Kitchen in French 85 Easy Words and Phrases You’ll Use

If you can talk about the kitchen in French, you can suddenly talk about a lot of real life: cooking, cleaning, breakfast disasters, missing spoons, burnt toast, and that one pan that somehow always vanishes when you need it.

French kitchen vocabulary is also wonderfully practical. These are words you’ll hear at home, in Airbnb check-in instructions, in recipes, in shops, and while politely pretending you definitely know how to use un four without setting off a smoke alarm.

In this guide, you’ll learn useful kitchen words in standard France French, plus everyday phrases you can actually say. If you want broader home vocabulary too, have a look at this house vocabulary in French guide. And if you want to check your level afterward, try the French placement test or the French vocabulary test.

Quick Yak Wisdom: In French, la cuisine means both “the kitchen” and “cuisine/cooking” depending on context. Convenient? Yes. Slightly sneaky? Also yes.

Table of Contents

The Most Useful Kitchen Words First

Let’s start with the words you’re most likely to need right away: the room itself, the main appliances, and the things you touch every day.

French	Pronunciation	Meaning	Example Sentence	Translation	Learner Note
la cuisine	la kwee-zeen	kitchen; cooking	La cuisine est petite, mais pratique.	The kitchen is small but practical.	Can mean the room or the style of cooking.
la table	la tabl	table	Les assiettes sont sur la table.	The plates are on the table.	Very common everyday word.
la chaise	la shez	chair	Je mets la chaise près de la table.	I put the chair near the table.	Chaise is a normal chair; not an armchair.
le frigo	luh free-go	fridge	Le lait est dans le frigo.	The milk is in the fridge.	Casual short form of le réfrigérateur.
le réfrigérateur	luh ray-free-zhay-ra-teur	refrigerator	Le réfrigérateur est presque vide.	The refrigerator is almost empty.	More formal/full version.
le congélateur	luh kon-zhay-la-teur	freezer	La glace est dans le congélateur.	The ice cream is in the freezer.	Easy to confuse with fridge, so keep them separate.
le four	luh foor	oven	Le gâteau est dans le four.	The cake is in the oven.	Don’t confuse it with English “four.”
le micro-ondes	luh mee-kro ond	microwave	Je réchauffe la soupe au micro-ondes.	I heat the soup in the microwave.	Usually used with au: au micro-ondes.
l’évier	lay-vyay	sink	Les verres sont dans l’évier.	The glasses are in the sink.	Notice the elision: l’évier.
le robinet	luh ro-bee-nay	tap; faucet	Le robinet fuit encore.	The tap is leaking again.	In Quebec French, you may also hear different local habits, but this is standard and widely understood.
le placard	luh pla-kar	cupboard; cabinet	Les tasses sont dans le placard.	The cups are in the cupboard.	Very useful home word.
le plan de travail	luh plan duh tra-vye	countertop; worktop	Je coupe les légumes sur le plan de travail.	I cut the vegetables on the countertop.	Long phrase, but very common.

Kitchen Furniture And Storage Words

These are the words you need when you’re describing where things are, where to put them, or where you forgot them. Again.

French	Pronunciation	Meaning	Example Sentence	Translation	Learner Note
l’armoire	lar-mwar	cabinet; cupboard	L’armoire est pleine d’assiettes.	The cabinet is full of plates.	Another storage word; context matters.
le tiroir	luh tee-rwar	drawer	Les couteaux sont dans le tiroir.	The knives are in the drawer.	Useful with utensils.
l’étagère	lay-ta-zher	shelf	Les épices sont sur l’étagère.	The spices are on the shelf.	Feminine noun.
la poubelle	la poo-bel	trash can; bin	La poubelle est sous l’évier.	The trash can is under the sink.	Very common household word.
le recyclage	luh ruh-see-klaazh	recycling	Cette bouteille va au recyclage.	This bottle goes in recycling.	Useful in apartments and rentals.
le lave-vaisselle	luh lav-vay-sel	dishwasher	Le lave-vaisselle est en panne.	The dishwasher is broken.	Literally “wash-dishes.” Very French, very direct.
la hotte	la ot	extractor hood	J’allume la hotte quand je cuisine.	I turn on the hood when I cook.	The h is silent here.
la prise	la preez	electrical outlet; socket	Le grille-pain est branché à la prise.	The toaster is plugged into the outlet.	Handy in real apartment French.
la lumière	la lu-myair	light	La lumière de la cuisine est allumée.	The kitchen light is on.	Common in household descriptions.
le sol	luh sol	floor	Le sol est mouillé.	The floor is wet.	Useful warning word.

