The most common way to say 'potato' in French is pomme de terre, which literally translates to 'apple of the earth'. A bit poetic, isn't it? But just like in English where we have 'spuds' or 'taters', French has a whole basket of other words for this beloved tuber. From regional slang to culinary terms, the humble potato goes by many names in the French-speaking world. Ready to peel back the layers and discover nine different ways to talk about potatoes? Let's dig in!

1. The standard 'potato' – la pomme de terre

The most common and standard way to say 'potato' in French is la pomme de terre. If you translate it literally, it means 'apple of the earth', which is a wonderfully poetic name for such a humble and essential vegetable.

La pomme de terre is a feminine noun. It's important to remember that this is a compound noun and is almost always used in its full form. You would not refer to a potato as just pomme (which means apple) or terre (which means earth/soil).

To talk about more than one potato, you make both of the main nouns plural: les pommes de terre. The preposition de remains unchanged. For example, 'I am buying potatoes' is J'achète des pommes de terre.

You will see this term constantly when exploring French cuisine. While French fries are commonly called les frites, their more formal name is les pommes frites. Similarly, mashed potatoes are la purée de pommes de terre and potato gratin is le gratin de pommes de terre.

In casual, everyday speech, you will often hear the word la patate. It's a much more informal term but is universally understood. For instance, a friend might ask, Tu veux des patates ? (Do you want some potatoes?). The word is also famously used in the expression avoir la patate, which means 'to feel great' or 'to be full of energy'.

💡 * Je vais préparer une purée de pommes de terre pour le dîner.

Il faut éplucher les pommes de terre avant de les cuire.

Ce plat est servi avec des pommes de terre sautées.

Combien de pommes de terre as-tu achetées au marché ?

The informal 'potato' – la patate

The informal 'potato' – la patate

While the proper term for potato is la pomme de terre (literally, 'apple of the earth'), in everyday informal French, you will almost always hear la patate. It's the direct equivalent of saying 'spud' instead of 'potato' in English and is used commonly in casual conversation.

More importantly for learners, patate is a key part of a very common idiom: avoir la patate. This has nothing to do with possessing a potato; it means 'to be full of energy,' 'to feel great,' or 'to be on top form.' It’s a very positive and enthusiastic expression.

Conversely, the word is also used to express sadness in the phrase en avoir gros sur la patate. This idiom means 'to have a heavy heart' or 'to be deeply sad or upset' about something. The imagery suggests a heavy weight pressing down on you.

So, while la patate is a simple word for a vegetable, its true value lies in these popular expressions. Listening for it can tell you if someone is feeling fantastic (j'ai la patate !) or feeling down (il en a gros sur la patate).

💡 * J'ai la patate aujourd'hui, j'ai super bien dormi ! (I'm full of beans today, I slept so well!)

Tu veux de la purée de patates avec ton poulet ? (Do you want mashed potatoes with your chicken?)

Depuis qu'elle a déménagé, elle en a gros sur la patate. (She's had a heavy heart ever since she moved.)

C'est une grosse patate, elle fera au moins trois portions. (That's a big potato, it will make at least three servings.)

The 'French fry' – la frite

One of the most internationally recognized food items is the 'French fry,' and in French, this is simply une frite. It's a fundamental vocabulary word for anyone dining in a French-speaking country.

While la frite refers to a single fry, it's almost always used in the plural form, les frites, because you rarely eat just one. When ordering, you will ask for des frites (some fries) or les frites.

The noun frite is feminine. This is important for using the correct articles: une frite (a fry), la frite (the fry), and des/les frites (fries).

In France and Belgium, les frites are a beloved staple. You'll often see them as part of classic dishes like steak-frites (steak and fries) or moules-frites (mussels and fries).

You might also see the term pommes frites, which literally means 'fried potatoes' (pommes de terre being potatoes). However, in everyday conversation and on most menus, the shortened frites is far more common.

💡 * Je voudrais un steak-frites, s'il vous plaît.

Les enfants adorent manger des frites.

Il ne reste qu'une seule frite dans mon cornet.

Les moules-frites sont une spécialité belge très populaire en France.

The 'potato chip' – la chips

The French word for a potato chip (or 'crisp' in UK English) is la chips. As you can see, it's a direct borrowing from English and is a feminine noun.

Much like in English, while you can refer to a single chip (une chips), it's most commonly used in its plural form, les chips, when talking about them as a snack.

A crucial point for English speakers: les chips are thin, crispy potato chips from a bag. French fries are called les frites. This is a common point of confusion, especially for British English speakers who call fries 'chips'.

In France, les chips are a classic snack for an apéritif (a pre-dinner drink with snacks). You'll often find various flavors, from plain salted (nature) to paprika or onion.

💡 * J'ai acheté un grand paquet de chips pour la soirée.

Tu veux des chips avec ton sandwich ?

Attention, il ne reste qu'une chips dans le bol !

Les enfants adorent les chips au paprika.

The 'sweet potato' – la patate douce

The 'sweet potato' in French is la patate douce.

This is a literal translation. It combines patate, a common word for 'potato', and douce, the feminine adjective for 'sweet'. The direct translation is 'sweet potato'.

The term is feminine because patate is a feminine noun. Therefore, it's always la patate douce or une patate douce.

This term is used in culinary contexts, just like in English. You'll see it on restaurant menus, in recipes, and at the grocery store. There are no hidden slang meanings.

The plural is les patates douces. Note that both the noun and the adjective take an 's' to become plural.

💡 * J'ai acheté des patates douces au marché. (I bought sweet potatoes at the market.)

La purée de patate douce est délicieuse avec du poulet. (Sweet potato mash is delicious with chicken.)

