French Cooking Vocabulary – Faire la Cuisine
Learn the French Language of the Kitchen!
Whether you’re following a French recipe, chatting with a host family, or just trying to buy the right vegetables at a market in Provence, knowing kitchen vocabulary can make a huge difference. From chopping veggies (hacher) to setting the oven (le four), this list of essential French cooking terms will help you navigate the kitchen with confidence.
You’ll learn useful verbs, tools, ingredients, and expressions related to cooking and food prep, and a few fun extras like une recette de famille and fait maison. Perfect for food lovers, travelers, and language learners alike!
You can download a free PDF of this vocabulary list in my private French Grammar Library.
| cuisiner | to cook |
| faire cuire | to cook |
| faire cuire au four | to bake |
| un cuisinier, une cuisinière | a cook |
| culinaire | culinary |
| un ustensile | a utensil |
| nourrir | to feed |
| la nourriture | food |
| un aliment | a food item |
| faire les courses | shop for groceries |
| les produits frais | fresh produce |
| un fruit | a piece of fruit |
| un légume | a vegetable |
| une légumineuse | a legume |
| une céréale | a grain |
| préparer | to prepare |
| mijoter | to simmer |
| faire frire | to fry |
| une friteuse | a fryer |
| une spatule | a spatula |
| une poêle | a pan |
| une casserole | a pot |
| le four | the oven |
| un plat | a dish |
| les épices | spices |
| hacher | to chop, to grind |
| un tablier | an apron |
| un torchon | a kitchen towel |
| une cuillère en bois | a wooden spoon |
| une passoire | a strainer |
| la gazinière | the gas stove |
| brûler | to burn |
| rater | to miss |
| le congélateur | the freezer |
| le bac à légumes | the vegetable bin |
| fait maison | homemade |
| un livre de cuisine | a cook book |
| une recette de famille | a family recipe |
| une spécialité | a specialty |
| l’évier | the kitchen sink |
| le lave-vaisselle | the dishwasher |
| aiguiser | to sharpen |
| une planche à découper | a cutting board |
| un ingrédient | an ingredient |
| la pâtisserie | pastry |
| renverser | to spill |
| un fouet | a whisk |
| peler, éplucher | to peel |
| cru(e) | raw |
| bien cuit(e) | well cooked |
| à point | medium |
| maigre | low fat |
| gras(se) | fatty |
| un placard | a cupboard |
| une balance | a scale |
| peser | to weigh |
| mesurer | to measure |
| nettoyer | to clean |
| ranger | to clean up |
| congeler | to freeze |