Appliances And Machines In The Kitchen

French	Pronunciation	Meaning	Example Sentence	Translation	Learner Note
la cuisinière	la kwee-zee-nyair	stove; cooker	La cuisinière est neuve.	The stove is new.	Can refer to the whole cooking unit.
la plaque de cuisson	la plak duh kwee-son	cooktop; hob	La plaque de cuisson est encore chaude.	The cooktop is still hot.	Very useful in modern kitchens.
le grille-pain	luh gree-payn	toaster	Le grille-pain ne marche plus.	The toaster doesn’t work anymore.	Literally “bread-griller.”
la cafetière	la kaf-tee-yair	coffee maker	La cafetière est sur le comptoir.	The coffee maker is on the counter.	For many people, the true heart of the kitchen.
la bouilloire	la boo-ywar	kettle	Je fais chauffer de l’eau dans la bouilloire.	I heat water in the kettle.	Useful for tea and instant survival.
le mixeur	luh meek-seur	blender; mixer	J’utilise le mixeur pour la soupe.	I use the blender for soup.	Also called blender sometimes, but mixeur is standard.
le robot de cuisine	luh ro-bo duh kwee-zeen	food processor	Le robot de cuisine coupe tout très vite.	The food processor cuts everything very quickly.	A broader kitchen machine term.
le lave-linge	luh lav-lanzh	washing machine	Dans certains petits appartements, le lave-linge est dans la cuisine.	In some small apartments, the washing machine is in the kitchen.	Surprisingly common in France.

Dishes, Plates, Cups, And Basic Tableware

Now the objects you use every day. These are some of the first kitchen words many learners pick up because they show up at every meal.

French	Pronunciation	Meaning	Example Sentence	Translation	Learner Note
l’assiette	la-syet	plate	Je mets une assiette sur la table.	I put a plate on the table.	Feminine noun.
le bol	luh bol	bowl	Le bol est rempli de soupe.	The bowl is full of soup.	Also used a lot for breakfast bowls.
la tasse	la tas	cup	Ma tasse de café est encore chaude.	My cup of coffee is still hot.	Une tasse is usually a cup with a handle.
le mug	luh mug	mug	J’adore ce mug bleu.	I love this blue mug.	Borrowed word, very common.
le verre	luh vair	glass	Le verre est vide.	The glass is empty.	Can mean the material “glass” too.
la bouteille	la boo-tay	bottle	La bouteille d’eau est sur la table.	The bottle of water is on the table.	Very common with drinks.
la carafe	la ka-raf	carafe; water jug	La carafe est au milieu de la table.	The carafe is in the middle of the table.	Common in French homes and restaurants.
la fourchette	la foor-shet	fork	Il manque une fourchette.	One fork is missing.	Feminine noun.
le couteau	luh koo-toh	knife	Le couteau est très tranchant.	The knife is very sharp.	Plural: les couteaux.
la cuillère	la kwee-yair	spoon	Je cherche une cuillère propre.	I’m looking for a clean spoon.	Useful base word.
la petite cuillère	la puh-teet kwee-yair	teaspoon	Prends une petite cuillère pour le café.	Take a teaspoon for the coffee.	Literally “small spoon.”
la grande cuillère	la grand kwee-yair	tablespoon; large spoon	Ajoute une grande cuillère de sucre.	Add a tablespoon of sugar.	Context decides exact meaning.
la serviette	la sair-vyet	napkin	La serviette est à côté de l’assiette.	The napkin is next to the plate.	Can also mean “towel” in other contexts.
le plateau	luh pla-toh	tray	Je porte les verres sur un plateau.	I carry the glasses on a tray.	Handy for serving vocabulary.

