French Pronunciation Guide

Have you ever wanted to order from a French menu with a perfect pronunciation? The trick is to first see the words in French and in context – on a menu. This is just what the hungry traveler needs; a French pronunciation guide in order to see and hear the most important and common French words found on menus. Just tap or click the blue play buttons below and listen to the pronunciation, spoken with a Parisian accent.

This French pronunciation guide includes 100 of the most important words you will need in a French restaurant, whether they are on the menu or not.

Listen to the words. Repeat. Close your eyes and imagine chocolate, wine, fabulous sauces, and yourself ordering these delectables. Hit that play button as many times as needed! And remember to repeat the words out loud before you go.

Getting Started

toilettes/WC ‐ bathroom

hommes/messieurs ‐ men

mesdames/femmes ‐ women

bonjour ‐ hello

s'il vous plaît ‐ please

merci ‐ thanks

At the Boulangerie

la boulangerie ‐ the bakery

brioche ‐ egg and butter bread, sometimes topped with sugar

croque monsieur ‐ an open faced sandwich of bread, ham and cheese, dipped in beaten egg and then sautéed in butter

croque madame ‐ a croque monsieur with a fried egg on top

jambon ‐ ham

pain au chocolat ‐ croissant with a ribbon of dark chocolate inside

pain de campagne ‐ country style bread

quiche ‐ same as in English

At the Pâtisserie

la pâtisserie ‐ pastry

cerise ‐ cherry

chantilly ‐ whipped cream

chocolat ‐ chocolat

fraise ‐ strawberry

framboise ‐ raspberry

gâteau ‐ cake

At the Charcuterie

confit ‐ duck or pork (and other things too) that is cooked and covered with its own fat

paté ‐ a mixture of cooked ground meat and fat minced into a spreadable paste

rillettes ‐ meat that has been cooked and torn or minced into a spread

saucisson ‐ cured sausage that comes sliced or in a link that you can slice

terrine ‐ a pâté made in a pottery container

Meat Doneness / Temperature

bleu ‐ really rare

saignant ‐ rare

à point ‐ medium-rare

cuit ‐ medium medium

bien cuit ‐ well done

rose ‐ pink

The French are not ones to cook steaks more than bloody rare. They may call it, “medium,” but…. anything more ruins the meat. Also some places think medium is bloody – like you have never seen in a U.S. restaurant. Think about that before you order.

For veal, lamb, pigeon, duck (and fowl other than chicken) they have an extra, or substitute, term: rose. Like it sounds, the meat comes out a beautiful rosy color. Enjoy!

At the Restaurant

We use different words for our courses – imagine that! But, for an appetizer, they use a word we know. So, it’s a little confusing.

On a menu, you will see the French words for appetizers, salads, main courses, dessert, drinks, and more. Many English speaking tourists visit Paris, so they may have an English menu. But, if you have a French menu, here are the words to remember.

Dining Events

petit-déjeuner ‐ breakfast

déjeuner ‐ lunch

dîner ‐ dinner

Waiter

monsieur ‐ male waiter

madame ‐ female waiter who is married (how do you know if she is married?)

mademoiselle ‐ female waiter who is not married (how do you know if she is married? I don’t know how to tell, so I always start with this.)

Drinks

If the waiter uses sign language when he asks you what you would like to drink, he will make a fist and put his thumb to his mouth and tilt his fist back.