Salut!
Food is a big part of French culture. I’ve made plenty of videos about French food, and even have a French food themed course!
But it’s not only about the cuisine itself, the delicious dishes and all the French specialties – bread, wine, cheese, ratatouille… No, French food culture is mainly about social ties.
And for that reason, French people practically never eat alone.
Today, let’s explore this facet of French culture together, with a lesson in French!
1) Lesson in French: transcript and translation
En France, on aime manger.
French people like to eat.
Ou au moins, on aime les repas.
Or at least, we like meals.
C’est un peu un cliché, mais c’est plutôt vrai. Ce n’est pas un hasard si le bon repas français figure au patrimoine culturel immatériel de l’humanité de l’Unesco !
It’s a bit of a cliché, but it’s roughly true. It’s no coincidence if the quality French meal is now included in the UNESCO list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity!
Au quotidien, à la maison, un repas complet c’est souvent une entrée, un plat, du fromage et un dessert. Avec parfois un apéritif avant et un digestif après, si l’occasion s’y prête, et avec modération.
In everyday life, at home, a full meal is often a starter course, a main course, cheese and a dessert. Sometimes with an aperitif beforehand and a digestive afterwards, if the occasion allows, and with moderation.
Mais le plus important dans un repas, ce sont les gens avec qui on le partage. Un repas français, c’est une affaire de convivialité !
But the most important thing about a meal is the people you share it with. A French meal is all about conviviality!
Ça arrive de manger seule, bien sûr. Par exemple au restaurant, quand tu visites une ville par toi-même. Mais déjeuner au bureau avec un sandwich devant son ordinateur, ou sur le pouce dans la rue en marchant, ce n’est pas tout à fait dans la culture.
Eating alone sometimes happens, of course. For instance, at a restaurant when you’re visiting a city on your own. But having lunch at the office with a sandwich in front of your computer, or on the go in the street while walking, is not really part of the culture.
Surtout si tu as des collègues, des amis ou de la famille à proximité. Dans ce cas, on va surtout synchroniser nos repas. On aime prendre le temps de manger, de discuter, et surtout de partager ce moment social important.
Especially if you have colleagues, friends, or family nearby. In this case, we will synchronize our meals. We like to take the time to eat, to talk, and above all to share this important social moment.
Et pour les occasions spéciales, les repas de famille peuvent durer des heures. Il n’est pas rare que le déjeuner s’étende sur toute l’après-midi, tous autour d’une grande tablée, à manger de bons petits plats, boire un peu de bon vin et partager des bons moments.
And for special occasions, family meals can last for hours. It is not uncommon for lunch to extend throughout the afternoon, with everyone gathered around a large table, eating great home-made food, drinking good wine and sharing great moments.
Donc à table, et bon appétit !
Thus, let’s sit at the table and let’s enjoy our meal!
2) Vocabulary
Le repas = the meal.
There are three meals a day in French culture:
- Le petit-déjeuner = breakfast
- Le déjeuner = lunch
- Le dîner = dinner
With le goûter (= a 4pm light snack, especially for children) as a bonus.
Lunch and dinner are based around:
- Une entrée = a starter dish, an appetizer
- Un plat (principal) = the main dish
- Un dessert = a dessert
Sometimes we need to:
Déjeuner sur le pouce = “eating on your thumb” (literally) = eating on the go, quick and simple without a table or plates when you don’t have much time.
Grignoter = “to nibble” (literally) = to snack, especially:
Grignoter entre les repas = snacking between meals.
It’s very common, of course, yet it’s frowned upon; we’re not supposed to.
Instead, make yourself un bon petit plat = “a good little dish.” (literally) = a common expression for a meal that’s been made with taste and care, often home-made.
Une table = a table
Une tablée = a “tableful”, the noun for a group of people around a table.
À table ! = “At the table” = Meal is ready, “let’s sit around the table”, time to eat.
Bon appétit != “Enjoy your meal.” (silent “t” at the end)
You might find claims on the Internet that saying “bon appétit” is actually rude, but it’s wrong; instead, it’s rude not to say it at the beginning of a meal. “Bon appétit” signals that everyone has been served, and the meal can officially start, with cheer and good will.
** Le truc en plus **
We also have the verb:
S’attabler = “sitting down around a table.”
For instance: “Où voulez-vous vous attabler ?” = At which table would you like to sit down? (from a waiter speaking formally)
***
Keep exploring French culture with me:
Click here to get your next lesson:
- French people never hug (lesson in French)
- French people never go the the Champs-Élysées
- 5 Things French People Never Do
- French People Never Say Bonjour Twice (to the same person on the same day)
À tout de suite.
I’ll see you in the next video!
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Merci Geraldine pour cet video j’aime bien quand tu parle en français avec les sutitres bonne journée Anne
Salut Géraldine
Il y a beaucoup de Français qui mange tout seul!
Il y a beaucoup de français comme moi qui vivent seuls et qui n’ont pas les moyens d’aller au restaurant tous les jours !
Cordialement
Brian
Je sais pas si l’on utilise la pluriel pour beaucoup,…😂
Salut Brian,
Dans l’exemple que tu écris, le verbe est bien au pluriel (mangent).
Belle journée,
Fabien
Comme Une Française Team