Pots, Pans, And Cooking Tools

French	Pronunciation	Meaning	Example Sentence	Translation	Learner Note
la casserole	la kas-ruh-rol	saucepan; pot	La casserole est sur le feu.	The saucepan is on the heat.	Very common cooking word.
la poêle	la pwal	frying pan	Je fais cuire les œufs dans la poêle.	I cook the eggs in the frying pan.	The spelling looks annoying, but the word is common.
le couvercle	luh koo-vair-kluh	lid	Le couvercle est trop petit pour la casserole.	The lid is too small for the saucepan.	Useful with pots and containers.
le saladier	luh sa-la-dyay	salad bowl; mixing bowl	La salade est dans le saladier.	The salad is in the bowl.	Common in recipes and meals.
la passoire	la pa-swar	colander; strainer	Je mets les pâtes dans la passoire.	I put the pasta in the colander.	Very useful kitchen noun.
la spatule	la spa-tewl	spatula	Utilise la spatule en bois.	Use the wooden spatula.	Common tool word.
le fouet	luh foo-ay	whisk	Je mélange la sauce avec un fouet.	I mix the sauce with a whisk.	The final t is silent.
la louche	la loosh	ladle	Servez la soupe avec la louche.	Serve the soup with the ladle.	Good soup word.
la pince	la panss	tongs	Prends la salade avec la pince.	Take the salad with the tongs.	Context tells you what type of tongs.
la râpe	la rap	grater	La râpe sert pour le fromage.	The grater is used for cheese.	Useful in recipe French.
la planche à découper	la plansh a day-koo-pay	cutting board	Le pain est sur la planche à découper.	The bread is on the cutting board.	Long, but common.
l’ouvre-boîte	loo-vruh-bwat	can opener	Où est l’ouvre-boîte ?	Where is the can opener?	Another very practical one.
le tire-bouchon	luh teer-boo-shon	corkscrew	Je ne trouve pas le tire-bouchon.	I can’t find the corkscrew.	Important for cultural reasons. Extremely serious reasons.

Food Prep Verbs You’ll Hear In The Kitchen

A kitchen isn’t just full of objects. It’s full of actions. These verbs help you actually say what happens there.

French	Pronunciation	Meaning	Example Sentence	Translation	Learner Note
cuisiner	kwee-zee-nay	to cook	J’aime cuisiner le soir.	I like cooking in the evening.	Basic kitchen verb.
préparer	pray-pa-ray	to prepare	Je prépare le dîner.	I’m preparing dinner.	Very common and useful.
couper	koo-pay	to cut	Il coupe les tomates.	He’s cutting the tomatoes.	Common recipe verb.
hacher	a-shay	to chop; mince	Hache l’oignon finement.	Chop the onion finely.	The h is silent.
mélanger	may-lan-zhay	to mix	Mélange bien les ingrédients.	Mix the ingredients well.	Very useful in instructions.
remuer	ruh-moo-ay	to stir	Remue la sauce doucement.	Stir the sauce gently.	Common cooking action.
faire cuire	fair kweer	to cook; to bake	Je fais cuire le poulet au four.	I cook the chicken in the oven.	Very natural everyday phrase.
réchauffer	ray-sho-fay	to reheat	Je réchauffe les restes.	I’m reheating the leftovers.	Super useful for real life.
laver	la-vay	to wash	Je lave les légumes.	I wash the vegetables.	Also used for dishes and hands.
ranger	ron-zhay	to put away; tidy	Il range la cuisine après le repas.	He tidies the kitchen after the meal.	Excellent household verb.
nettoyer	neh-twa-yay	to clean	Je nettoie le plan de travail.	I clean the countertop.	Useful and noble. Less fun, but useful.
mettre la table	meh-truh la tabl	to set the table	Tu peux mettre la table ?	Can you set the table?	Fixed everyday phrase.
débarrasser la table	day-ba-ra-say la tabl	to clear the table	Je débarrasse la table après le dessert.	I clear the table after dessert.	Very common at home.

Common Kitchen Adjectives And Describing Words

These words help you describe the state of the kitchen, the dishes, or your current emotional relationship with the sink.

French	Pronunciation	Meaning	Example Sentence	Translation	Learner Note
propre	propr	clean	La cuisine est propre.	The kitchen is clean.	Same form for masculine and feminine.
sale	sal	dirty	Les assiettes sont sales.	The plates are dirty.	Add -s in plural writing.
chaud / chaude	show / shohd	hot	La soupe est chaude.	The soup is hot.	Notice feminine chaude.
froid / froide	frwah / frwahd	cold	Le café est froid.	The coffee is cold.	Useful with food and drinks.
vide	veed	empty	Le frigo est presque vide.	The fridge is almost empty.	Common adjective.
plein / pleine	plan / plen	full	La poubelle est pleine.	The bin is full.	Changes in feminine form.
cassé / cassée	ka-say	broken	La tasse est cassée.	The cup is broken.	Agree with the noun’s gender.
propre à manger	propr a mon-zhay	fit to eat; edible	Ce plat est encore propre à manger.	This dish is still fit to eat.	Less basic, but useful sometimes.