Pour cette recette, il faut une grosse patate douce. (For this recipe, you need one large sweet potato.)

Les frites de patate douce sont très populaires. (Sweet potato fries are very popular.)

The 'mashed potatoes' – la purée

The French word for 'mashed potatoes' is la purée. While the full name is purée de pommes de terre (mash of potatoes), in everyday conversation and on menus, it is almost always shortened to simply la purée. This term is straightforward and widely understood.

The word purée isn't limited to potatoes. It can refer to any pureed fruit or vegetable. For example, you might see purée de carottes (carrot puree) or purée de brocolis (broccoli puree). However, if you just say or see la purée without any other context, it's safe to assume it means mashed potatoes.

La purée is a staple comfort food in France, often associated with home cooking and childhood meals. A classic bistro and family dish is saucisse-purée (sausage and mash), which holds a similar nostalgic and comforting status as it does in English-speaking countries.

Interestingly, la purée also features in a common idiom. The expression être dans la purée literally translates to 'to be in the mash,' but it means 'to be in a mess,' 'to be in trouble,' or 'to be broke.' It’s a vivid way to describe being stuck in a difficult situation.

💡 * J'adore la purée avec beaucoup de beurre.

Le plat du jour est un steak-frites ou une saucisse-purée.

J'ai perdu mon portefeuille, je suis dans la purée !

Pour le bébé, il faut une purée de légumes bien lisse.

The 'baked potato' – la pomme de terre au four

The French phrase for a 'baked potato' is la pomme de terre au four. This is a literal description, translating directly to "the potato in the oven."

Let's look at the components: pomme de terre is the standard term for "potato" (literally, "apple of the earth"), and au four means "in the oven" or "baked."

The term is feminine because pomme de terre is a feminine noun. You will commonly find this expression on restaurant menus, especially as an accompagnement (side dish) for grilled meats.

💡 * J'aimerais une pomme de terre au four avec mon steak, s'il vous plaît. (I would like a baked potato with my steak, please.)

La pomme de terre au four est garnie de crème fraîche et de ciboulette. (The baked potato is garnished with sour cream and chives.)

Pour un repas simple, une grosse pomme de terre au four suffit. (For a simple meal, a large baked potato is enough.)

The 'potato in its jacket' – la pomme de terre en robe des champs

The 'potato in its jacket' – la pomme de terre en robe des champs

This charming culinary expression literally translates to 'the potato in a field dress.' It's a poetic way to describe a simple baked or boiled potato served with its skin still on.

In French cuisine, la pomme de terre en robe des champs refers to a potato cooked whole and unpeeled. It's the French equivalent of a 'jacket potato' and is often served as a rustic and comforting meal, typically with butter, crème fraîche, or melted cheese.

💡 * Ce soir, je prépare des pommes de terre en robe des champs avec de la crème fraîche et de la ciboulette. (Tonight, I'm making jacket potatoes with sour cream and chives.)

Une pomme de terre en robe des champs est un plat simple mais délicieux. (A potato in its jacket is a simple but delicious dish.)

Pour la raclette, on sert toujours les pommes de terre en robe des champs. (For raclette, we always serve the potatoes with their skins on.)

1. Understanding 'La Pomme de Terre Nouvelle'

The French term la pomme de terre nouvelle is the direct translation for the 'new potato.' It refers to young potatoes harvested early in their growing season, typically during spring and early summer, before they have reached full maturity.

New potatoes are distinguished by their small size, thin, delicate skin, and a waxy texture. A key feature is that their skin is so fine it often doesn't need to be peeled—a simple scrub is enough. This makes preparation easier and preserves the nutrients found just under the skin.

Due to their lower starch content, pommes de terre nouvelles hold their shape exceptionally well when cooked. This makes them the perfect choice for potato salads (salades de pommes de terre), roasting (rôties), or boiling (cuites à l'eau). Their sweet, earthy flavor is a celebrated sign of spring in French cuisine.

💡 * Au marché, j'ai acheté des pommes de terre nouvelles pour le dîner de ce soir. (At the market, I bought new potatoes for tonight's dinner.)

Une salade de pommes de terre nouvelles est parfaite pour un pique-nique. (A new potato salad is perfect for a picnic.)

Il suffit de brosser les pommes de terre nouvelles, pas besoin de les éplucher. (You just need to scrub new potatoes, no need to peel them.)

J'adore les pommes de terre nouvelles simplement rôties avec du thym. (I love new potatoes simply roasted with thyme.)

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

Our list features the most common ways to say 'potato' in French, mainly pomme de terre and its informal cousin, patate. But as with any language, there are other terms, from specific culinary descriptions to regionalisms you might encounter on your travels.

You can also do an online search for “comment dire pomme de terre en ___” followed by a specific Francophone region like Québec or Belgium to discover local vocabulary.

You might find some interesting variations. For example, while patate is very common, remember it's informal and can even be used as lighthearted slang for a silly person. Always check the context before using it!

Pay attention as you read French menus, watch cooking shows, or browse a marché (market). You’ll discover countless ways potatoes form the foundation of delicious French cuisine.

And if you’re looking for ways to talk about different kinds of potato dishes, the Wikipedia entry for Cuisine de la pomme de terre or a good French recipe site are fantastic places to start!

I hope you found this article helpful. We'll end with a thought inspired by Antoine-Augustin Parmentier, who tirelessly promoted the potato in 18th-century France: La pomme de terre peut sauver le monde. (The potato can save the world.) He was talking about famine, but it's a testament to the power of this humble vegetable. Bon appétit!

'9 ways to say "potato" in French'