When you think of "pork" in French, the word porc is likely the first to come to mind. While that's the general term, the French, renowned for their culinary precision, have a much richer vocabulary for this versatile meat.

From the butcher shop to the bistro menu, knowing the specific terms for different cuts and preparations is essential for any food lover exploring French cuisine. Do you want bacon, ham, or a pork chop? Each has its own name.

Let's explore 9 essential French words for "pork" that will help you order with confidence and truly savor your next meal in France!

1. The standard 'pork' – le porc

Le porc is the most common and direct French word for 'pork', referring to the meat from a pig. It's the standard term you'll find in butcher shops, on menus, and in recipes.

As a masculine noun, le porc is always used with masculine articles. For example, you would say le porc (the pork) or un rôti de porc (a pork roast). When referring to an unspecified amount, you'll frequently see the partitive article du porc (some pork).

It's crucial to distinguish le porc (the meat) from le cochon (the live pig). While in English we use 'pig' and 'pork' to make this distinction, French uses cochon and porc. Using le porc correctly signals that you are talking about food.

In French cuisine, le porc is a staple. You will often see it in specific cuts and preparations on a menu:

• Côte de porc: Pork chop
• Rôti de porc: Roast pork
• Filet mignon de porc: Pork tenderloin
• Porc effiloché: Pulled pork

Whether you're ordering at a restaurant (au restaurant), shopping at a market (au marché), or following a recipe (une recette), le porc is the go-to term. It is used in both formal and informal settings without any change in meaning.

💡 * Je voudrais une côte de porc avec des frites.

• Le porc est une viande très populaire en Alsace.
• Cette recette demande 500 grammes de porc haché.
• Tu préfères le porc ou le bœuf ?

The other common 'pork' (from 'pig') – le cochon

While le porc is the most direct translation for the meat 'pork', you'll frequently encounter another word used to describe it: le cochon.

The word le cochon has a dual meaning: it refers to both the live animal, the 'pig', and the meat derived from it, 'pork'. This is a key distinction from le porc, which almost exclusively refers to the meat.

Le cochon is often used for pork in more rustic, traditional, or everyday settings. You might see a butcher advertising a sauté de cochon or find a home recipe that calls for de la palette de cochon. It feels more connected to the source animal.

Think of the difference as one of context. Le porc is the more technical, culinary term you'd expect to see on a restaurant menu for a refined dish (e.g., filet mignon de porc). Le cochon is more general and common in casual conversation or for farm-to-table style dishes.

Unlike le porc, le cochon is featured in many French idioms. For instance, sale comme un cochon means 'filthy as a pig', and un tour de cochon is a 'dirty trick'. This makes it a much more versatile word in the French language.

A good rule of thumb: use le porc when you're talking about specific cuts or what's on a formal menu. Use le cochon when referring to the animal, rustic preparations of the meat, or in everyday, informal speech.

💡 * À la ferme, les enfants ont nourri les cochons.

• Ma grand-mère prépare un excellent rôti de cochon pour le dîner.
• Ce plat est une spécialité locale à base de cochon de lait.
• Ne mange pas ces cochonneries avant le repas !
• J'ai acheté de la poitrine de cochon pour faire des lardons.

The 'ham' – le jambon

A staple in French cuisine and a word you'll encounter frequently is le jambon, which translates to 'ham'.

Le jambon is a masculine noun. This means you will always use masculine articles and adjectives with it, such as le jambon (the ham) or un bon jambon (a good ham).

In France, it's crucial to distinguish between two main types. Jambon cuit (cooked ham), often called jambon de Paris, is the pale pink ham you'd find in a typical sandwich. In contrast, jambon cru (cured or raw ham), like jambon de Bayonne, is salt-cured and served in thin slices, similar to prosciutto.

You cannot talk about ham in France without mentioning the iconic jambon-beurre. This is the quintessential Parisian sandwich, made simply with a fresh baguette, jambon cuit, and a generous spread of butter (beurre).

Beyond sandwiches, le jambon is a key ingredient in many classic French dishes, such as the croque-monsieur (a grilled ham and cheese sandwich) and quiches.

💡 * Je voudrais un sandwich au jambon, s'il vous plaît.

• Le jambon de Bayonne est une spécialité du sud-ouest de la France.
• Elle a acheté deux tranches de jambon cuit chez le boucher.
• Un croque-monsieur est fait avec du pain, du jambon, et du fromage.
• Préférez-vous le jambon cru ou le jambon cuit?

