Words to describe food in French

One usually has something to say about the food they eat. Sometimes you like it, sometimes not so much. How do you tell someone the kind of food you want? Or if you like it or not? By using adjectives. In this article, you will learn a few adjectives used to describe food and learn how to use them. So why wait? Let’s start learning. 

1. Delicieux

Meaning: having a very pleasant taste or smell

English: delicious 

Example: Je ne suis jamais déçue par la cuisine de ma mère, toujours délicieuse. (I’m never disappointed by my mother’s cooking, always delicious.)

2. Aigre

Meaning: having a sharp, sometimes unpleasant, taste or smell, like a lemon, and not sweet

English: sour

Example: Le lait est devenu aigre. (The milk has turned sour.)

3. Épicé

Meaning: containing strong flavours from spices

English: spicy

Example: Mon frère aime la cuisine épicée. (My brother loves to have spicy food.)

4. Chaud

Meaning: having a high temperature

English: hot

Example: Ne mangez pas les pâtes tout de suite, c’est très chaud! (Don’t eat the pasta just yet, it’s very hot.)

5. Sucré

Meaning: (especially of food or drink) having a taste similar to that of sugar; not bitter or salty

English: sweet

Example: Ayez cette pastèque, elle est extrêmement sucrée! (Have this watermelon, it is extremely sweet.)

6. Amer

Meaning: with an unpleasantly sharp taste

English: bitter

Example: Cette flasque amère est assez amère, exactement comme son nom. (This bitter gourd is rather bitter, just  like its name.)

7. Aromatisé 

Meaning: tasting of the thing stated

English:  flavoured

Example: La viennoiserie était délicatement aromatisée à la vanille. (The pastry was delicately flavoured with vanilla.)

8. Fade

Meaning: not having a strong taste or character 

English: bland

Example: Ce curry est fade, qui l’a fait ? (This curry is bland, who has made it?)

9.  Rafraichissant

Meaning: something that makes you feel less hot or tired

English: refreshing

Example: Le thé glacé à la pêche que je viens de boire était tellement rafraîchissant. (The peach ice tea I just drank was so refreshing.)

10. (fait à la) maison

Meaning: a man whose job is to bring the food to customers at their tables in a restaurant

English: homemade

Example: Elle préfère les gâteaux faits maison pour toutes les occasions. (She prefers homemade cakes for any occasion.)

11. Salé

Meaning phrase used to say what you would like to order at a restaurant

English: salty

Example: Ces nouilles sont très salées pour moi. (These noodles are very salty for me.)

12. Exquis 

Meaning:  extremely beautiful or pleasant, especially in a delicate way.

English: exquisite 

Example: La cuisine de cet hôtel 5 étoiles est exquise. (The cuisine at this 5 star hotel is exquisite.) 

13. Bien cuit

Meaning: having been cooked thoroughly

English: well cooked 

Example: Vous ne devez manger de la viande bien cuite que lorsque vous êtes enceinte. (You should only eat well-cooked meat when you are pregnant.) 

14. Cru

Meaning: not cooked 

English: raw 

Example: Utilisez des couteaux séparés pour la viande crue et cuite. (Use separate knives for raw and cooked meat.) 

15. Savoureux

Meaning: producing a pleasant flavour and feeling in the mouth when eaten

English: tasty

Example: Après avoir jeûné, ma mère veut quelque chose de délicieux. (After days of fasting, my mother is craving something tasty.)

I hope you enjoyed learning words to use to describe food in French. For more such vocabulary, keep reading our blog. You can easily learn French online with us. Stay tuned for more interesting blogs.