Fish Names in French can get surprisingly useful, surprisingly fast. You might need them at a market, on a restaurant menu, in a kids’ picture book, or while pretending you absolutely knew the difference between a trout and a tuna all along.
French uses poisson for “fish” in general, but once you get specific, the vocabulary branches off into sea fish, river fish, shellfish-adjacent menu confusion, and a few names that do not look anything like English. Naturally.
In this guide, you’ll learn 60 common fish names in standard France French, with pronunciation help, English meanings, real example sentences, translations, and quick learner notes. If food vocabulary is your thing, you can also keep going with French food and cuisine vocabulary.
Yak Wisdom: If you can say the fish name, you are already halfway to sounding like you belong in the market queue.
How To Say Fish In French
The basic word is poisson (pwah-son), meaning fish. The final n is not fully pronounced. In everyday speech:
- un poisson = a fish
- le poisson = the fish
- des poissons = fish / some fish
- un poisson d’eau douce = a freshwater fish
- un poisson de mer = a sea fish
Example: J’aime le poisson, surtout le saumon.
Translation: I like fish, especially salmon.
Useful note: in French, many fish names are masculine, so you often see le or un, but not all of them. A few are feminine, and menus will not pause to help you. Rude, honestly.
Common Sea Fish In French
Let’s start with the fish you are most likely to see in shops, restaurants, and textbook vocabulary lists.
| French | Pronunciation | Meaning | Example Sentence | Translation | Learner Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| le saumon | so-mon | salmon | Le saumon est délicieux avec du citron. | Salmon is delicious with lemon. | Very common on menus. |
| le thon | ton | tuna | Je prends une salade au thon. | I’ll have a tuna salad. | Au thon = with tuna. |
| la morue | mo-roo | cod, usually salted cod in some contexts | La morue est populaire dans plusieurs cuisines. | Cod is popular in several cuisines. | In some contexts, fresh cod is more often cabillaud. |
| le cabillaud | ka-bee-yo | cod | Le cabillaud est un poisson blanc très apprécié. | Cod is a much-loved white fish. | Very common in France French food vocabulary. |
| la sardine | sar-deen | sardine | Les sardines grillées sentent fort, mais elles sont excellentes. | Grilled sardines smell strong, but they’re excellent. | Feminine noun. |
| l’anchois | lan-shwa | anchovy | Il y a des anchois sur cette pizza. | There are anchovies on this pizza. | Watch the silent final s. |
| le maquereau | ma-keh-ro | mackerel | Le maquereau est riche en oméga-3. | Mackerel is rich in omega-3. | Common food and market word. |
| le hareng | a-ran | herring | Le hareng fumé se mange souvent froid. | Smoked herring is often eaten cold. | The h is silent. |
| la sole | sol | sole | La sole est un poisson fin et délicat. | Sole is a fine and delicate fish. | Common in restaurant French. |
| le bar | bar | sea bass | Le bar est servi avec des légumes. | The sea bass is served with vegetables. | In France French, bar often means sea bass. |
| le loup | loo | sea bass | Dans le sud, on dit parfois loup au lieu de bar. | In the south, people sometimes say loup instead of bar. | Regional variant in southern France. |
| la dorade | do-rad | sea bream | La dorade est excellente au four. | Sea bream is excellent baked in the oven. | Very common Mediterranean fish name. |
More Sea Fish You’ll Hear In French
| French | Pronunciation | Meaning | Example Sentence | Translation | Learner Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| le merlan | mer-lan | whiting | Le merlan a une chair tendre. | Whiting has tender flesh. | Useful market word. |
| le merlu | mer-loo | hake | Le merlu est souvent moins cher que d’autres poissons. | Hake is often cheaper than other fish. | Common in shops. |
| la lotte | lot | monkfish | La lotte a une texture ferme. | Monkfish has a firm texture. | Feminine noun. |
| le flétan | fley-tan | halibut | Le flétan est un grand poisson plat. | Halibut is a large flat fish. | The accent changes the vowel sound slightly. |
| le turbot | toor-bo | turbot | Le turbot est souvent considéré comme un poisson raffiné. | Turbot is often considered a refined fish. | More formal culinary word. |
| la raie | ray | ray, skate | La raie au beurre noir est un plat classique. | Skate with browned butter is a classic dish. | Can also mean “stripe” in other contexts, so context matters. |
| l’espadon | les-pa-don | swordfish | L’espadon grillé est très populaire en été. | Grilled swordfish is very popular in summer. | Starts with a vowel, so use l’. |
| le rouget | roo-zhay | red mullet | Le rouget a une couleur rouge caractéristique. | Red mullet has a distinctive red color. | Common in Mediterranean cooking. |
| la baudroie | bo-drwah | anglerfish / monkfish | La baudroie est parfois appelée lotte en cuisine. | Anglerfish is sometimes called monkfish in cooking. | Useful synonym note. |
| le chinchard | shan-shar | horse mackerel | Le chinchard est moins connu des débutants en français. | Horse mackerel is less known to beginners in French. | Less common, but real and useful. |
| la bonite | bo-neet | bonito | La bonite ressemble un peu au thon. | Bonito looks a bit like tuna. | Feminine noun. |
| le grondin | gron-dan | gurnard | Le grondin porte un nom assez drôle. | Gurnard has a fairly funny name. | Yes, it does sound grumpy. |
Common River And Freshwater Fish In French
Freshwater fish matter too, especially for fishing vocabulary, nature topics, and menus in inland regions.
