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113 yummy vegetables in French to make your vocab more tasty

To take your French to the high standards of French cuisine, you’ll have to learn all about the vegetables in French.

French cuisine is world-renowned for its bread and cheeses, but fresh vegetables make up a huge part of the culinary scene in France. The popular dish ratatouille (no relation to animated rats!) is a colorful display of aubergine, courgette, tomate, and even more tasty veggies.

And what better way to add some flavor to your French experience than by learning all the vegetables? Of course, you could simply learn how to say vegetables and the names of a handful of veggies, but then your meals wouldn’t be nearly as flavorful. Plus, learning French is all about pushing your boundaries to become fully proficient in this beautiful language!

And even if you’re not a professional chef—or even a good cook—you can benefit greatly from learning how to talk about vegetables!

This handy guide will show you how to talk about any vegetable like a pro. With over a hundred different vegetables and their French translations, this list is sure to cover all your favorites.

Allez-y !

Chef prepares new vegetable dish for restaurant owners in French.

Free French vegetables poster

Print out this free and fun vegetables poster and stick it on your fridge. If you can memorize this list of some of the more popular vegetables in French, you'll be on your way to sounding like a local.

Free French vegetables poster.

Why learn how to say vegetables in French

French restaurants will become a lot more fun

No matter where you are in the world, there’s likely at least one French restaurant nearby. French food is considered some of the best in the world and, for some reason, French restaurants seem adamant about listing every menu item in French, regardless of the local language.

Next time you visit a French restaurant, you’ll be able to decipher all the ingredients like a real pro. With over a hundred veggies under your belt, you’ll be more than capable of understanding each dish, as well as requesting any modifications you may need from the server.

Plus, being able to flawlessly read and pronounce a French menu can be a great way to impress a special someone. Next time you want to go on a date, you can suggest a great French restaurant to show off your lovely language skills. You could even practice some romantic expressions in French too!

You’ll be able to follow French recipes

What better way to learn how to cook French food than by learning directly from the locals? Once you’ve mastered all the veggies in this list, you’ll be able to cook some great new French recipes that you may or may not have heard of before.

Luckily, YouTube is full of fantastic (and free!) cooking videos from French chefs. Below is a video from 750g, a French cooking YouTube channel with hundreds of French-language cooking videos for you to practice your French (and cooking skills!).

French cooking shows will become a blast

If you’re a fan of shows like Master Chef or The Great British Bake Off, get ready for French cooking shows. Not only are they a ton of fun, but they are also great ways to learn French. People on these shows tend to describe what they are doing as they are doing it, which will help you develop your listening skills tremendously.

Here are some great shows to get you started:

  • Chef’s Table: France
  • Martin sur la route
  • Top chef France

List of vegetables in French

Now, let’s get into the potatoes of this article: how to say vegetables in French. But first, let’s discuss how to actually say vegetables.

Perhaps a little bit surprisingly, vegetables is les légumes (leh lay-goom) in French. Yep, légumes means vegetables. What you’re thinking of is les légumineuses (leh lay-goo-me-noss). A little tricky, right?

Let’s recap:

  • Vegetables = les légumes
  • Legumes = les légumineuses

But that’s it! That’s really the trickiest part about learning vegetables for English speakers. With enough practice, you’ll train your brain to no longer associate légumes with legumes. Trust us!

Now it’s time for our comprehensive list of vegetables in French. We’ve broken them down into different types of vegetables (including legumes!) to make it easier to digest.

We’ve included over 100 different veggies, which may seem a lot, but we just couldn’t narrow it down! Vegetables come in all shapes, sizes, and colors, so learning all these vegetables will drastically improve your vocabulary.

Root vegetables in French

Root vegetables are incredibly popular in French cooking. French stews tend to be very thick, and they’re usually made with lots of carrots and celery. So if you want to learn all the légumes du marché (the vegetables in the market), you’ll have to start with learning how to say carrot in French.

Root vegetables and carrots in French.

