Wondering how to order coffee or ask for the bill in French? In this blog post, I've put together a helpful list of 30 key French words about food and drinks, along with their English meanings. If you're interested in understanding a French menu or expanding your French food vocabulary, keep reading!
Les entrées (Starters/Appetizers)
- Soupe du jour - Soup of the day
- Salade verte - Green salad
- Escargots - Snails
- Soupe à l'oignon - Onion soup
- Assiette de fromages - Cheese plate
- Moules - Mussels
Les plats principaux (Main dishes)
- Pâtes au pesto- Pesto pasta
- Filet de saumon - Salmon fillet
- Poulet rôti - Roast chicken
- Steak frites - Steak with fries
- Salade de quinoa- Quinoa salad
- Ratatouille - Provencal vegetable stew
Les desserts (Desserts)
- Crème brûlée - Creme brulee
- Tarte aux fruits - Fruit tart
- Mousse au chocolat - Chocolate mousse
- Tarte Tatin - Upside-down caramelized apple tart
- Glace- Ice cream
- Crêpes au sucre - Sugar crepes
Les boissons (Drinks)
- Un verre d'eau - A glass of water
- Un verre de vin - A glass of wine
- Une bière - A beer
- Un cocktail - A cocktail
- Une carafe d'eau - A pitcher of water
- Un café - A coffee
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How to say "food" in French?
La nourriture- Food
How to say "to order" in French?
Commander- to order
How to order coffee in French?
Let's start with some useful vocabulary:
- Un café - A coffee
- Un café au lait- A coffee with milk
- Un café avec de la crème- A coffee with cream
- Un café avec du sucre- A coffee with sugar
Now, here are the two most common ways to order a coffee:
- Un café, s’il vous plaît. - A coffee, please
- Je voudrais un café, s'il vous plaît. - I would like a coffee please.
We also use the following expressions for ordering food or drinks:
- Je voudrais…/ J’aimerais - I would like…
- Je prends / Je vais prendre -I`ll have…
- Pour moi,... s’il vous plaît. -For me, …. please.
How to ask for the bill in French?
How to Order at a Restaurant in French: Dialogue for Ordering Food
Next, I'll share a typical dialogue for ordering food at a restaurant in French, followed by the English translation.
Passer une commande
Serveuse: Alors, qu'est-ce que vous désirez?
Moi: Comme entrée, je voudrais des moules.
Mon ami: Pour moi, une salade verte, s'il vous plaît.
Serveuse: Comme plat principal?
Moi: Je prends des pâtes au pesto.
Serveuse: Parfait, et vous monsieur?
Mon ami: Je vais prendre un steak frites,s'il vous plaît.
Serveuse: Un bon choix. Qu'est-ce que vous désirez comme boisson?
Moi: Une bouteille de vin rouge et une carafe d’eau, s'il vous plaît.
Serveuse: Je vous apporte ça tout de suite.
English version
Placing an order:
Waitress: So, what would you like?
Me: For the starter, I would like some mussels.
My friend: For me, a green salad, please.
Waitress: And for the main course?
Me: I'll have pasta with pesto.
Waitress: Perfect, and you, sir?
My friend: I'll have a steak and fries, please.
Waitress: A good choice. What would you like to drink?
Me: A bottle of red wine and a carafe of water, please.
Waitress: I'll bring that to you right away.
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Bonjour!
I'm Umut, an experienced Online French Tutor with a PhD in French Studies.
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