Useful French verbs: Food preparation and cooking verbs

Whether you are a beginner cook or a professional chef, having a strong culinary vocabulary is essential when it comes to cooking. Knowing the right verbs to use can help you communicate more clearly and effectively when you’re following a recipe or describing a dish.

In this vocabulary list, you’ll find some of the most common English-French cooking verbs for food preparation, such as chopping, mixing, baking, and grilling.

• To chop: hacher
• To dice: couper en dés
• To slice: trancher
• To mince: émincer
• To grate: râper
• To mix: mélanger
• To stir: remuer
• To whisk: fouetter
• To beat: battre
• To fold: incorporer délicatement
• To bake: cuire au four
• To broil: faire griller
• To fry: faire frire
• To sauté: faire sauter
• To boil: faire bouillir
• To simmer: laisser mijoter
• To roast: rôtir
• To grill: faire griller
• To season: assaisonner
• To taste: goûter

Note that some of these verbs may change depending on the context or the tense. For example, “bake” can be translated to “cuire au four” in the infinitive form, but it becomes “cuit au four” in the past participle form.

• Chopped: haché(e)
• Diced: coupé(e) en dés
• Sliced: tranché(e)
• Minced: émincé(e)
• Grated: râpé(e)
• Mixed: mélangé(e)
• Stirred: remué(e)
• Whisked: fouetté(e)
• Beaten: battu(e)
• Baked: cuit(e) au four
• Broiled: grillé(e)
• Fried: frit(e)
• Sautéed: sauté(e)
• Boiled: bouilli(e)
• Simmered: mijoté(e)
• Roasted: rôti(e)
• Grilled: grillé(e)
• Seasoned: assaisonné(e)
• Tasted: goûté(e)

With this vocabulary list, you’ll be able to understand and use some of the most common English-French cooking verbs.

Bon appétit!