Cuisiner is the most common way to say "to cook" in French. But did you know there are many other flavorful verbs you can use?

Whether you're preparing a simple meal or whipping up a gourmet feast, knowing a variety of ways to express "to cook" will add a delicious spice to your French vocabulary.

Let's dive into 9 different ways to talk about cooking in French!

The standard 'to cook' – cuisiner

Cuisiner is the most common and versatile verb for 'to cook' in French.

As a regular -er verb, cuisiner follows predictable conjugation patterns, making it relatively easy to learn for beginners.

Most often, cuisiner is used transitively, meaning it takes a direct object. You 'cook something'. For example, cuisiner un repas (to cook a meal) or cuisiner des légumes (to cook vegetables).

Cuisiner can also be used intransitively, meaning 'to cook' in a general sense, without specifying what is being cooked. For instance, J'aime cuisiner (I like to cook).

While cuisiner means 'to cook', it generally implies the preparation of a meal or a dish, rather than just heating up leftovers or boiling water. It suggests a more involved culinary process.

The verb cuisiner is closely related to la cuisine (which means both 'the kitchen' and 'the cooking/cuisine') and un cuisinier/une cuisinière (a cook or chef).

While cuisiner is standard, you might also hear faire la cuisine (to do the cooking), préparer (to prepare, which can apply to food), or faire cuire (to cook/bake/fry something, focusing on the action of heating).

You can use cuisiner in almost any context, from casual conversations with friends to more formal culinary discussions. It's universally understood.

💡 * Je vais cuisiner ce soir. (I'm going to cook tonight.)

Elle cuisine très bien les pâtes. (She cooks pasta very well.)

Nous aimons cuisiner ensemble le week-end. (We like to cook together on the weekend.)

Qu'est-ce que tu as cuisiné pour le dîner ? (What did you cook for dinner?)

Il cuisine des plats végétariens délicieux. (He cooks delicious vegetarian dishes.)

The common phrase 'to do the cooking' – faire la cuisine

When you want to express “to do the cooking” or “to cook” in French, the most common and natural phrase you’ll encounter is faire la cuisine.

Literally, faire means “to do” or “to make,” and la cuisine means “the kitchen” or “the cooking.” So, faire la cuisine translates directly to “to do the cooking.” It’s used broadly for the act of preparing meals.

While the verb cuisiner also means “to cook,” faire la cuisine is often preferred in everyday conversation, especially when referring to the general activity of preparing a meal. Cuisiner can sometimes imply a more professional or specific act of cooking something.

Since faire la cuisine uses the verb faire, you'll need to conjugate faire according to the subject. For example, Je fais la cuisine (I cook), Tu fais la cuisine (You cook), Nous faisons la cuisine (We cook).

This phrase is highly versatile and can be used in various contexts, whether you're talking about cooking dinner, preparing a meal for guests, or simply enjoying the act of cooking as a hobby. It's the go-to expression for this common activity.

Although faire la cuisine is standard, you might also hear préparer le repas (to prepare the meal) or simply cuisiner in certain contexts. However, faire la cuisine remains the most idiomatic for the general act of 'doing the cooking'.

💡 * J'aime faire la cuisine le week-end. (I like to cook on weekends.)

Qui va faire la cuisine ce soir ? (Who is going to do the cooking tonight?)

Elle fait la cuisine pour toute la famille. (She cooks for the whole family.)

Nous faisons souvent la cuisine ensemble. (We often cook together.)

Apprendre à faire la cuisine est une compétence utile. (Learning to cook is a useful skill.)

The general 'to prepare a meal' – préparer un repas

When you want to express the general idea of 'to prepare a meal' in French, the most common and versatile phrase you'll use is préparer un repas.

The verb préparer directly translates to 'to prepare' or 'to make.' It's a regular –er verb, making its conjugation relatively straightforward for learners.

The noun un repas means 'a meal.' This can refer to any meal – breakfast, lunch, or dinner, or even a snack, depending on context.

Together, préparer un repas literally means 'to prepare a meal.' This phrase is widely used and understood in all contexts, from casual conversation to more formal settings.

This phrase is incredibly versatile. You can use it whether you're talking about preparing a simple sandwich or an elaborate multi-course dinner. It's the go-to phrase for culinary preparation.

While we're focusing on meals, remember that préparer can also be used for preparing other things, like préparer un examen (to prepare for an exam) or préparer une surprise (to prepare a surprise).

For the general act of making food, préparer un repas is your most reliable and commonly used phrase in French. It's clear, direct, and universally understood.

