Food is a huge part of French culture, so it's no surprise that there are many ways to talk about a meal.

The most common word you'll learn is repas, but the French have several other words depending on the context, time of day, or formality of the occasion.

Whether you're grabbing a quick bite or sitting down for a multi-course feast, knowing the right word will make you sound more like a local. Let's dive into nine different ways to say 'meal' in French and get your taste buds ready!

1. The standard, all-purpose 'meal' – un repas

Un repas is the quintessential French word for 'meal'. It's the most common, standard, and versatile term you can use, fitting for almost any situation.

As a masculine noun, it's always un repas (a meal) or le repas (the meal). Importantly, the singular and plural forms are spelled the same: un repas, des repas. The 's' at the end is silent in both cases unless a liaison occurs.

While repas is the general term, French also has specific words for each meal of the day: le petit-déjeuner (breakfast), le déjeuner (lunch), and le dîner (dinner). You use repas when you're talking about a meal in general, without specifying which one.

The beauty of repas is its flexibility. It can refer to anything from a simple, quick meal to an elaborate, multi-course feast. For instance, un repas léger is a 'light meal', while un repas de fête is a 'holiday meal' or 'feast'.

In French culture, le repas is often seen as a significant social event, a time for family and friends to gather. The phrase passer à table (to come to the table) signals the beginning of this important moment.

💡 * Le repas est servi ! (The meal is served!)

• Nous organisons un grand repas pour son anniversaire. (We are organizing a big meal for his birthday.)
• C'était un repas simple mais délicieux. (It was a simple but delicious meal.)
• À quelle heure est le repas du soir ? (What time is the evening meal?)
• Il faut sauter un repas de temps en temps. (It's necessary to skip a meal from time to time.)

The 'dish' or 'course' – un plat

When talking about a meal in French, the word you'll hear most often for a 'dish' or 'course' is un plat.

Un plat refers to a specific prepared food item served as part of a meal. It's the general term for anything from a simple pasta dish to a complex culinary creation you'd find in a restaurant.

You'll frequently encounter this word on menus. A classic example is the plat du jour, which means 'dish of the day'. This is often a specialty offered at a good price, showcasing fresh, seasonal ingredients.

In the structure of a typical French meal, un plat often refers specifically to the main course, also called the plat principal. It comes after the entrée (appetizer) and before the dessert.

The word is very versatile. It can refer to a hot dish (un plat chaud), a cold dish (un plat froid), or even the physical plate or dish it's served on, though this is less common in a dining context.

Understanding un plat is key to navigating any French dining experience, from a casual bistro to a formal dinner. It represents the heart of the meal.

💡 * Quel est le plat du jour ? (What is the dish of the day?)

• Je vais prendre ce plat, s'il vous plaît. (I will have this dish, please.)
• Mon plat préféré est le bœuf bourguignon. (My favorite dish is beef bourguignon.)
• Pour le plat principal, nous avons du poisson ou du poulet. (For the main course, we have fish or chicken.)

The 'dinner' – le dîner

The primary French word for 'dinner' is le dîner. As a masculine noun, it is always preceded by masculine articles such as le, un, or mon. This is the most common and standard term you will encounter.

The word also exists as a verb: dîner, which means 'to have dinner' or 'to dine'. It is a regular -er verb, which makes it straightforward to conjugate. For example, Je dîne means 'I am having dinner'.

In France, le dîner is typically the main meal of the day and is often eaten later than in many other cultures, usually around 8:00 PM or even later. It is a significant social and family event.

It's helpful to distinguish le dîner from other meals. Breakfast is le petit-déjeuner and lunch is le déjeuner. A common point of confusion for learners is mixing up déjeuner (lunch) and dîner (dinner).

💡 Qu'est-ce qu'on mange pour le dîner ce soir ? (What are we eating for dinner tonight?)
Je vous invite à dîner chez moi samedi. (I'm inviting you to have dinner at my place on Saturday.)
Le dîner est servi à 20 heures. (Dinner is served at 8 PM.)
Après le film, nous allons dîner. (After the movie, we are going to have dinner.)