The 'bacon' or 'fatback' – le lard / les lardons

When looking for 'bacon' in a French context, you'll encounter two key terms: le lard and les lardons. While related, they refer to different cuts and preparations compared to typical American or British bacon.

Le lard translates to 'bacon' or 'fatback' and typically refers to a solid slab of cured or uncured pork belly or fat. It's often used as a cooking ingredient to add flavor (larding) rather than being served in crispy strips for breakfast.

More common in recipes are les lardons. These are small strips or cubes of lard, essentially the French version of diced bacon or pancetta. They are a foundational ingredient in countless classic dishes, fried to release their fat and add a savory, salty flavor.

You'll find lardons in famous dishes like Quiche Lorraine, bœuf bourguignon, and tartiflette. They are almost always pan-fried before being incorporated into a dish, adding a crispy texture and rich depth.

💡 * J'ajoute des lardons à ma salade pour lui donner plus de goût. (I add bacon bits to my salad to give it more flavor.)

• Pour la recette, il faut du lard fumé. (For the recipe, you need smoked bacon.)
• Faites revenir les lardons dans une poêle chaude jusqu'à ce qu'ils soient croustillants. (Fry the bacon bits in a hot pan until they are crispy.)
• La quiche lorraine traditionnelle est faite avec de la crème, des œufs et des lardons. (Traditional Quiche Lorraine is made with cream, eggs, and bacon.)

The 'pork chop' – la côte de porc

The 'pork chop' – la côte de porc

La côte de porc is the French term for a pork chop. Literally translating to 'rib of pork,' it's a specific cut of meat that is extremely popular in French cuisine.

You will find la côte de porc on the menu of many traditional French bistros and as a common feature in home cooking. It's appreciated for its flavor, versatility, and affordability.

The term is grammatically feminine, always preceded by la or une. It is a compound noun formed by côte (chop/rib), the preposition de (of), and porc (pork).

Use this phrase when ordering in a restaurant or buying from a butcher (boucherie). For example: 'Je vais prendre une côte de porc, s'il vous plaît.' (I'll have a pork chop, please).

A classic French preparation is côte de porc à la moutarde, a pork chop cooked with a creamy mustard sauce. It is often served with potatoes or green beans.

💡 * Je voudrais commander la côte de porc avec de la purée. (I would like to order the pork chop with mashed potatoes.)

• Le boucher m'a vendu deux très belles côtes de porc. (The butcher sold me two very nice pork chops.)
• Ce soir, on mange des côtes de porc grillées. (Tonight, we're eating grilled pork chops.)
• La recette de la côte de porc à la crème est facile à suivre. (The recipe for pork chop with cream sauce is easy to follow.)

The 'pork roast' – le rôti de porc

In French, the classic dish 'pork roast' is directly translated as le rôti de porc. This is the standard and most common term you'll encounter in cookbooks, at the butcher shop (boucherie), and on restaurant menus across France.

Let's break down the phrase. Rôti comes from the verb rôtir, meaning 'to roast'. De porc literally means 'of pork'. This [dish] de [meat] structure is very common in French cuisine. Once you understand it, you can easily identify other dishes, like rôti de bœuf (beef roast) or gigot d'agneau (leg of lamb).

Le rôti de porc is more than just a dish; it's a cornerstone of traditional French family meals, especially for Sunday lunch (le repas dominical). It's often prepared with herbs like thyme and rosemary and served with roasted potatoes, green beans, or sometimes caramelized apples.

When you're in France, you might ask for it at a butcher shop: Bonjour, je voudrais un rôti de porc pour quatre personnes, s'il vous plaît. (Hello, I'd like a pork roast for four people, please). In a restaurant, you would simply say: Je vais prendre le rôti de porc. (I'll have the pork roast).

💡 * Ma grand-mère prépare un excellent rôti de porc tous les dimanches.

• Au restaurant, j'ai commandé le rôti de porc avec une purée de pommes de terre.
• Le boucher m'a conseillé un rôti de porc dans le filet.
• Pour le dîner de ce soir, nous avons un rôti de porc aux pruneaux.

The 'fresh sausage' – la saucisse

The word la saucisse refers to a fresh, uncooked sausage that must be cooked before eating. It's the French equivalent of what you might call a banger or a fresh link sausage, commonly found in dishes like saucisse-purée (sausage and mashed potatoes) or grilled at a barbecue.

A crucial point for learners is the difference between la saucisse and le saucisson. While la saucisse is fresh and requires cooking, le saucisson is a dry, cured sausage (like salami) that is sliced and eaten cold. In short: you cook a saucisse, but you slice a saucisson.