💡 * Je vais préparer un repas pour ce soir. (I'm going to prepare a meal for tonight.)

Elle aime préparer de bons repas pour sa famille. (She likes to prepare good meals for her family.)

Nous préparons un repas simple. (We are preparing a simple meal.)

As-tu préparé le repas ? (Did you prepare the meal?)

Il faut préparer un repas rapide avant de partir. (We need to prepare a quick meal before leaving.)

The action of 'to make cook' (something) – faire cuire

The phrase faire cuire is a common French expression that translates directly to “to make cook” or more naturally, “to cook (something)”. It emphasizes the action of you preparing food.

Faire means “to make” or “to do”, and cuire means “to cook” or “to be cooked”. When combined, faire cuire indicates a causative action: you are causing something to cook.

This phrase is used when you are actively performing the cooking process. For instance, you faites cuire (make cook) the pasta, the meat, or the vegetables. It's distinct from just cuire (to cook/to be cooked), which can describe food cooking on its own.

Grammatically, faire cuire follows the causative construction faire + infinitive. The object being cooked usually comes after cuire.

💡 *Je vais faire cuire le poulet pour le dîner. (I am going to cook the chicken for dinner.)
*Tu dois faire cuire les légumes à la vapeur. (You must steam the vegetables.)
*Elle fait cuire un gâteau pour son anniversaire. (She is baking a cake for his/her birthday.)
*Nous faisons cuire des pâtes. (We are cooking pasta.)
*Fais cuire la viande pendant 20 minutes. (Cook the meat for 20 minutes.)

The specific 'to roast' – rôtir

Rôtir is the French verb used specifically to describe the action of roasting food.

It primarily refers to cooking something, usually meat, poultry, or vegetables, in an oven or over an open fire until it's well-cooked and often browned on the outside.

Unlike griller (to grill/broil) or torréfier (to roast coffee beans or nuts), rôtir specifically implies the process of cooking in an oven or spit-roasting, focusing on the outcome of a tender inside and a crispy exterior.

You'll most often encounter rôtir when talking about rôtir un poulet (to roast a chicken), rôtir des pommes de terre (to roast potatoes), or rôtir un gigot d'agneau (to roast a leg of lamb).

Rôtir is a regular -IR verb, making its conjugation relatively straightforward once you know the pattern for verbs like finir.

💡 * Nous allons rôtir un poulet entier pour le dîner. (We are going to roast a whole chicken for dinner.)

Les pommes de terre rôtissent lentement au four. (The potatoes are roasting slowly in the oven.)

Il adore les légumes rôtis avec des herbes. (He loves roasted vegetables with herbs.)

Combien de temps faut-il pour rôtir ce gigot ? (How long does it take to roast this leg of lamb?)

The specific 'to simmer' (often for slow cooking) – mijoter

The French verb mijoter specifically translates to 'to simmer' or 'to stew slowly.' It's not just about cooking over low heat, but rather about a prolonged, gentle cooking process designed to bring out the best in ingredients, making them tender and flavorful.

Unlike a general verb like cuire (to cook) or even just bouillir (to boil) on low, mijoter carries the nuance of patient, unhurried preparation. It implies allowing ingredients to meld and develop over an extended period, typically for hearty stews, sauces, or braises.

You'll often hear mijoter in the context of traditional French cuisine, particularly for dishes like boeuf bourguignon, coq au vin, or rich vegetable stews. It's the secret to achieving that melt-in-your-mouth texture and complex flavor profile.

Interestingly, mijoter can also be used figuratively to mean 'to cook up' a plan or idea. For example, 'Il mijote un mauvais coup' translates to 'He's cooking up something bad' or 'He's plotting something.'

💡 *Il faut laisser mijoter le ragoût pendant deux heures. (You need to let the stew simmer for two hours.)
*Ce plat mijoté est délicieux et plein de saveurs. (This slow-cooked dish is delicious and full of flavor.)
*Elle adore mijoter des petits plats pour sa famille. (She loves slow-cooking small dishes for her family.)
*Qu'est-ce que tu mijotes pour le dîner ce soir ? (What are you cooking up for dinner tonight?)
*Le chef a laissé mijoter la sauce toute la matinée. (The chef let the sauce simmer all morning.)

The more formal 'to prepare a dish' – confectionner un plat

While préparer un plat is common, the verb confectionner offers a more formal and often more elaborate way to say 'to prepare a dish' or 'to make a meal'.