85 Plus Kitchen Words At A Glance

Here’s a compact review list so you can scan, revisit, and steal a few favorites for flashcards.

la cuisine — kitchen
la table — table
la chaise — chair
le frigo — fridge
le réfrigérateur — refrigerator
le congélateur — freezer
le four — oven
le micro-ondes — microwave
l’évier — sink
le robinet — tap
le placard — cupboard
le plan de travail — countertop
l’armoire — cabinet
le tiroir — drawer
l’étagère — shelf
la poubelle — bin
le recyclage — recycling
le lave-vaisselle — dishwasher
la hotte — hood
la prise — outlet
la lumière — light
le sol — floor
la cuisinière — stove
la plaque de cuisson — cooktop
le grille-pain — toaster
la cafetière — coffee maker
la bouilloire — kettle
le mixeur — blender
le robot de cuisine — food processor
le lave-linge — washing machine
l’assiette — plate
le bol — bowl
la tasse — cup
le mug — mug
le verre — glass
la bouteille — bottle
la carafe — carafe
la fourchette — fork
le couteau — knife
la cuillère — spoon
la petite cuillère — teaspoon
la grande cuillère — tablespoon
la serviette — napkin
le plateau — tray
la casserole — saucepan
la poêle — frying pan
le couvercle — lid
le saladier — mixing bowl
la passoire — colander
la spatule — spatula
le fouet — whisk
la louche — ladle
la pince — tongs
la râpe — grater
la planche à découper — cutting board
l’ouvre-boîte — can opener
le tire-bouchon — corkscrew
cuisiner — to cook
préparer — to prepare
couper — to cut
hacher — to chop
mélanger — to mix
remuer — to stir
faire cuire — to cook
réchauffer — to reheat
laver — to wash
ranger — to tidy
nettoyer — to clean
mettre la table — to set the table
débarrasser la table — to clear the table
propre — clean
sale — dirty
chaud — hot
chaude — hot (feminine)
froid — cold
froide — cold (feminine)
vide — empty
plein — full
pleine — full (feminine)
cassé — broken
cassée — broken (feminine)
le repas — meal
le dîner — dinner
le déjeuner — lunch
le petit déjeuner — breakfast
les restes — leftovers
les ingrédients — ingredients
la recette — recipe
le feu — heat; burner flame

15 Kitchen Phrases You’ll Actually Use

Vocabulary is great, but phrases are where things start sounding human. These are the kinds of lines you can use at home, with hosts, with family, or in everyday conversation.