EnglishFrenchIPA SpellingPronunciation
CarrotLa carottela kaʁɔtLa kah-rot
ParsnipLe panaislə panɛLuh pah-neh
TurnipLe navetlə navɛLuh nah-veh
BeetLa betteravela bɛtʁavLa bet-rav
CeleriacLe céleri-ravelə seləʁiʁavLuh seh-leh-rie-rav
DaikonLe daïkonlə daikɔ̃Luh dah-e-kon
Parsley rootLa racine de persilla ʁasin də pɛʁsiLa rah-seen duh pear-see
RadishLe radislə ʁadiLuh rah-dee
Salsify rootLa racine de salsifisla ʁasin də salsifiLa rah-seen duh sal-see-fee
SwedeLe rutabagalə ʁytabaɡaLuh roo-tah-bah-ga
HorseradishLe raifortlə ʁɛfɔʁLuh reh-e-for
YuccaLe yuccalə jukaLuh yoo-kah
FennelLe fenouillə fənujLuh fuh-nu-e
GingerLe gingembrelə ʒɛ̃ʒɑ̃bʁLuh zhuh-zhem-bruh
JicamaLe pois patatelə pwa patatLuh poo-ah pah-tat
Water chestnutLa châtaigne d'eaula ʃatɛɲ doLa sha-teh-nye d-oh

Tuber vegetables in French

Tubers are not to be confused with root vegetables. Although very similar, tuber vegetables are an edible part of a plant, as opposed to root vegetables, which are edible plants. Potatoes, for example, are tubers and not root vegetables. And you know who loves a potato? The French!

Indeed, potatoes are the favorite vegetable of French people. Who knew the land of the French fries (they’re actually from Belgium, but that’s a different story) would be full of potato enthusiasts.

Tuber and yams in French.

EnglishFrenchIPA SpellingPronunciation
PotatoLa pomme de terrela pɔm də tɛʁLa pom duh ter
Sweet PotatoLa patate doucela patat dusLa pah-tat doos
YamL’ignameliɲamLah-nyam
CassavaLe manioclə manjɔkLuh mah-knee-ok
Jerusalem artichokeLe topinambourlə tɔpinɑ̃buʁLuh toh-pee-nam-boor
TaroLe tarolə taʁoLuh tah-ro

Bulb vegetables in French

What better way to start a dish than by sautéing some onion and garlic? Bulb vegetables are essential parts to every meal, as little veggies like chives and scallions can really help give your dish a spicy kick that’ll bring out all the other flavors.

EnglishFrenchIPA SpellingPronunciation
OnionL’oignonlɔɲɔ̃Loh-nyon
Red onionL’oignon rougelɔɲɔ̃ ʁuʒLoh-nyon rouge
GarlicL’aillajLay
ShallotL'échaloteleʃalɔtLeh-sha-lot
ChivesLa ciboulettela sibulɛtLa see-boo-let
ScallionsL’oignon vertlɔɲɔ̃ vɛʁLoh-nyon ver
Fennel bulbLa tête de fenouilla tɛt də fənujLa tet duh fuh-nu-e
LeekLe poireaulə pwaʁoLuh pua-roh

Stems and shoots in French

Sometimes, we avoid eating the stems off of leafy greens. Other times, the stems are the main attraction. Veggies like asparagus, celery, and hearts of palm can be the star of the show in many dishes, whereas others like rhubarb and lemongrass can be a more subtle complement to complex flavors.

Asparagus and stems in French.

EnglishFrenchIPA SpellingPronunciation
AsparagusL’aspergelaspɛʁʒLas-persh
White asparagusL’asperge blanchelaspɛʁʒə blɑ̃ʃLas-persh blansh
CeleryLe célerilə seləʁiLuh seh-leh-rie
Heart of palmLe cœur de palmierlə kœʁ də palmjeLe korr duh pal-me-eh
Bamboo shootsLes pousses de bambousle pus də bɑ̃buLeh poos duh bam-boo
KohlrabiLe chou-ravelə ʃuʁavLuh shoo-rav
RhubarbLa rhubarbela ʁybaʁbLa roo-barb
LemongrassLa citronnellela sitʁɔnɛlLa see-tro-nelle

Flower vegetables in French

Flower vegetables are the gift that keeps on giving. Just ask cauliflower, who has had a very busy couple of years. From being rice, to pizza crust, to even pasta, cauliflower has mastered the art of shape-shifting. Simply by learning how to say cauliflower in French, you’ll be able to expertly navigate any vegan restaurant menu in France.

EnglishFrenchIPA SpellingPronunciation
CauliflowerLe chou-fleurlə ʃuflœʁLuh shoo-flur
ArtichokeL’artichautlaʁtiʃoLar-tee-shoh
BroccoliLe brocolilə bʁɔkɔliLuh bro-co-lee
BroccoliniLe brocolinilə bʁɔkɔliniLuh bro-co-lee-knee
ZucchiniLa courgettela kuʁʒɛtLa koor-zhet
Pumpkin flowerLa fleur de citrouillela flœʁ də sitʁujLa flur duh see-troo-e

Fungi and mushrooms in French

Mushroom culture in France is unlike anywhere else in the world. Just like Americans like to go fishing, the French like to go picking mushrooms. Mushroom foraging is something that many children and adults enjoy doing in their spare time.

