Must-Know Vocabulary for French Restaurant Dining

Know how to pronounce dining terms correctly.

people eating in French restaurant — John Sones Singing Bowl Media/Lonely Planet Images/Getty Images

Updated on January 27, 2019

Knowing how to conduct yourself and order food in a French restaurant can be a little tricky. There are some important differences between restaurants in France and other countries, including what foods are offered and how they are prepared. Even the way dishes are listed on most French menus is a little different. Knowing the terms to use in most French restaurants—and especially learning how to pronounce them correctly—is the key to ensuring that your restaurant experience is enjoyable and that you receive the food you want.

Understanding what your waiter is asking you or what the menu says—from Qu'est-ce que je vous sers? (What can I get you?) to service compris (tip included)—will soon have your server and others wishing you: Bon appétit! (Enjoy your meal!).

French Restaurant Terms and Pronunciations

The table below contains key French restaurant terms followed by their English translations. Click on the French words and phrases to hear how to pronounce them correctly.

French Term	English Translation
commander	to order
Vous avez choisi?	Have you decided?
Que voudriez-vous? Vous désirez?	What would you like?
Je vous écoute.	What would you like? (Literally, "I'm listening to you.")
Que prenez-vous?	What are you having?
Qu'est-ce que je vous sers?	What can I get you?
Je voudrais... J'aimerais...	I would like...
Je vais prendre... Je prends...	I'll have...
Combien coûte...?	How much does ... cost?
C'est à votre goût?	Do you like it? Is everything ok?
C'est terminé?	Have you finished?
Ça a été?	Was everything ok?
Je suis...	I am...
allergique à...	allergic to...
diabétique	diabetic
végétarien / végétarienne	vegetarian
végétalien / végétalienne	vegan
Je ne peux pas manger...	I can't eat...
bleu, saignant	very rare
rosé	rare
à point	medium-rare
bien cuit	well done
le serveur (not garçon)	waiter
la serveuse	waitress
le/la chef	cook
le menu	fixed-price meal
la carte	menu
à la carte	side order
l'addition	check/bill
le socle	base of credit card machine
le pourboire	tip
service compris	tip included
service non compris	tip not included
A la vôtre!	Cheers!
Bon appétit	Enjoy your meal
défense de fumer	no smoking
les animaux sont interdits	no pets allowed

A Typical French Restaurant Dialogue

Now that you know the key terms you might need to know to dine in a French restaurant, scan the table below to study a typical dialogue that might occur between a serveur (server) and étudiant (student). The first column lists the speaker, the second gives the French dialogue, and the third provides the English translation.

Serveur	Bonsoir Monsieur/Madame.	Good evening sir/ma'am.
Étudiant	Bonsoir Madame/Monsieur. Je voudrais une table pour trois personnes, pour dîner, s'il vous plaît.	Good evening ma'am/sir. I would like a table for 3, for dinner, please.
Serveur	Vous avez une reservation?	Do you have a reservation?
Étudiant	Non, je n'ai pas de reservation.	No, I don't have a reservation.
Serveur	Pas de problème. Voici une table pour 3 personnes, et voici la carte.	No problem. Here is a table for 3, and here is the menu.
Étudiant	Merci Madame/Monsieur. S'il vous plaît.	Thank you ma'am/sir. Excuse me?
Serveur	Oui Monsieur/Madame ?	Yes sir/ma'am ?
Étudiant	Je voudrais de l'eau.	I would like some water.
Serveur	Oui Monsieur/Madame. Et pour dîner, vous avez choisi ?	Yes sir/ma'am. And for dinner, have you decided?
Étudiant	Je voudrais le menu à 15 Euros.	I would like the set price menu for 15 Euros.
Serveur	Oui. En entrée ?	Yes. For the appetizer?
Étudiant	Je voudrais le paté.	I would like the paté.
Serveur	Et en plat principal.	And for your main course?
Étudiant	Je voudrais le steak frites.	I would like the steak with French fries.
Serveur	Bien Monsieur/Madame, quelle cuisson ?	OK sir/ma'am, how would you like it cooked?
Étudiant	Bien cuit, s'il vous plaît. Non, à point, s'il vous plaît.	Well done please. No, medium rare, please.
Serveur	En dessert?	For dessert?
Étudiant	Une glace à la vanille. Et, excusez-moi Madame/ Monsieur, où sont les toilettes ?	Vanilla ice cream. And, excuse me ma'am/sir, where is the restroom?
Serveur	Au sous-sol.	In the basement.
Étudiant	Je ne comprends pas. Vous pouvez répéter s'il vous plaît ?	I don't understand. Could you repeat please?
Serveur	Au sous sol. Vous descendez l'escalier.	In the basement. Go down the stairs.
Étudiant	Oh, je comprends maintenant. Merci.	Ah, now I understand. Thank you.
Serveur	Comment vous trouvez votre steak frites ?	How is your steak?
Étudiant	C'est délicieux. C'est parfait.	It's delicious. It's perfect.
Étudiant	L'addition s'il vous plaît.	May I have the check, please?
Serveur	Bien Monsieur/Madame. Vous pouvez payer à la caisse.	OK sir/ma'am. You can pay at the register.

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Team, ThoughtCo. "Must-Know Vocabulary for French Restaurant Dining." ThoughtCo, Dec. 6, 2021, thoughtco.com/french-restaurant-vocabulary-1371367. Team, ThoughtCo. (2021, December 6). Must-Know Vocabulary for French Restaurant Dining. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/french-restaurant-vocabulary-1371367 Team, ThoughtCo. "Must-Know Vocabulary for French Restaurant Dining." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/french-restaurant-vocabulary-1371367 (accessed March 22, 2023).