1. The 'lunch' – le déjeuner

The standard French word for 'lunch' is le déjeuner. This noun refers specifically to the midday meal.

To say 'to have lunch' or 'to eat lunch,' you use the verb déjeuner. It's a regular -er verb. For example, je déjeune means 'I am having lunch'.

In France, le déjeuner is traditionally the main meal of the day, often more substantial than a typical Anglophone lunch. The standard lunch break, or la pause déjeuner, is also generally longer.

Be careful not to confuse it with le petit-déjeuner, which means 'breakfast'. The word petit (small) is key to distinguishing the morning meal from the midday one.

💡 * À quelle heure prends-tu le déjeuner ? (What time do you have lunch?)

• Nous déjeunons ensemble tous les mardis. (We have lunch together every Tuesday.)
• Le déjeuner est prêt ! (Lunch is ready!)
• J'ai préparé une salade pour le déjeuner. (I prepared a salad for lunch.)

The 'breakfast' – le petit-déjeuner

Le petit-déjeuner is the universal French term for “breakfast,” the first meal of the day.

Literally, it translates to “the little lunch.” Petit means “small,” and déjeuner is the modern French word for “lunch.” This hints at the traditionally light nature of this meal in France.

Unlike a hearty American or English breakfast, a typical French petit-déjeuner is often sweet and simple. It usually includes a hot beverage like coffee or hot chocolate, accompanied by a pastry (viennoiserie) like a croissant, or a tartine (a slice of baguette with butter and jam).

Le petit-déjeuner is a masculine noun. The verb most commonly used with it is prendre (to take). So, to say “to have breakfast,” you say prendre le petit-déjeuner.

In a hotel or café, you might see formule petit-déjeuner on the menu, which is a set breakfast menu, often including a hot drink, juice, and a pastry for a fixed price.

💡 * Qu'est-ce que tu prends pour le petit-déjeuner ? (What are you having for breakfast?)

• Le service du petit-déjeuner se termine à 10 heures. (Breakfast service ends at 10 o'clock.)
• J'adore manger des croissants au petit-déjeuner le dimanche. (I love eating croissants for breakfast on Sundays.)

The informal 'grub' or 'chow' – la bouffe

While the standard French word for 'food' is la nourriture, in everyday, informal conversation, you'll almost always hear la bouffe. It's the direct equivalent of English slang like 'grub', 'chow', or 'scran'. It's one of the most common and essential slang words to know.

The noun la bouffe comes from the equally common informal verb bouffer, which means 'to eat'. While manger is the standard verb you learn in class, bouffer is what you'd use with friends to mean 'to chow down' or 'to stuff your face'. For example, On bouffe quoi ce soir ? means 'What are we eating tonight?'.

Unlike some slang that is specific to certain groups, la bouffe is used universally across France by people of all ages in casual settings. It's not considered vulgar or offensive; it simply signals an informal, relaxed context. You'll hear it at family dinners just as often as you will among friends.

You'll often hear la bouffe in set phrases. Faire la bouffe means 'to make the food' or 'to cook'. If someone exclaims, C'est de la bonne bouffe !, they're giving a high compliment, meaning 'This is great grub!'.

💡 * J'ai la dalle, on va chercher de la bouffe ? (I'm starving, should we go get some food?)

• Qu'est-ce qu'on bouffe à midi ? (What are we chowing down on for lunch?)
• Arrête de bouffer si vite, tu vas t'étouffer ! (Stop scoffing your food so fast, you're going to choke!)
• La bouffe de ma grand-mère est la meilleure. (My grandma's grub is the best.)

The 'feast' or 'banquet' – un festin

To describe a large, elaborate meal, like a feast or a banquet, the French use the word un festin. It suggests abundance, celebration, and a special occasion far beyond a typical meal.