If you enjoy mushrooms and want to learn more, there’s even a mushroom museum in western France. And if you’d like something even more hands-on, you can visit Espace Rambouillet, a popular park for mushroom foraging near the outskirts of Paris.

Mushrooms in French restaurant.

EnglishFrenchIPA SpellingPronunciation
Button mushroomLe champignon de Parislə ʃɑ̃piɲɔ̃ də paʁiLuh sham-pee-nyo duh pah-ree
Enoki mushroomLe champignon enokilə ʃɑ̃piɲɔ̃ ənɔkiLuh sham-pee-nyo eh-no-key
Oyster mushroomLe pleurotelə plœʁɔtLuh pluh-roh
Porcini mushroomLes cèpesle sɛpLeh sep
Black trumpet mushroomLa trompette de la mortla tʁɔ̃pɛt də la mɔʁLa trom-pet duh la mor
Portobello mushroomLe champignon portobellolə ʃɑ̃piɲɔ̃ pɔʁtɔbeloLuh sham-pee-nyo por-toh-beh-lo
Shiitake mushroomLe champignon shiitakelə ʃɑ̃piɲɔ̃ ʃiitakLuh sham-pee-nyo she-tah-kay
Blue foot mushroomLe pied bleulə pje bløLuh pee-eh bluh
Girolle mushroomLa girollela ʒiʁɔlLa zhee-rol
Hedgehog mushroomLe pied de moutonlə pje də mutɔ̃Luh pee-eh duh moo-toh
Red pine mushroomLe lactaire délicieuxlə laktɛʁ delisjøLuh lac-ter day-lee-see-uh
TruffleLa truffela tʁyfLa troof

Leaves in French

This section will be interesting for any English speaker. The French word for lettuce is something you’re already familiar with: la salade. So, then, how do you say salad in French, you may ask? Also la salade. Simple, right?

If you want to be very specific, there is another word for lettuce that you can use: la laitue (la leh-too). However, la salade is much more common in everyday conversation.

EnglishFrenchIPA SpellingPronunciation
LettuceLa saladela saladLa sa-lad
Iceberg lettuceLa salade icebergla salad‿ ajsbɛʁɡLa sa-lad ice-berg
Romaine lettuceLa salade romainela salad ʁɔmɛnLa sa-lad roh-men
Lamb’s lettuceLa mâchela maʃLa mash
KaleLe chou frisélə ʃu fʁizeLuh shoo free-say
CabbageLe choulə ʃuLuh shoo
SpinachL’épinardlepinaʁLay-pee-nar
ArugulaLa roquettela ʁɔkɛtLa roh-ket
Bok choyLe bok choylə bɔk ʃɔjLuh bok-choy
Brussels sproutsLes choux de Bruxellesle ʃu də bʁysɛlLes shoo duh broo-sel
RadicchioLe radicchiolə ʁadikʃjoLuh rah-dee-key-oh
ChardLes bettesle bɛtLeh bet
WatercressLe cressonlə kʁesɔ̃Luh cray-soh
Collard greensLe chou vertlə ʃu vɛʁLuh shoo ver
DandelionLe pissenlitlə pisɑ̃liLe pee-sah-lee
EndiveL’endivelɑ̃divLah-deev
Mustard greensLes feuilles de moutardele fœj də mutaʁdLeh fuh-ee duh moo-tar

“Fruit” vegetables in French

We’re all guilty of grouping some of these fruits with vegetables. Even though they like to hang out with the veggies, these impostor vegetables were actually fruits all along.

Regardless, they’ve earned a spot in our list of vegetables because we all deserve to be whoever we want to be.

Fruit vegetables and tomatoes in French.