French Phrase	Pronunciation	Meaning	Example Sentence	Translation	Learner Note
Où est la cuisine ?	oo ay la kwee-zeen	Where is the kitchen?	Excusez-moi, où est la cuisine ?	Excuse me, where is the kitchen?	Useful in rentals or shared spaces.
Je suis dans la cuisine.	zhuh swee don la kwee-zeen	I’m in the kitchen.	Ne me cherche pas, je suis dans la cuisine.	Don’t look for me, I’m in the kitchen.	Good location phrase.
Je prépare le repas.	zhuh pray-par luh ruh-pa	I’m preparing the meal.	Je prépare le repas pour ce soir.	I’m preparing tonight’s meal.	Neutral and natural.
Tu peux mettre la table ?	too puh meh-truh la tabl	Can you set the table?	Tu peux mettre la table pendant que je cuisine ?	Can you set the table while I cook?	Very everyday family French.
Le four est allumé.	luh foor ay ta-loo-may	The oven is on.	Attention, le four est allumé.	Careful, the oven is on.	With liaison, est allumé flows together.
Le four est chaud.	luh foor ay show	The oven is hot.	Ne touche pas, le four est chaud.	Don’t touch it, the oven is hot.	Practical safety phrase.
Le frigo est vide.	luh free-go ay veed	The fridge is empty.	Le frigo est vide, il faut faire les courses.	The fridge is empty, we need to go shopping.	Painfully useful.
Il n’y a plus de lait.	eel nya plu duh lay	There’s no milk left.	Il n’y a plus de lait pour le café.	There’s no milk left for the coffee.	Plus de = no more left.
Je fais la vaisselle.	zhuh fay la vay-sel	I’m doing the dishes.	Je fais la vaisselle après le dîner.	I do the dishes after dinner.	Very common fixed phrase.
Le lave-vaisselle est plein.	luh lav-vay-sel ay plan	The dishwasher is full.	Le lave-vaisselle est plein, je le lance ce soir.	The dishwasher is full, I’ll run it tonight.	Je le lance means “I’ll start it.”
La poubelle est pleine.	la poo-bel ay plen	The bin is full.	La poubelle est pleine, il faut la sortir.	The bin is full, it needs to be taken out.	Common household complaint. A timeless classic.
Où sont les verres ?	oo son lay vair	Where are the glasses?	Où sont les verres ? Dans le placard ?	Where are the glasses? In the cupboard?	Notice plural les verres.
Passe-moi le sel, s’il te plaît.	pass-mwah luh sel seel tuh play	Pass me the salt, please.	Passe-moi le sel, s’il te plaît, la soupe manque un peu de goût.	Pass me the salt, please, the soup needs a bit more flavor.	Casual polite form with tu.
Tu veux de l’aide ?	too vuh duh led	Do you want help?	Tu veux de l’aide pour couper les légumes ?	Do you want help cutting the vegetables?	Very useful and friendly phrase.
Ça sent bon dans la cuisine.	sa son bon don la kwee-zeen	It smells good in the kitchen.	Ça sent bon dans la cuisine, qu’est-ce que tu prépares ?	It smells good in the kitchen, what are you making?	Very natural compliment phrase.

Useful Grammar Notes For Kitchen French

A few grammar details show up constantly with kitchen vocabulary, so it’s worth noticing them early.

Articles matter: you usually learn kitchen nouns with le, la, or l’. For example: le four, la poêle, l’assiette.
Elision is common: when a word starts with a vowel sound, French often shortens the article. So you get l’évier, l’armoire, l’ouvre-boîte.
Adjectives agree: le frigo est plein, but la poubelle est pleine. Same idea with chaud / chaude and cassé / cassée.
Negation is useful in real life: Le frigo n’est pas plein means “The fridge isn’t full.” Il n’y a plus de lait means “There’s no milk left.”
Contractions appear fast: au four = à + le four. du lait = de + le lait.
Liaison can pop up: in phrases like les assiettes or vous avez, the sounds connect a bit more smoothly. No need to panic; just listen for the flow.

Common Mistakes English Speakers Make

Mistake	Better French	Why
Je suis dans cuisine.	Je suis dans la cuisine.	French usually needs the article.
Le cuisine	La cuisine	Cuisine is feminine.
Le assiette	L’assiette	Use elision before a vowel sound.
La four est chaud.	Le four est chaud.	Four is masculine.
Je fais les vaisselles.	Je fais la vaisselle.	It’s a fixed expression in singular form.
Je cuisine dans le micro-ondes.	Je réchauffe au micro-ondes.	A microwave usually reheats in everyday speech.

Mini Practice: Can You Recognize These?

Try these quick checks before moving on.

How do you say “sink”? l’évier
How do you say “dishwasher”? le lave-vaisselle
How do you say “to set the table”? mettre la table
How do you say “The fridge is empty”? Le frigo est vide.
How do you say “Pass me the salt, please”? Passe-moi le sel, s’il te plaît.
How do you say “frying pan”? la poêle

Quick Reference Summary

la cuisine = the kitchen, but also “cooking/cuisine” in some contexts
Use articles with nouns: le frigo, la casserole, l’assiette
Learn practical room words first: le four, l’évier, le placard, la poubelle
Learn action phrases too: mettre la table, faire la vaisselle, préparer le repas
Watch adjective agreement: plein / pleine, chaud / chaude, cassé / cassée
Most useful real-life phrase? Honestly, Il n’y a plus de lait. It arrives sooner than you think.

Kitchen French is gloriously practical: once you know the room, the objects, and a handful of verbs, you can talk about real daily life almost immediately. Start with the words you’ll actually use at home, repeat the 15 phrases out loud, and your French will already sound much more lived-in and less textbooky. Which is nice, because nobody wants to sound like a grammar exercise while looking for a spoon.

For more beginner-friendly French guides, explore Learn French.