Un festin is a masculine noun. You would use this term for significant events like a wedding reception, a royal banquet, or a massive holiday dinner, not for your everyday lunch. The key is the sense of grandeur and plenty.

A common related phrase is faire un festin (to have a feast) or se préparer un festin (to prepare a feast for oneself). This emphasizes the action of creating or enjoying the grand meal.

💡 * Pour le réveillon de Noël, ma grand-mère prépare toujours un festin. (For Christmas Eve, my grandmother always prepares a feast.)

• Les Vikings célébraient leurs victoires avec de grands festins. (The Vikings celebrated their victories with great feasts.)
• Après une longue semaine de travail, nous nous sommes offert un festin de fruits de mer. (After a long week of work, we treated ourselves to a seafood feast.)

The 'snack' or 'light meal' – un casse-croûte

The 'snack' or 'light meal' – un casse-croûte

Literally translating to 'break the crust,' the term casse-croûte refers to a quick, simple, and informal meal. It's an invariable noun, meaning its plural form is also des casse-croûte.

A casse-croûte is more substantial than a simple afternoon snack (un goûter). It's the kind of light meal you might pack for a hike, a road trip, or eat for a quick lunch when you don't have time for a full sit-down meal. Think of a sandwich, a slice of quiche, or some bread and cheese.

💡 * J'ai préparé un casse-croûte pour notre randonnée. (I prepared a light meal for our hike.)

• On va s'arrêter sur la route pour un petit casse-croûte. (We're going to stop on the road for a quick snack.)
• Pour le déjeuner, je prends juste un casse-croûte au bureau. (For lunch, I just have a quick bite at the office.)

4. The 'supper' (often regional) – le souper

The word le souper translates to 'supper' and refers to the evening meal. However, its usage is much more specific and often regional compared to the standard term le dîner.

You are most likely to hear le souper in Belgium, Switzerland, and Québec, where it is often the standard term for the evening meal. In metropolitan France, it's considered old-fashioned or is used to describe a light meal eaten late in the evening, after the main dinner (le dîner).

Historically, le souper was the meal eaten by the upper class very late at night, often after returning from a show or social event. This historical context explains why it can still imply a late-night meal today.

When speaking with people from metropolitan France, le dîner is the safest and most common word for the evening meal. Reserve le souper for when you are in a region where it's common (like Belgium or Québec) or when specifically referring to a light, late-night snack.

💡 * En Belgique, le souper est généralement servi vers 19 heures. (In Belgium, supper is generally served around 7 PM.)

• Après le concert, nous avons pris un souper léger chez des amis. (After the concert, we had a light supper at a friend's house.)
• Qu'est-ce qu'on mange pour le souper ce soir ? (What are we eating for supper tonight? - common in Québec)
• Je n'ai pas très faim, une soupe pour le souper me suffira. (I'm not very hungry, a soup for supper will be enough for me.)

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

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

Our list features the most common and essential ways to say “meal” in French. But in a culture that cherishes its cuisine, the vocabulary for eating is vast. You'll find many other terms, from words for specific types of meals to informal slang used among friends.

You can expand your vocabulary by doing an online search for “synonymes de repas” or looking up specific terms like “how to say feast in French.” This will uncover more nuanced and descriptive words.

Pay close attention to context. For example, using the informal slang la bouffe is perfect when talking with friends about grabbing some food, but it would be inappropriate in a formal dining setting. Always try to see a word used in a real sentence before using it yourself.

As you watch French films, read French books, or listen to native speakers, take note of how they talk about food and dining. This is one of the best ways to discover the rich tapestry of culinary language and customs in the French-speaking world.

If you're looking for more words related to meals, from appetizers to desserts, a great resource is an online French dictionary like Larousse. The entry for repas will often link to many related concepts and expressions.

I hope this guide has been helpful. To finish, here is a perfect quote from the famous French gastronome Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin: “Dis-moi ce que tu manges, je te dirai ce que tu es.” (Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are.)