23. Comestible (koh-mess-teebl)
Meaning: Edible or eatable.
In a Sentence:
- Ces champignons sont comestibles. (These mushrooms are edible.)
- Tout ici est comestible. (Everything here is eatable.)
24. Produits alimentaires (proh-dwee ah-lee-mahn-tehr)
Meaning: Food products.
In a Sentence:
- Ils vendent des produits alimentaires frais. (They sell fresh food products.)
- Les produits alimentaires sont essentiels au supermarché. (Food products are essential at the supermarket.)
25. Festin (fes-tan)
Meaning: Feast or banquet.
In a Sentence:
- Nous avons préparé un festin pour la fête. (We prepared a feast for the party.)
- Le festin de Noël était incroyable. (The Christmas feast was amazing.)
26. Collation (koh-lah-syon)
Meaning: Light snack or refreshment.
In a Sentence:
- Une collation sera servie après la réunion. (A light snack will be served after the meeting.)
- J’ai pris une collation avant de partir. (I had a snack before leaving.)
27. Merveille (mehr-vay)
Meaning: Delightful treat or wonder (figurative).
In a Sentence:
- Ce dessert est une merveille! (This dessert is a delight!)
- Chaque plat était une merveille culinaire. (Every dish was a culinary wonder.)
28. Grignotage (gree-nyo-tazh)
Meaning: Snacking or nibbling.
In a Sentence:
- Le grignotage devant la télé est mon passe-temps. (Snacking in front of the TV is my hobby.)
- Le grignotage entre les repas n’est pas recommandé. (Snacking between meals is not recommended.)
29. Soupe (soop)
Meaning: Soup.
In a Sentence:
- J’adore la soupe de légumes maison. (I love homemade vegetable soup.)
- Une bonne soupe est parfaite pour les soirées d’hiver. (A good soup is perfect for winter evenings.)
30. Saveur (sah-vuhr)
Meaning: Flavor or taste.
In a Sentence:
- La saveur de ce plat est incroyable. (The flavor of this dish is amazing.)
- Chaque bouchée est pleine de saveurs délicieuses. (Every bite is full of delicious flavors.)
31. Déjeuner (day-zhuh-nay)
Meaning: Lunch or to have lunch.
In a Sentence:
- Nous avons un déjeuner spécial aujourd’hui. (We have a special lunch today.)
- Ils déjeunent ensemble tous les dimanches. (They have lunch together every Sunday.)
32. Dîner (dee-nay)
Meaning: Dinner or to have dinner.
In a Sentence:
- Le dîner est prêt! (Dinner is ready!)
- Nous avons dîné dans un restaurant chic. (We had dinner at a fancy restaurant.)
Other Ways to Say “Food” in French
Here is a table with more ways to say “food” in French, including pronunciation, meaning, and example sentences:
| Other Ways to Say | Pronunciation | Meaning | Example Sentences |
| Comestibles | koh-mess-teebl | Edibles or food items | Les comestibles sont dans le panier. (The edibles are in the basket.) |
| Denrée alimentaire | dahn-ray ah-lee-mahn-tehr | Food product | Le riz est une denrée alimentaire essentielle. (Rice is an essential food product.) |
| Produit frais | proh-dwee freh | Fresh produce | J’ai acheté des produits frais au marché. (I bought fresh produce at the market.) |
| Cuisiné maison | kwee-zee-nay meh-zohn | Home-cooked food | Elle préfère la cuisine maison. (She prefers home-cooked food.) |
| Ravitaillement | rah-vee-tie-mahn | Food supplies | Le ravitaillement est arrivé ce matin. (The food supplies arrived this morning.) |
| Buffet | boo-fay | Buffet or food spread | Le buffet était rempli de plats délicieux. (The buffet was full of delicious dishes.) |
| Nourriture rapide | noo-ree-toor rah-peed | Fast food | Ils ont mangé de la nourriture rapide hier. (They ate fast food yesterday.) |
| Plats préparés | plah pray-pah-ray | Ready-made meals | Les plats préparés sont pratiques. (Ready-made meals are convenient.) |
| Produits de base | proh-dwee duh bahs | Staple foods | Le riz et le blé sont des produits de base. (Rice and wheat are staple foods.) |
| Panier-repas | pah-nyay ruh-pah | Packed lunch | Elle a préparé un panier-repas pour la sortie. (She prepared a packed lunch for the outing.) |
Responses to “Food” in French
When talking about food in French conversations, knowing how to respond appropriately is helpful. Here are some common responses you can use when discussing food:
1. C’est délicieux (say day-lee-syuh)
Meaning: It’s delicious.
In a Sentence:
- Ce gâteau est incroyable! C’est délicieux. (This cake is amazing! It’s delicious.)
2. J’adore ça (zhah-dohr sah)
Meaning: I love it.
In a Sentence:
- Tu veux un croissant? — Oui, j’adore ça! (Do you want a croissant? — Yes, I love it!)
3. C’est bon (say bohn)
Meaning: It’s good/tasty.
In a Sentence:
- Cette soupe est parfaite. C’est bon! (This soup is perfect. It’s good!)
