Un œuf is the most common and direct way to say “egg” in French. But what if you're at a restaurant and want them scrambled, fried, or boiled? The French language, rich in culinary tradition, has a variety of specific terms for eggs depending on how they're prepared.

As you dive into French cuisine or simply try to navigate a grocery store, knowing these different words for “egg” will be incredibly useful. You'll want to make sure you're ordering exactly what you crave!

Let’s crack open the vocabulary and explore the different ways to say “egg” in French!

The standard 'egg' – un œuf

The most common and direct word for 'egg' in French is un œuf. It is a masculine noun, so you always use masculine articles and adjectives with it, like un (a/an) or le (the).

A key challenge for learners is pronunciation. In the singular form, the 'f' sound at the end is pronounced. For example, un œuf sounds roughly like 'un uff'. This is crucial for being understood correctly.

The plural form is des œufs. Here's the tricky part: the spelling changes, and the pronunciation changes dramatically. The 'f' becomes silent. So, des œufs sounds like 'dez-euh'. The 's' from des links to the vowel in œufs, creating a 'z' sound (this is called a liaison).

To summarize this essential rule:

• Singular: un œuf (pronounce the 'f')
• Plural: des œufs (do NOT pronounce the 'f'; make a 'z' sound liaison)

Knowing how to order eggs is very useful. Here are the most common ways you'll see them on a menu:

• un œuf au plat: a fried egg (sunny-side up)
• des œufs brouillés: scrambled eggs
• une omelette: an omelet
• un œuf à la coque: a soft-boiled egg
• un œuf dur: a hard-boiled egg

The word œuf also appears in idioms. A very common one is marcher sur des œufs, which literally means 'to walk on eggs'. It's the direct equivalent of the English expression 'to walk on eggshells', meaning to act very cautiously in a delicate situation.

💡 * Je voudrais un œuf à la coque pour le petit-déjeuner.

• Combien coûtent les œufs au marché ?
• Attention, tu vas faire tomber la boîte d'œufs !
• La situation est tendue, il faut marcher sur des œufs.
• Pour faire ce gâteau, il vous faut trois œufs.

The plural 'eggs' (with a pronunciation twist) – des œufs

When you move from a single egg, un œuf, to the plural, des œufs, you encounter a classic French pronunciation twist. It's a common word, but its plural form often trips up learners because a key consonant sound disappears entirely.

Here's the core rule: In the singular un œuf, the final 'f' sound is clearly pronounced (it sounds like 'uff'). However, in the plural des œufs, the 'f' becomes completely silent. This is the main change to remember.

When you say des œufs, you'll notice a 'z' sound connecting the two words. This is a mandatory liaison. The 's' from des links to the vowel at the start of œufs, creating a smooth sound like day-zuh.

So, let's combine these rules. The singular is un œuf (pronounced un-uff). The plural is des œufs (pronounced day-zuh). The 'f' is dropped, and a 'z' liaison is added.

A frequent error is carrying the 'f' sound into the plural, leading to a pronunciation like day-zuffs. Actively remembering to make the 'f' silent in the plural form will significantly improve your accent and clarity.

💡 * J'ai besoin d'acheter des œufs pour faire un gâteau.

• Combien coûtent des œufs au marché ?
• Il mange des œufs brouillés tous les matins.
• Attention de ne pas casser les œufs !

1. The 'hard-boiled egg' – un œuf dur

To talk about a hard-boiled egg in French, the term you need is un œuf dur. This translates literally to 'a hard egg,' making it a straightforward and essential piece of culinary vocabulary.

Pronunciation is crucial for this word. The singular, œuf, is pronounced with a distinct 'f' sound at the end (sounds like 'uff'). In contrast, the plural, œufs, is pronounced 'euh', with the 'f' and 's' becoming silent. Mastering this difference is a big step for learners.

Let's break down the phrase: un is the masculine indefinite article ('a'/'an'), œuf is the masculine noun for 'egg', and dur is the adjective for 'hard'. In French grammar, descriptive adjectives like dur typically follow the noun they modify.