It implies a certain skill, care, or even artistry in the creation of the dish. You'll often hear it in culinary contexts, for special occasions, or when referring to a carefully crafted meal.

Think of confectionner as 'to craft' or 'to fashion' a dish, rather than simply 'to prepare' it. It adds a touch of sophistication to the act of cooking.

💡 *Le chef a confectionné un plat exquis pour le dîner. (The chef crafted an exquisite dish for dinner.)
*Elle adore confectionner des pâtisseries complexes pour ses amis. (She loves to make complex pastries for her friends.)
*Pour cette occasion spéciale, nous allons confectionner un repas gastronomique. (For this special occasion, we are going to prepare a gourmet meal.)
*Ma grand-mère confectionnait toujours les meilleurs gâteaux. (My grandmother always made the best cakes.)

The informal 'to prepare food' – préparer à manger

While préparer alone means 'to prepare,' when you want to specifically say 'to prepare food' in an everyday, informal context, the phrase préparer à manger is commonly used.

Literally translating to 'to prepare to eat,' préparer à manger is the go-to expression for cooking or making a meal. It's very natural and frequently heard in casual conversation among French speakers.

Though préparer can also mean 'to prepare food' when the context is clear, préparer à manger removes any ambiguity, making it explicitly about food preparation. Think of it as 'to get food ready' or 'to cook a meal' in a relaxed way.

The verb préparer is conjugated like any regular -ER verb, followed by the infinitive à manger which remains unchanged. For example, Je prépare à manger (I'm preparing food) or Nous préparons à manger (We're preparing food).

💡 *Ce soir, je vais préparer à manger pour toute la famille. (Tonight, I'm going to prepare food for the whole family.)
*Tu as déjà préparé à manger ? J'ai faim ! (Have you already prepared food? I'm hungry!)
*Elle aime bien préparer à manger pour ses amis. (She really likes preparing food for her friends.)
*Qu'est-ce qu'on prépare à manger ce midi ? (What are we preparing to eat this noon?)
*Il faut préparer à manger avant que les invités n'arrivent. (We need to prepare food before the guests arrive.)

The act of 'to cook dishes' – cuisiner des plats

To express the act of 'to cook dishes' in French, the most direct and commonly used phrase is cuisiner des plats.

The verb cuisiner means 'to cook' or 'to prepare food'. It's a regular -er verb, making its conjugations straightforward. It is a versatile verb that can be used for cooking in general or for cooking specific items.

The term des plats translates to 'dishes' or 'meals'. Un plat (singular) refers to a specific cooked dish. Using the plural des plats implies cooking multiple dishes or preparing a meal with various components.

When you want to emphasize the preparation of specific cooked items, cuisiner des plats is the perfect phrase. While faire la cuisine also means 'to cook,' it generally refers to the act of cooking in a more general sense, like 'doing the cooking.' Cuisiner des plats is more specific to the output – the dishes themselves.

Beyond cuisiner des plats, you might also encounter préparer un repas (to prepare a meal) or simply cuisiner (to cook) without des plats when the context of cooking dishes is already clear. However, cuisiner des plats explicitly highlights the creation of multiple or varied dishes.

💡 *J'aime cuisiner des plats italiens le week-end. (I like to cook Italian dishes on weekends.)
*Elle va cuisiner des plats délicieux pour la fête. (She is going to cook delicious dishes for the party.)
*Nous avons appris à cuisiner des plats traditionnels français. (We learned to cook traditional French dishes.)
*Mon père adore cuisiner des plats complexes. (My father loves to cook complex dishes.)
*Ils cuisinent des plats végétariens tous les jours. (They cook vegetarian dishes every day.)

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

Our list features the most common ways to say 'to cook' in French. But French, like its cuisine, is rich with variety! There are many other terms, from old-fashioned ones, to regional ones, to up-and-coming slang ones this author might not even be aware of!

You can also do an online search for 'comment dire cuisiner en ___' followed by a specific Francophone country or region.

You might find some interesting synonyms for cuisiner 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, watch, and listen to things in French — especially cooking shows or recipes — you may discover different ways to talk about cooking.

And if you’re looking for more ways to talk about cooking, or words related to culinary arts in French, the WordReference entry for cuisiner is a great place to start!

I hope you found this article helpful. Here’s what I think is a perfect sentiment to finish it with, courtesy of Auguste Escoffier, the 'king of chefs and chef of kings': La bonne cuisine est la base du véritable bonheur. (Good food is the foundation of genuine happiness.)

9 ways to say "to cook" in French