The most common way to say "meat" in French is la viande. It's a great catch-all term you'll hear and use frequently. But what if you're at a French butcher shop (boucherie) or trying to decipher a restaurant menu? You'll quickly discover that the French have a rich vocabulary for different kinds of meat.

Whether you're a carnivore looking to order the perfect steak or just want to expand your culinary French, knowing these specific terms is essential.

Let's dive into 9 different ways to talk about "meat" in French, from the general to the very specific!

1. The general term for 'meat' – la viande

The most common and general French word for 'meat' is la viande. This is the term you'll use in most everyday situations, from ordering at a restaurant to shopping at a butcher shop (boucherie).

It's crucial to remember that viande is a feminine noun. Therefore, it's always preceded by a feminine article like la (the) or une (a/an). For example, la viande (the meat) or une bonne viande (a good meat).

La viande is an umbrella term that refers to the flesh of an animal used for food. It can encompass everything from beef (bœuf) and pork (porc) to poultry (volaille) and lamb (agneau). If you want to speak about meat in general, this is the correct word.

While la viande is the general term, you can specify the type of meat by adding de + the animal. For example, 'beef' is literally la viande de bœuf. However, many common meats also have their own specific names, which we'll explore in the next sections.

A very useful phrase for vegetarians or those with dietary preferences is Je ne mange pas de viande (I don't eat meat). Note that in a negative sentence, the partitive article (de la) changes to de, a key grammatical rule in French.

💡 * J'achète la viande chez le boucher. (I buy meat at the butcher's shop.)

• Est-ce que ce plat contient de la viande ? (Does this dish contain meat?)
• Il préfère le poisson à la viande. (He prefers fish to meat.)
• La viande rouge est riche en fer. (Red meat is rich in iron.)

The 'flesh' of an animal – la chair

The 'flesh' of an animal – la chair

In French, the word la chair refers to the soft substance, primarily muscle and fat, between the skin and bones of an animal. It is the direct equivalent of the English word 'flesh'.

It's crucial not to confuse la chair with la viande (meat). La chair refers to the biological substance itself, often when it's still raw or being described technically. La viande, on the other hand, is the term used for meat as a culinary product that you buy and eat.

You will most commonly encounter la chair when referring to fish and poultry. For instance, a chef might describe the quality of la chair de saumon (salmon flesh) or how to prepare la chair de poulet (chicken flesh).

The term isn't limited to animals. It's also used to describe the pulpy part of fruits and vegetables, such as la chair d'un avocat (the flesh of an avocado). Figuratively, it can also refer to the human body in a more abstract or poetic sense ('the flesh').

In short, think of la chair as the raw material (flesh) and la viande as the final food product (meat). This distinction will help you sound more precise and natural in French.

💡 * La chair de ce poisson est très délicate.

• Le boucher sépare la chair des os avec un couteau bien aiguisé.
• Pour cette recette, il faut retirer la chair de l'aubergine.
• La couleur de la chair de la pastèque indique si elle est mûre.

The 'beefsteak' – le bifteck

When you're craving a classic cut of beef in France, the word you'll need is le bifteck. It's a staple in French bistros and home cooking alike.

Pronounced like 'beef-tek', le bifteck is the direct French equivalent of 'beefsteak'. It's a masculine noun, so you'll always see it referred to as un bifteck or le bifteck. Interestingly, the word is a direct loanword from the English 'beefsteak', adapted to French pronunciation.

You will most commonly encounter le bifteck on a restaurant menu, often served with fries (frites). The classic dish bifteck-frites is a cultural icon. It refers to a slice of beef, typically a sirloin or similar cut, that is pan-fried or grilled.

When ordering a bifteck, you'll need to specify how you want it cooked. The common terms are: bleu (very rare), saignant (rare), à point (medium-rare), and bien cuit (well-done). For example, you might say, 'Je voudrais un bifteck à point, s'il vous plaît.'

While bifteck specifically means 'beefsteak', you might also see the word steak on menus. Steak is a broader term and can refer to a slice of other meats, like tuna (steak de thon), or most commonly, a ground beef patty (steak haché). For a solid cut of beef, bifteck is the more precise term.