4. Je n’aime pas ça (zhuh nehm pah sah)
Meaning: I don’t like it.
In a Sentence:
- Tu aimes les escargots? — Non, je n’aime pas ça. (Do you like snails? — No, I don’t like them.)
5. J’en veux plus (zhahn vuh ploo)
Meaning: I want more.
In a Sentence:
- Cette tarte est incroyable! J’en veux plus! (This pie is incredible! I want more!)
6. Je suis rassasié(e) (zhuh swee rah-sah-zyeh)
Meaning: I’m full.
In a Sentence:
- Merci pour le dîner. Je suis rassasié! (Thank you for dinner. I’m full!)
7. Ça sent bon (sah sahn bohn)
Meaning: It smells good.
In a Sentence:
- Mmm, le pain frais! Ça sent bon. (Mmm, fresh bread! It smells good.)
8. C’était excellent (say-teh eks-say-lahnt)
Meaning: It was excellent.
In a Sentence:
- Merci pour le repas! C’était excellent! (Thank you for the meal! It was excellent!)
9. Je préfère autre chose (zhuh preh-fehr oh-truh shohz)
Meaning: I prefer something else.
In a Sentence:
- Tu veux du poisson? — Non, je préfère autre chose. (Do you want fish? — No, I prefer something else.)
10. Je passe mon tour (zhuh pahs mon toor)
Meaning: I’ll pass (skip the food).
In a Sentence:
- Tu veux un dessert? — Non, je passe mon tour. (Do you want dessert? — No, I’ll pass.)
11. C’est ma spécialité (say mah spay-syah-lee-tay)
Meaning: It’s my specialty.
In a Sentence:
- J’ai cuisiné cette tarte. C’est ma spécialité! (I made this pie. It’s my specialty!)
12. J’en ai assez (zhahn nay ah-say)
Meaning: I’ve had enough.
In a Sentence:
- Tu veux encore du gâteau? — Non, j’en ai assez. (Do you want more cake? — No, I’ve had enough.)
13. Ça a l’air bon (sah ah lehr bohn)
Meaning: It looks good.
In a Sentence:
- Ce plat de pâtes… ça a l’air bon! (That pasta dish… it looks good!)
14. Je vais goûter (zhuh vay goo-tay)
Meaning: I’ll try it.
In a Sentence:
- Tu veux essayer le fromage? — Oui, je vais goûter. (Do you want to try the cheese? — Yes, I’ll try it.)
15. C’est trop épicé (say troh ay-pee-say)
Meaning: It’s too spicy.
In a Sentence:
- Ce curry est bon, mais c’est trop épicé pour moi. (This curry is good, but it’s too spicy for me.)
16. C’est un régal (say uh ray-gahl)
Meaning: It’s a treat/delight.
In a Sentence:
- Ce dessert est un régal! (This dessert is a treat!)
17. Je suis allergique à ça (zhuh swee ah-lehr-zheek ah sah)
Meaning: I’m allergic to that.
In a Sentence:
- Désolé, je ne peux pas manger ça. Je suis allergique à ça. (Sorry, I can’t eat that. I’m allergic to it.)
Exercise to Practice Saying “Food” in French
Fill in the blanks using the correct French words or phrases related to “food” from the previous sections. Each sentence is in French, with meanings provided after the list.
Fill-in-the-Blanks:
- Je vais acheter des _______ pour le dîner ce soir.
- Cette _______ de légumes est délicieuse!
- Ils préparent un grand _______ pour la fête.
- J’aime manger des _______ frais du marché.
- Le restaurant sert des _______ de toutes les régions.
- Après le match, nous avons pris un _______ rapide.
- Les _______ sont arrivées ce matin au supermarché.
- Le chef a cuisiné un _______ exceptionnel.
- Cette tarte est un vrai _______!
- Les enfants adorent le _______ après l’école.
- Nous avons goûté à des _______ locales pendant les vacances.
- Le riz est une _______ essentielle dans de nombreux pays.
Answers:
- provisions – (I will buy supplies for dinner tonight.)
- soupe – (This vegetable soup is delicious!)
- festin – (They are preparing a big feast for the party.)
- produits – (I like eating fresh produce from the market.)
- plats – (The restaurant serves dishes from all regions.)
- casse-croûte – (After the game, we grabbed a quick snack.)
- denrées alimentaires – (The foodstuffs arrived at the supermarket this morning.)
- repas – (The chef cooked an exceptional meal.)
- délice – (This pie is a real delight!)
- goûter – (Kids love the afternoon snack after school.)
- mets – (We tasted local dishes during the vacation.)
- denrée – (Rice is an essential food product in many countries.)
Conclusion
Learning how to say “food” in French opens up many opportunities to communicate better while traveling, dining out, or simply talking about meals. From everyday terms like nourriture to more specific words like plats or provisions, understanding these words helps you sound more natural and confident.
Keep practicing these terms through conversations, reading menus, or even cooking French recipes. With time, talking about food in French will become as easy as enjoying your favorite meal. Bon appétit!