A Guide to French Words for Beverages

It's no secret that the French love to eat and drink. By learning the vocabulary for common beverages and food, you'll develop a deeper appreciation for this tasty aspect of French culture and make sure you never go hungry while traveling. This guide some of the most common words and phrases associated with eating and drinking, as well as links to sound files to practice your pronunciation. 

There are a handful of verbs you'll use frequently when discussing food and drink, including avoir (to have), boire (to drink), prendre (to take), and vouloir (to want). If you're a true foodie, you may also want to learn more about how to talk about wine and coffee in French.

• À la vôtre!  > Cheers! To your health!
• avoir soif > to be thirsty
• une boisson > drink, beverage
• un apéritif, un apéro (informal) > cocktail, before-dinner drink
• une bière > beer
• une boisson gazeuse > soda, pop, soft drink
• un café > coffee, espresso
• le champagne > champagne
• un chocolat (chaud) > hot chocolate
• un cidre > hard cider
• un citron pressé > lemonade
• un digestif > after-dinner drink
• l'eau > water
• eau du robinet > tap water
• eau plate > still / plain water
• eau gazeuse > sparkling / mineral water
• un express > espresso
• une infusion > herbal tea
• le jus > juice
• le lait > milk
• une limonade > lemon soda (like Sprite or 7-Up)
• un pastis > anise-flavored apéritif
• une pression > beer on tap
• le thé > tea
• le thé glacé > iced tea
• une tisane > herbal tea
• le vin >  wine
• la gueule de bois > hangover​