💡 * Je vais prendre le bifteck-frites, s'il vous plaît.

• Comment voulez-vous votre bifteck ? Saignant.
• Ce soir, on mange un bon bifteck avec de la salade.
• Le boucher a coupé un bifteck bien épais pour le dîner.

The 'cured meats' (like sausage and ham) – la charcuterie

The 'cured meats' (like sausage and ham) – la charcuterie

La charcuterie is a French term for a branch of cooking devoted to prepared meat products, such as bacon, ham, sausage, terrines, and pâtés, primarily from pork. It also refers to the delicatessen-style shop where these products are sold.

The word is derived from the French words chair ('flesh') and cuit ('cooked'). While traditionally focused on pork, the term has expanded to include a wide variety of preparations, sometimes featuring other meats like poultry or game.

In France, it's very common to order a planche de charcuterie (a charcuterie board) at a restaurant or café. This platter features a selection of cured meats and is often served as an appetizer (apéritif) to share, typically accompanied by cheese, bread, and wine.

💡 * J'ai acheté de la bonne charcuterie pour ce soir. (I bought some good cured meats for tonight.)

• On va partager une planche de charcuterie et de fromage. (We're going to share a board of cured meats and cheese.)
• Cette région est célèbre pour sa charcuterie artisanale. (This region is famous for its artisanal cured meats.)
• Il travaille comme artisan charcutier. (He works as an artisanal butcher/pork butcher.)

The 'poultry' (chicken, turkey, etc.) – la volaille

The 'poultry' (chicken, turkey, etc.) – la volaille

La volaille is the general, collective French term for poultry or fowl. It refers to domestic birds raised for their meat and eggs.

This category includes birds like chicken (le poulet), turkey (la dinde), duck (le canard), guinea fowl (la pintade), and quail (la caille).

You will commonly see this word at the butcher shop (la boucherie), on restaurant menus, or in recipes when referring to poultry in general rather than a specific type of bird.

It's important to note that la volaille is a feminine singular noun, even though it describes a group of animals. For example, you would say la volaille est fraîche (the poultry is fresh).

💡 * Le boucher propose une grande sélection de volaille.

• Pour le dîner, nous allons rôtir une volaille.
• La filière de la volaille est très importante en France.
• J'ai commandé le suprême de volaille à la crème.

The 'game meat' – le gibier

In French, le gibier is the specific term used for 'game meat'—that is, any wild animal hunted for food. It's a culinary term you won't find used for farmed animals.

French cuisine categorizes le gibier into two main types. First, there's gibier à poil (furred game), which includes animals like wild boar (sanglier), deer (cerf), roe deer (chevreuil), and wild rabbit (lapin de garenne). The second is gibier à plume (feathered game), such as pheasant (faisan), partridge (perdrix), and wild duck (canard sauvage).

Game meat is deeply rooted in traditional French gastronomy, especially celebrated during the autumn hunting season (la saison de la chasse). Known for its strong, earthy flavors, le gibier is the star of hearty, rustic dishes like stews (civet), pâtés (terrines), and slow-cooked roasts, perfect for colder weather.

You will most likely encounter the word gibier on the menu at a traditional French restaurant or at a butcher shop (boucherie), particularly from October through February. Look for phrases like 'plat de gibier' (game dish) or specific preparations like 'civet de sanglier' (wild boar stew).

💡 * En automne, j'aime beaucoup cuisiner le gibier.

• Le chef propose un civet de chevreuil comme plat de gibier cette semaine.
• Avez-vous déjà goûté du gibier à plume comme le faisan ?
• La terrine de gibier est une entrée classique de la cuisine française.

The 'offal' or 'organ meats' – les abats

The 'offal' or 'organ meats' – les abats

The word les abats (masculine plural) refers to the edible internal organs and entrails of a butchered animal, known as 'offal' or 'organ meats' in English. This term is almost exclusively used in a culinary context, as these parts are key ingredients in many traditional French dishes.

