Nourriture is the most common way to say “food” in French. But there are several other delicious options.

As you explore the rich tapestry of French culture, you’ll discover that food is at its very heart. Knowing different ways to express “food” will not only enrich your vocabulary but also help you sound more like a native speaker.

Let’s dive into some common and delightful ways to say “food” in French!

The general term for 'food' – la nourriture

The general term for 'food' – la nourriture

La nourriture is the most common and fundamental French word for 'food'.

As a feminine noun, nourriture always uses the definite article la or the indefinite article une. So, you'll always say la nourriture (the food) or une nourriture (a type of food, less common in general use).

It refers to food in a broad, general sense, encompassing anything that can be eaten for sustenance. Think of it as the 'stuff' that feeds.

It's crucial to differentiate la nourriture from un repas, which specifically means 'a meal' (e.g., breakfast, lunch, dinner). You prepare un repas, but you eat de la nourriture.

You'll frequently encounter la nourriture in phrases like la nourriture saine (healthy food), la nourriture pour animaux (pet food), or la nourriture biologique (organic food).

For individual food items or ingredients, especially in a more formal, scientific, or nutritional context, the term un aliment (plural: les aliments) is often used. For example, les aliments riches en vitamines (vitamin-rich foods).

In everyday conversation, while la nourriture is widely understood, French speakers often prefer more specific terms or phrases depending on context, like referring to a dish or a meal, rather than just 'food' in general.

💡 * La nourriture est essentielle à la vie. (Food is essential for life.)

J'aime la bonne nourriture. (I like good food.)

Ils ont besoin de plus de nourriture pour les réfugiés. (They need more food for the refugees.)

La nourriture locale est délicieuse. (Local food is delicious.)

Ce restaurant sert de la nourriture végétalienne. (This restaurant serves vegan food.)

The verb 'to eat', often used for 'something to eat' – à manger

While manger is the direct verb 'to eat' in French, the phrase à manger is frequently used to mean 'something to eat' or 'food'.

This construction is very common, especially when talking about needing or wanting food in a general sense, or when offering food. It effectively turns the action of eating into the 'thing' to be eaten.

Grammatically, à manger follows the common French pattern of à + infinitive, which often expresses purpose or something 'to be done'. Here, it's literally 'to eat' but functions idiomatically as a noun phrase meaning 'food' or 'something edible'.

It's important to remember that manger is the verb itself, used for actions like 'I eat' (Je mange) or 'He eats' (Il mange). À manger is used for the item or concept of food that is available or needed.

You'll frequently encounter this phrase in common expressions such as quelque chose à manger (something to eat), rien à manger (nothing to eat), or simply à manger when referring to food in general, especially in questions or offers.

Mastering à manger is incredibly useful for everyday French conversations, whether you're discussing meal plans, ordering in a restaurant, or simply expressing hunger or the availability of food.

💡 * J'ai faim, j'ai besoin de quelque chose à manger. (I'm hungry, I need something to eat.)

Il n'y a rien à manger dans le frigo. (There's nothing to eat in the fridge.)

Tu veux à manger ? (Do you want something to eat? / Do you want food?)

Qu'est-ce qu'on a à manger ce soir ? (What do we have to eat tonight?)

Elle prépare toujours de bonnes choses à manger. (She always prepares good things to eat.)

The informal 'food' or 'grub' – la bouffe

While la nourriture is the standard term for 'food' in French, la bouffe is a very common, informal way to say 'food' or 'grub'.

This word is decidedly slang and should be reserved for casual conversations among friends or family. You wouldn't use it in a formal setting or business context.

It's important to remember that la bouffe is a feminine noun, always preceded by 'la' or 'de la' when used as a direct object or with a partitive article.

Think of la bouffe as the French equivalent of 'grub' or 'chow' in English, as opposed to the more neutral 'food' (la nourriture).

You'll often hear it in expressions like faire la bouffe (to cook/make food) or une bonne bouffe (a good meal/feast).

Using la bouffe signals familiarity and informality, making your French sound more natural in casual social situations.

💡 * On va manger de la bouffe ce soir. (We're going to eat some grub tonight.)