The plural form is des œufs durs. Both the noun and the adjective take an 's'. Pay attention to the liaison in pronunciation: it sounds like 'day-zeuh-dur', where the 's' from des links to the vowel sound of œufs.

You will commonly find un œuf dur on French menus, especially as a key ingredient in a salade niçoise or as a classic bistro starter, œuf mayonnaise (often shortened to œuf mayo).

💡 * Je vais prendre une salade avec un œuf dur.

• Pour le pique-nique, j'ai préparé des sandwichs et des œufs durs.
• Un œuf dur est une collation saine et riche en protéines.
• La recette demande deux œufs durs, coupés en quartiers.

1. The 'soft-boiled egg' – un œuf à la coque

A classic of French breakfast tables, un œuf à la coque is the French term for a soft-boiled egg, cherished for its runny yolk.

The phrase literally means 'an egg in the shell.' The word coque refers to the shell, highlighting that the egg is served and eaten directly from its shell after the top is removed.

This dish involves boiling an egg for approximately three minutes to achieve a set white and a liquid yolk. It is traditionally served upright in an egg cup (un coquetier) and eaten with buttered toast soldiers, known as des mouillettes, which are dipped into the yolk.

To order one at a café, you could say, Je vais prendre un œuf à la coque, s'il vous plaît. It is a simple, common, and beloved breakfast item across France.

💡 * Pour le petit-déjeuner, j'adore manger un œuf à la coque.

• Fais attention de ne pas trop cuire l'œuf, il doit rester à la coque.
• Les enfants aiment tremper leurs mouillettes dans le jaune de l'œuf à la coque.
• Servez-vous un œuf à la coque avec une pincée de sel.

The 'fried egg' – un œuf au plat

The 'fried egg' – un œuf au plat

Literally translating to 'an egg on the dish' or 'a flat egg,' un œuf au plat is the standard French term for a fried egg.

This term specifically describes an egg cooked 'sunny-side up,' with a runny yolk and a set white. If you want your egg cooked differently (e.g., over easy), you would need to specify.

It's a staple in French cuisine, famously served on top of a croque-madame sandwich or alongside steak-frites. It's a simple, classic way to enjoy eggs.

When ordering breakfast or a casual meal in France, asking for un œuf au plat is the clearest way to request a sunny-side-up fried egg.

💡 * Je vais prendre un steak-frites avec un œuf au plat, s'il vous plaît. (I'll have the steak and fries with a fried egg, please.)

• Pour faire un croque-madame, il faut ajouter un œuf au plat sur le dessus. (To make a croque-madame, you need to add a fried egg on top.)
• J'aime quand le jaune de l'œuf au plat est bien coulant. (I like when the yolk of the fried egg is very runny.)
• Le matin, rien de tel qu'un simple œuf au plat avec une tranche de pain. (In the morning, there's nothing like a simple fried egg with a slice of bread.)

The 'scrambled eggs' – des œufs brouillés

The 'scrambled eggs' – des œufs brouillés

In French, the direct translation for 'scrambled eggs' is des œufs brouillés. The word œufs (eggs) can be tricky to pronounce; in its plural form here, it sounds like 'euh'. Brouillés is the past participle of the verb brouiller, which means 'to scramble' or 'to mix up'.

The term uses the partitive article des because it refers to an unspecified quantity of eggs. The adjective brouillés agrees with the noun œufs, which is masculine and plural. This is why it ends in -és.

You will frequently find des œufs brouillés on breakfast (petit-déjeuner) and brunch menus across France. It's a simple, classic dish. When ordering, you can say, Je vais prendre des œufs brouillés, s'il vous plaît. (I'll have the scrambled eggs, please).

💡 * J'adore les œufs brouillés avec du bacon le matin.

• Pour le brunch, nous avons commandé des œufs brouillés et des toasts.
• Peux-tu me montrer comment faire des œufs brouillés crémeux ?
• Le chef prépare les meilleurs œufs brouillés de la ville.

The 'poached egg' – un œuf poché

The direct French translation for a 'poached egg' is un œuf poché. This term is essential for anyone ordering breakfast or brunch in a French-speaking country.