| French | Pronunciation | Meaning | Example Sentence | Translation | Learner Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| la truite | trweet | trout | La truite vit souvent dans les rivières froides. | Trout often live in cold rivers. | Very common freshwater fish. |
| le saumon de rivière | so-mon duh ree-vyer | river salmon | Le saumon de rivière remonte parfois les cours d’eau. | River salmon sometimes swims back up waterways. | Longer descriptive phrase. |
| la carpe | karp | carp | La carpe est un poisson d’eau douce très connu. | Carp is a very well-known freshwater fish. | Simple and useful. |
| le brochet | bro-shay | pike | Le brochet est un poisson carnivore. | Pike is a carnivorous fish. | Common in fishing vocabulary. |
| la perche | persh | perch | La perche se trouve dans les lacs et les rivières. | Perch is found in lakes and rivers. | Feminine noun. |
| le sandre | sandr | zander / pike-perch | Le sandre est apprécié pour sa chair fine. | Zander is appreciated for its delicate flesh. | Common in continental Europe. |
| l’anguille | lan-gheey | eel | L’anguille a un corps long et glissant. | The eel has a long, slippery body. | Use l’ before the vowel sound. |
| le silure | see-lur | wels catfish | Le silure peut devenir énorme. | The wels catfish can become huge. | Different from generic catfish in some contexts. |
| le poisson-chat | pwah-son sha | catfish | Le poisson-chat vit au fond de l’eau. | Catfish lives at the bottom of the water. | Very transparent compound word. |
| le gardon | gar-don | roach | Le gardon est fréquent dans les étangs. | Roach is common in ponds. | Not the insect. French keeps you alert. |
| l’ablette | la-blet | bleak | L’ablette est un petit poisson d’eau douce. | Bleak is a small freshwater fish. | Less common for casual learners. |
| le goujon | goo-zhon | gudgeon | Le goujon est un petit poisson de rivière. | Gudgeon is a small river fish. | Useful in nature vocabulary. |
More Freshwater Fish And Fishing Words
| French | Pronunciation | Meaning | Example Sentence | Translation | Learner Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| le chevesne | shuh-ven | chub | Le chevesne nage souvent près de la surface. | Chub often swims near the surface. | More fishing-specific. |
| la tanche | tansh | tench | La tanche vit dans les eaux calmes. | Tench lives in calm waters. | Feminine noun. |
| l’ombre | lom-br | grayling | L’ombre est recherché par certains pêcheurs. | Grayling is sought after by some anglers. | Not to be confused with ombre meaning “shadow” in spelling memory. |
| le vairon | veh-ron | minnow | Le vairon est un très petit poisson. | The minnow is a very small fish. | Common in nature books. |
| le black-bass | blak-bass | black bass | Le black-bass est populaire chez les pêcheurs sportifs. | Black bass is popular among sport fishers. | Borrowed form, common in fishing. |
| l’esturgeon | les-tur-zhon | sturgeon | L’esturgeon est connu pour le caviar. | Sturgeon is known for caviar. | Starts with a vowel sound. |
| la lamproie | lan-prwah | lamprey | La lamproie a une apparence assez étrange. | Lamprey has a rather strange appearance. | And that is putting it politely. |
| le mulet | mew-lay | mullet | Le mulet peut vivre en eau douce et en eau salée. | Mullet can live in fresh and salt water. | Not just one habitat. |
| l’alose | la-loz | shad | L’alose est un poisson migrateur. | Shad is a migratory fish. | Feminine, though it starts with l’. |
| le hotu | o-tew | nase | Le hotu vit dans certaines rivières d’Europe. | Nase lives in certain European rivers. | Less common, but real freshwater vocabulary. |
| la brème | brem | bream | La brème est fréquente dans les eaux lentes. | Bream is common in slow waters. | Feminine noun. |
| le rotengle | ro-tan-gl | rudd | Le rotengle ressemble un peu au gardon. | Rudd looks a bit like roach. | Good comparison word. |
Popular Market And Menu Fish Vocabulary
These are fish you are likely to spot on labels, menus, or in food conversations, even if you never plan to stand beside a river holding a fishing rod like a philosophical heron.