J'ai fait la bouffe pour tout le monde. (I made food for everyone.)

C'est de la bonne bouffe ! (This is good grub!)

Qu'est-ce qu'on mange comme bouffe ? (What kind of food are we eating?)

J'ai envie d'une bonne bouffe. (I feel like a good meal.)

The 'meal' itself – le repas

In French, le repas directly translates to 'the meal'. It refers to the occasion or event of eating, rather than solely the food itself.

It encompasses breakfast (le petit-déjeuner), lunch (le déjeuner), and dinner (le dîner). You use le repas when discussing the act of eating together or the specific food served during that occasion.

You'll frequently encounter phrases like prendre un repas (to have a meal) or un bon repas (a good meal) to describe the dining experience.

💡 * J'ai préparé un bon repas pour ce soir. (I prepared a good meal for tonight.)

Le repas de midi était délicieux. (The midday meal was delicious.)

Nous allons prendre le repas ensemble. (We are going to have the meal together.)

Après le repas, nous avons fait une promenade. (After the meal, we took a walk.)

A 'dish' or 'course' – le plat

The term le plat in French broadly translates to 'the dish' or 'the course,' making it a fundamental word in culinary contexts.

At its most common, le plat refers to a prepared dish of food, whether it's a main course, a side dish, or even a dessert.

When discussing a meal, le plat often denotes a specific course, such as le plat principal (the main course) or le plat du jour (the dish of the day).

While it can occasionally refer to a flat serving dish, its primary use in everyday conversation is about the food itself, rather than the plate you eat from (l'assiette).

Its versatility means you'll hear it in various culinary settings, from ordering in a restaurant to describing home-cooked meals.

💡 * Quel est le plat du jour ? (What is the dish of the day?)

J'ai adoré le plat principal. (I loved the main course.)

Ce plat est délicieux. (This dish is delicious.)

Nous avons commandé trois plats différents. (We ordered three different dishes.)

A 'foodstuff' or 'ingredient' – l'aliment

The French word l'aliment (masculine, plural: les aliments) directly translates to a 'foodstuff' or an 'ingredient.' It refers to any substance, usually of plant or animal origin, that is eaten to provide nutritional support for the body. Think of it as a specific item destined for consumption.

While la nourriture is a general term for 'food' (like a meal or food in general), l'aliment is more precise. It denotes a specific edible item – whether raw, processed, or prepared – that contributes to a diet. For example, a carrot is an aliment, while la nourriture could be the entire meal on your plate.

You'll often encounter l'aliment when discussing ingredients in a recipe, food categories, or nutritional properties. It's commonly used in contexts related to dietetics, health, and cooking, focusing on the individual components that make up our meals.

The plural form, les aliments, is very common. You'll hear phrases like les aliments frais (fresh foodstuffs/ingredients), les aliments transformés (processed foods), les aliments bio (organic foods), or les aliments riches en protéines (protein-rich foods). This highlights its role in categorizing and describing different types of edible items.

💡 * Le pain est un aliment de base dans de nombreuses cultures. (Bread is a basic foodstuff in many cultures.)

Quels sont les aliments que tu préfères ? (What are your favorite foodstuffs/ingredients?)

Il faut varier les aliments pour une alimentation équilibrée. (You need to vary your foodstuffs for a balanced diet.)

Les fruits et légumes sont des aliments essentiels pour la santé. (Fruits and vegetables are essential foodstuffs for health.)

Cet aliment est riche en vitamines. (This foodstuff/ingredient is rich in vitamins.)

'Food supplies' or 'groceries' – les provisions

The term les provisions in French refers to 'food supplies' or 'groceries', often implying a stock of items, especially those bought in quantity or prepared for a specific period or event like a trip.

Grammatically, les provisions is always used in the feminine plural. It's commonly associated with the idea of stocking up or having a reserve of food items, rather than just a single grocery item bought for immediate consumption.

While related to grocery shopping, les provisions specifically refers to the items themselves—the supplies. The act of going shopping for groceries is often expressed with faire les courses or faire ses achats.

💡 * Nous devons faire des provisions pour le pique-nique. (We need to get provisions for the picnic.)