The word saucisse is a feminine noun. Therefore, you always use feminine articles like la or une. For example, you would say, "J'achète une saucisse" (I'm buying a sausage).

💡 * J'adore les saucisses grillées avec de la moutarde. (I love grilled sausages with mustard.)

• Pour ce soir, on va manger des lentilles avec de la saucisse. (Tonight, we are going to eat lentils with sausage.)
• N'oublie pas d'acheter des saucisses pour le barbecue de demain. (Don't forget to buy sausages for tomorrow's barbecue.)
• Quelle est la différence entre une saucisse de Toulouse et une merguez ? (What is the difference between a Toulouse sausage and a merguez?)

The 'cured sausage' – le saucisson

Le saucisson is a type of thick, dry-cured sausage, a cornerstone of French charcuterie. It's not just a food item; it's an integral part of French social gatherings, especially the apéritif.

Typically made from pork (though other meats can be used) and seasoned with salt, pepper, and various spices, saucisson is air-dried for several weeks. While similar to Italian salami, each region in France boasts its own unique version, with additions like nuts, cheese, or different herbs, creating a wide array of flavors.

Saucisson is most often enjoyed sliced thinly and served at room temperature as part of a planche de charcuterie (charcuterie board) with bread, cheese, cornichons (small pickles), and a glass of wine. It's the quintessential French snack for social moments.

💡 * Tu veux une tranche de saucisson ? (Do you want a slice of sausage?)

• J'ai acheté un excellent saucisson sec au marché. (I bought an excellent dry-cured sausage at the market.)
• Pour l'apéritif, on a du fromage et du saucisson. (For the aperitif, we have cheese and sausage.)
• Ce saucisson aux noisettes est délicieux. (This hazelnut sausage is delicious.)

1. The 'pork tenderloin' – le filet mignon de porc

The French term for 'pork tenderloin' is le filet mignon de porc. While English speakers might associate filet mignon exclusively with a specific cut of beef, in French, the term can be used for different animals, so specifying de porc (of pork) is essential to get the right cut.

Let's break down the name: Filet refers to the fillet or tenderloin cut. Mignon, which often means 'cute', in a culinary context implies something small, delicate, and choice. Finally, porc simply means 'pork'. Together, they describe a choice, tender cut of pork.

In French cuisine, le filet mignon de porc is a popular and highly regarded cut of meat known for its tenderness. It is often roasted whole or sliced into medallions and pan-fried. You will frequently find it on the menu in bistros and restaurants, often served with a creamy mushroom or mustard sauce.

Always remember to include de porc when you mean pork tenderloin. If you simply ask for un filet mignon at a French butcher shop (boucherie), you will most likely be given beef tenderloin, which is a different cut and typically more expensive.

💡 * Pour le dîner, je prépare un filet mignon de porc à la moutarde. (For dinner, I'm preparing a pork tenderloin with mustard.)

• Combien coûte le filet mignon de porc au kilo ? (How much does the pork tenderloin cost per kilo?)
• Le chef recommande son fameux filet mignon de porc en croûte. (The chef recommends his famous pork tenderloin in a crust.)
• N'oubliez pas d'acheter un filet mignon de porc pour la recette de ce soir. (Don't forget to buy a pork tenderloin for tonight's recipe.)

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

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

This list covers the most common and essential ways to say “pork” in French. But French cuisine is vast, and you'll find other terms, especially when it comes to specific cuts, culinary preparations, or regional specialties.

A great way to discover more is to look at French butcher shop websites (boucherie en ligne) or browse menus from different regions of France. You could search for 'spécialités de porc' followed by a region like Alsace or Auvergne.

When you encounter a new term for a pork product, pay attention to the context. Is it a cured meat (charcuterie), a specific cut for roasting (rôti), or a sausage (saucisson)? Understanding the culinary context is key to using the word correctly.

As you explore French markets, read recipes, or watch cooking shows in French, you'll naturally pick up more nuanced vocabulary for pork. Don't be afraid to ask a butcher (boucher) or a waiter (serveur) about a specific item!

For a deeper dive into French culinary terms, especially related to meat, websites like Larousse Cuisine or looking up specific cuts on a French culinary dictionary can be incredibly helpful.

I hope this guide helps you navigate French menus and butcher shops with confidence. To leave you with a taste of French culinary wisdom, here's a thought from the famous chef Paul Bocuse: 'La bonne cuisine, c'est le souvenir.' (Good cooking is all about memory.) May your culinary adventures in French be memorable!