| French | Pronunciation | Meaning | Example Sentence | Translation | Learner Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| le haddock | a-dok | haddock | Le haddock fumé a un goût prononcé. | Smoked haddock has a strong flavor. | Often used as a food word. |
| le lieu noir | lyeu nwar | pollock | Le lieu noir est vendu en filets. | Pollock is sold in fillets. | Common supermarket term. |
| le lieu jaune | lyeu zhon | pollack / saithe variant name | Le lieu jaune est un poisson de mer apprécié. | Pollack is an appreciated sea fish. | Different species from lieu noir. |
| la daurade | do-rad | gilthead bream / dorade spelling variant | La daurade royale est souvent grillée entière. | Gilthead bream is often grilled whole. | Dorade and daurade both appear. |
| le pageot | pa-zho | pandora fish | Le pageot est courant en Méditerranée. | Pandora fish is common in the Mediterranean. | Useful regional food word. |
| la vive | veev | weever fish | La vive peut être dangereuse à cause de ses épines. | Weever fish can be dangerous because of its spines. | Useful beach warning word too. |
| le congre | kon-gr | conger eel | Le congre ressemble à une très grande anguille. | Conger eel looks like a very large eel. | Good comparison with anguille. |
| le tacaud | ta-ko | pouting | Le tacaud est un petit poisson de l’Atlantique. | Pouting is a small Atlantic fish. | Less famous, still useful. |
| la sériole | say-ree-ol | amberjack | La sériole est appréciée dans certaines cuisines méditerranéennes. | Amberjack is appreciated in some Mediterranean cuisines. | Food and regional vocabulary. |
| le grondin rouge | gron-dan roozh | red gurnard | Le grondin rouge a une couleur vive. | Red gurnard has a vivid color. | More specific version of grondin. |
| le saint-pierre | san-pyer | John Dory | Le saint-pierre est un poisson assez cher. | John Dory is a fairly expensive fish. | Common high-end menu word. |
| le carrelet | ka-ruh-lay | plaice | Le carrelet est un poisson plat. | Plaice is a flat fish. | Helpful seafood vocabulary. |
Quick Notes On Confusing Fish Names
- Morue and cabillaud can both refer to cod, but in France French, cabillaud often means fresh cod, while morue can suggest salted cod.
- Bar and loup can both mean sea bass. Bar is the safer general choice.
- Dorade and daurade are both seen. Spelling varies by context and species naming.
- Lotte and baudroie overlap. In cooking, lotte is extremely common.
- Poisson-chat is very transparent: literally “cat-fish.” French occasionally does you a favor.
Useful Fish Phrases In French
Knowing the fish name is great. Knowing what to do with it in a sentence is even better.
| French Phrase | Pronunciation | Meaning | Example | Translation | Learner Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| un poisson de mer | uhn pwah-son duh mehr | a sea fish | Le thon est un poisson de mer. | Tuna is a sea fish. | Basic category phrase. |
| un poisson d’eau douce | uhn pwah-son doh dooss | a freshwater fish | La truite est un poisson d’eau douce. | Trout is a freshwater fish. | Useful in school and travel French. |
| un poisson blanc | uhn pwah-son blan | a white fish | Le cabillaud est un poisson blanc. | Cod is a white fish. | Common food label phrase. |
| un filet de poisson | uhn fee-lay duh pwah-son | a fish fillet | Je voudrais un filet de poisson, s’il vous plaît. | I’d like a fish fillet, please. | Useful restaurant phrase. |
| du poisson grillé | dew pwah-son gree-yay | grilled fish | Ce soir, on mange du poisson grillé. | Tonight, we’re eating grilled fish. | Du often means “some.” |
| du poisson fumé | dew pwah-son few-may | smoked fish | Le poisson fumé est très salé. | Smoked fish is very salty. | Common menu term. |
| des arêtes | day za-ret | fish bones | Attention, il y a des arêtes. | Careful, there are bones. | The liaison in des arêtes is useful to hear. |
| écailler / vider un poisson | ay-ka-yay / vee-day | to scale / gut a fish | Le poissonnier vide le poisson devant nous. | The fishmonger guts the fish in front of us. | Practical market vocabulary. |
| le poissonnier / la poissonnière | pwah-so-nyay / pwah-so-nyair | fishmonger | La poissonnière recommande la dorade. | The fishmonger recommends the sea bream. | Job word worth knowing. |
| Ça sent le poisson. | sa san luh pwah-son | It smells like fish. | La cuisine sent le poisson après le dîner. | The kitchen smells like fish after dinner. | Very real-life, very specific. |
Mini Practice: Can You Recognize These?
- le saumon = salmon
- la truite = trout
- le thon = tuna
- la sardine = sardine
- le brochet = pike
- l’anguille = eel
- le cabillaud = cod
- la dorade = sea bream
Want to check your general level too? Try the French placement test or the French vocabulary test.
Related French Nature And Food Vocabulary
If you want to keep building your animal and food vocabulary, explore bird names in French, revisit this fish names guide, or browse more lessons in Learn French.
Yak Takeaway
The big wins here are poisson, a handful of common menu fish like saumon, thon, cabillaud, and dorade, plus a few freshwater basics like truite and brochet. Learn the most common ones first, then add the weirder little river creatures later when you feel emotionally prepared.
In other words: start with salmon, not lamprey. That is just good life advice.