As-tu vérifié les provisions dans le garde-manger ? (Did you check the supplies in the pantry?)

Après une semaine, nos provisions étaient presque épuisées. (After a week, our provisions were almost exhausted.)

Ils ont acheté de grandes quantités de provisions avant l'hiver. (They bought large quantities of supplies before winter.)

J'ai toujours des provisions de pâtes et de riz. (I always have provisions of pasta and rice.)

A prepared 'dish' or 'course' (more formal) – le mets

The French word le mets refers to a prepared dish or a course in a meal. It carries a slightly more formal or elevated connotation than common terms like le plat.

Often found in culinary writing, on restaurant menus, or when discussing gastronomy, le mets implies a carefully prepared item, rather than just any food.

While le plat can refer to any dish, le mets specifically highlights a course or a prepared culinary item, often implying a certain level of refinement or presentation.

Interestingly, the plural form of le mets remains the same: les mets. This makes it a bit unique among French nouns.

💡 *Ce restaurant propose des mets raffinés. (This restaurant offers refined dishes.)
*Le chef a préparé un mets délicieux pour le dîner. (The chef prepared a delicious dish for dinner.)
*Les mets de la région sont très appréciés. (The regional dishes are highly appreciated.)
*Chaque mets était une œuvre d'art. (Each course was a work of art.)

1. The 'cooking' or 'food' style of a region – la cuisine

The French word la cuisine is commonly used to refer to the cooking or food style of a specific region, country, or even a particular chef. It encompasses the techniques, ingredients, and traditions that characterize the gastronomic output.

You'll frequently hear la cuisine used to describe national or regional culinary traditions. For example, la cuisine française (French cuisine), la cuisine italienne (Italian cuisine), or la cuisine provençale (Provençal cuisine) all refer to the distinct cooking styles and food cultures of those areas.

Beyond geography, la cuisine can also denote a particular type or style of cooking. Think of phrases like la cuisine végétarienne (vegetarian cooking), la cuisine moléculaire (molecular gastronomy), or la cuisine rapide (fast cooking), highlighting the methodology or dietary focus.

It's important to differentiate la cuisine from other French words related to food. While la nourriture is the general term for "food," and un plat refers to a specific "dish," la cuisine describes the art, style, or overall tradition of cooking rather than just the edible items themselves.

Adding to its versatility, la cuisine also has a more literal meaning: the kitchen, the room where food is prepared. So, depending on the context, "Je suis dans la cuisine" means "I am in the kitchen," while "J'aime la cuisine française" means "I love French cuisine."

💡 * J'adore la cuisine française, c'est ma préférée. (I love French cuisine, it's my favorite.)

La cuisine méditerranéenne est très saine et savoureuse. (Mediterranean cuisine is very healthy and tasty.)

Ce chef est réputé pour sa cuisine inventive. (This chef is renowned for his inventive cooking.)

Nous cherchons un restaurant qui propose une cuisine locale authentique. (We are looking for a restaurant that offers authentic local cuisine.)

Ma grand-mère passe beaucoup de temps dans la cuisine. (My grandmother spends a lot of time in the kitchen.)

Are there other ways to say 'food' in French?

Are there other ways to say “food” in French?

Our list features the most common ways to say “food” in French. But the French language, especially when it comes to culinary matters, is rich with a variety of terms, from formal to slang, and regional expressions.

You can also do an online search for “comment dire nourriture en ___” followed by a specific Francophone country or region to discover local flavors of language.

You might find some interesting synonyms for nourriture on this list. Of course, make sure to check a word’s definition and try to see it used in context before you use it.

Pay attention as you read menus, watch cooking shows, and listen to conversations in French — you may discover delightful different ways to talk about food.

And if you’re looking for more ways to talk about different kinds of food, or words related to eating and cuisine in French, the WordReference entry for nourriture is a great place to start!

I hope you found this article helpful. Here’s what I think is the perfect quote to finish it with, courtesy of Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin: Dis-moi ce que tu manges, je te dirai ce que tu es. (Tell me what you eat, I will tell you what you are.)

9 ways to say "food" in French