Les abats include a wide variety of items, such as the liver (le foie), kidneys (les rognons), sweetbreads (les ris), tongue (la langue), and tripe (les tripes). While they might not be to everyone's taste, they are considered delicacies in French gastronomy.

💡 * Le chef est réputé pour sa cuisine des abats. (The chef is renowned for his offal cooking.)

• Au marché, le boucher vend toutes sortes d'abats frais. (At the market, the butcher sells all sorts of fresh offal.)
• Les rognons de veau sont des abats très appréciés en France. (Veal kidneys are a very popular type of offal in France.)

The slang term for 'meat' – la barbaque

The slang term for 'meat' – la barbaque

La barbaque is a very informal, slang term for 'meat' (la viande). It's the kind of word you'd use among friends or family, especially when talking about a barbecue or a simple, hearty meal. This term firmly falls into the category of French argot (slang).

While it often just means 'meat' in a casual way, la barbaque can sometimes carry a slightly pejorative connotation, implying tough, cheap, or low-quality meat. The context and tone of voice are key to understanding the speaker's intent.

The word is closely related to barbecue. You'll often hear it in phrases like faire griller la barbaque (to grill the meat), cementing its association with casual, outdoor cooking.

💡 * J'ai acheté plein de barbaque pour le barbecue de ce soir. (I bought a ton of meat for tonight's barbecue.)

• Il reste encore de la barbaque ? J'ai une faim de loup ! (Is there any meat left? I'm starving!)
• La barbaque de la cantine n'est vraiment pas terrible. (The meat at the cafeteria is really not great.)

1. The 'minced' or 'ground meat' – la viande hachée

The primary French term for 'ground meat' or 'minced meat' is la viande hachée. This phrase literally translates to 'chopped meat.' It's composed of la viande (meat) and hachée, the feminine past participle of the verb hacher, which means 'to chop' or 'to mince'. This is the general term you will find in recipes and at the butcher shop (boucherie).

Often, you'll need to specify the type of ground meat. The most common is le bœuf haché (ground beef). You can also ask for le veau haché (ground veal) or le porc haché (ground pork). Note how the article changes to masculine (le) to agree with the specific type of meat, which is a masculine noun.

A term you will see everywhere in France is le steak haché. While it literally means 'minced steak,' it specifically refers to a ground beef patty. This is a staple in French cuisine, especially for quick family meals and is the standard meat used in a hamburger (un burger). It's often sold pre-packaged in the refrigerated section of supermarkets.

La viande hachée is a key ingredient in many classic French comfort food dishes, such as hachis Parmentier (a shepherd's pie-like dish with potato topping), lasagnes à la bolognaise (lasagna), and tomates farcies (stuffed tomatoes).

💡 * J'achète de la viande hachée pour faire des lasagnes ce soir.

• Pour les hamburgers, il faut du steak haché de bonne qualité.
• Le hachis Parmentier est un plat délicieux à base de bœuf haché.
• La recette demande un mélange de porc haché et de veau haché.

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

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

Our list features the most common ways to say “meat” in French, focusing on the essential term viande. However, in a culture famous for its cuisine, the French language is rich with specific vocabulary for different types, cuts, and preparations of meat.

You can expand your vocabulary by doing an online search for “les morceaux du bœuf” (cuts of beef) or “recettes avec de l'agneau” (recipes with lamb) to see more specialized terms.

Keep in mind that these specific words aren't interchangeable with the general term viande. For instance, un gigot (a leg of lamb) is very different from just any meat. Context is key, especially when reading a menu or following a recipe!

Pay attention the next time you walk past a French boucherie (butcher shop), watch a French cooking show, or read a restaurant menu. You'll start to notice the vast and delicious world of French meat vocabulary.

If you're looking for specific culinary terms, looking up an ingredient on a French cooking site like Marmiton or Larousse Cuisine can be a fantastic way to learn the words for different cuts and dishes.

I hope this guide has been helpful and appetizing! We'll end with a famous quote from the 18th-century French politician and gastronome, Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin: Dis-moi ce que tu manges, je te dirai ce que tu es. (Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are.)