In this phrase, œuf means 'egg' and is a masculine noun. The word poché is the past participle of the verb pocher (to poach), used here as an adjective. Because œuf is masculine, the adjective takes the masculine form poché. For the plural, you would say des œufs pochés.

You will commonly find un œuf poché featured in classic French dishes like la salade lyonnaise or served simply on a piece of toast (une tartine) for le petit-déjeuner (breakfast).

💡 * J'aimerais un œuf poché avec ma salade, s'il vous plaît. (I would like a poached egg with my salad, please.)

• Le secret d'un bon brunch, ce sont des œufs pochés parfaitement coulants. (The secret to a good brunch is perfectly runny poached eggs.)
• Sais-tu comment préparer un œuf poché ? (Do you know how to prepare a poached egg?)
• Pour le petit-déjeuner, elle mange toujours une tartine avec un œuf poché. (For breakfast, she always eats a piece of toast with a poached egg.)

The 'egg yolk' – le jaune d'œuf

The “egg yolk” – le jaune d'œuf

This term is a direct and literal translation. The word jaune means “yellow,” and œuf means “egg.” So, le jaune d'œuf literally means “the yellow of the egg.”

The expression is masculine (le). This is because jaune is used here as a noun referring to the yellow part, and œuf is also a masculine noun. When plural, it becomes les jaunes d'œufs.

This is a fundamental culinary term you will see in countless French recipes, from pastries and custards to sauces like mayonnaise and hollandaise. Knowing how to separate the yolk (le jaune) from the white (le blanc) is a basic skill in French cooking.

💡 * Pour faire une bonne mayonnaise, il faut un jaune d'œuf. (To make a good mayonnaise, you need one egg yolk.)

• Séparez le blanc du jaune d'œuf avec précaution. (Carefully separate the egg white from the yolk.)
• La recette demande trois jaunes d'œufs et du sucre. (The recipe calls for three egg yolks and sugar.)
• Un jaune d'œuf cru sur un steak tartare est un classique. (A raw egg yolk on steak tartare is a classic.)

1. Le Blanc d'Œuf: The French for 'Egg White'

The most direct and common way to say 'egg white' in French is le blanc d'œuf. This literally translates to 'the white of the egg.' The word blanc means 'white,' and œuf means 'egg.'

Le blanc d'œuf is a masculine noun, hence the use of the article le. The d' is a contraction of de (of). The plural form is les blancs d'œufs. Note the pronunciation difference: the 'f' in œuf is silent, but it is pronounced in the plural œufs.

You will almost always encounter this term in a culinary context, especially in recipes. A common instruction is séparer les blancs des jaunes, which means 'to separate the whites from the yolks.'

A key phrase used in French baking is monter les blancs en neige. This means 'to beat the egg whites until stiff,' with a literal translation of 'to mount the whites into snow,' referring to the stiff, white peaks that form.

💡 * Pour cette recette, il faut trois blancs d'œufs.

• J'ai monté les blancs en neige pour faire une mousse au chocolat.
• Une omelette de blancs d'œufs est une option saine pour le petit-déjeuner.
• Séparez soigneusement le blanc d'œuf du jaune.

Are there other ways to say 'egg' in French?

Are there other ways to say “egg” in French?

Our list has cracked open the most common ways to say “egg” in French. But French is a language rich with culinary terms, regional variations, and even some slang you might hear in a bustling kitchen!

To discover more, you can do an online search for “termes culinaires pour œuf” (culinary terms for egg) or look up specific regional dialects in France or other Francophone countries.

You might find some interesting synonyms or specific terms on these lists. Always remember to check the context—a term used in a Michelin-star kitchen might not be the same one you use when buying eggs at the marché.

Pay attention when you watch French cooking shows, read recipes, or listen to conversations in a French café. You'll start to notice the subtle and delicious ways the French talk about this simple ingredient.

And if you want to dive deeper into the world of French gastronomy, exploring a French culinary dictionary online or the detailed Larousse entry for œuf can be an excellent next step!

I hope this guide was œuf-cellent! To finish, here’s a simple French proverb that fits our culinary theme perfectly: À tout seigneur, tout honneur. (To every lord, all honor.) In cooking, the humble egg often deserves the highest honor for its versatility.