EnglishFrenchIPA SpellingPronunciation
TomatoLa tomatela tɔmatLa toh-mat
TomatilloLa petite tomatela pətit tɔmatLa puh-teet toh-mat
CucumberLe concombrelə kɔ̃kɔ̃bʁLuh con-com-bruh
EggplantL’auberginelobɛʁʒinLoh-ber-zheen
PlantainLe plantainlə plɑ̃tɛ̃Luh plah-tah
PumpkinLa citrouillela sitʁujLa see-troo-ee
ChiliLe chililə ʃiliLuh chee-lee
Bell pepperLe poivronlə pwavʁɔ̃Luh pua-vroh
Cayenne pepperLe poivre de Cayennelə pwavʁə də kajɛnLuh pua-vruh duh kah-yen
HabaneroL’habanerolabanʁoLah-bah-neh-roh
JalapeñoLe jalapeñolə ʒalapəoLuh ha-la-peh-nyo
PeperoncinoLe peperoncinolə pəpʁɔ̃sinoLuh peh-peh-ron-chee-no
OkraLe gombolə ɡɔ̃boLuh gom-boh
Spaghetti SquashLa courge spaghettila kuʁʒə spaɡɛtiLa koorsh spa-geh-tee
ChayoteLa chayottela ʃɛjɔtLa sha-yot
Bitter melonLa margosela maʁɡozLa mar-goss
Winter melonLa courge cireusela kuʁʒə siʁøzLa koorsh see-ruz
JackfruitLe jacquierlə ʒakjeLe zha-key-eh
VanillaLa vanillela vanijLa vah-nee-yuh

Seeds (legumes) in French

As previously discussed, legumes are légumineuses and vegetables are légumes. Now say it out loud! Say it three times!

The sooner you can drill this down, the sooner you will stop getting confused every time someone brings up vegetables and legumes in French. With enough practice, you’ll nail down the difference in no time!

Legumes and edamame in French.

EnglishFrenchIPA SpellingPronunciation
BeansLes haricotsle aʁikoLes ah-re-coh
Black beansLes haricots noirsle aʁiko nwaʁLes ah-re-coh nwar
Pinto beansLes haricots pintole aʁiko pɛ̃toLes ah-re-coh peen-toh
Kidney beansLes haricots rougesle aʁiko ʁuʒLes ah-re-coh roosh
Fava beansLes fèvesle fɛvLeh fev
Green beansLes haricots vertsle aʁiko vɛʁLes ah-re-coh ver
ChickpeaLe pois chichelə pwa ʃiʃLuh pua sheesh
EdamameL’edamamelədamamLay-dah-mam
PeasLes poisle pwaLeh pua
Snow peasLes pois mangetoutle pwa mɑ̃ʒtuLeh pua mansh-too
Snap peasLes pois gourmandsle pwa ɡuʁmɑ̃Leh pua goor-mah
LentilLa lentillela lɑ̃tijLa luh-tee-y
PeanutLe cacahuètelə kakaɥɛtLuh kah-kah-uet
SoybeanLa sojala sɔʒaLa soh-yah
CornLe maïslə maisLuh meh-is

Sea vegetables in French

If you’re a fan of sushi and Japanese cuisine as a whole, you’ll want to get acquainted with the sea veggies in French. Next time you find yourself in a French-speaking region, you’ll be able to get your sushi fix with ease once you know the sea vegetables.

Nori seaweed in French.

EnglishFrenchIPA SpellingPronunciation
NoriLe norilə nɔʁiLuh noh-ree
WakameLe wakamelə wakamLuh wa-kam
Green laverLa lave vertela lav vɛʁtLa lav ver
Sea lettuceLa laitue de merla lɛty də mɛʁLa leh-too duh mer
KelpLe varechlə vaʁɛkLuh va-resh
Sea mossLa mousse de merla mus də mɛʁLa moose duh mer

Tips for memorizing the vegetables in French

Woman reading menu to learn vegetables in French.

Frequent your local French restaurants

As previously discussed, French restaurants are notorious for not taking French off the menu. Perhaps it’s a part of the romantic and chic allure of going to a French restaurant, ordering some soupe d'oignon to start, a glass of cabernet sauvignon, and a boeuf bourguignon. And, why not, some crème brulée for dessert!

Frequenting your local French restaurants will not only expose you to a wonderful culinary experience but will also allow you to work on your French. Ask a staff member if they have any French-speaking staff at the restaurant. See if they’ll be able to take your order in French or at least help you correct your pronunciation.

And, even if they don’t have French-speaking staff members, you can still use this as an opportunity to practice your French pronunciation out in public.

Listen to French vegetable songs

One of the greatest things about the internet is that you can find basically anything you might need. If you’re the type of person who likes to learn languages by listening to music, then you’re in for a treat.

Here’s a fun and catchy song about the vegetables that you can use to memorize some of the most common vegetables. It also talks about vegetables that come in different colors, so it will help you master the colors in French as well.

Learn about French markets on YouTube

If you’ve been to France before, especially to towns and smaller cities, you’ll know how popular open-air fruit and vegetable markets are. If you can’t physically go to a French market, you can always turn to YouTube for great tours of some of the best markets in France.

Here’s a video that will take you through the fruit and vegetable section of marché de Rungis, the largest food market in the world!

French idioms about vegetables

If you’ve been studying French online or in-person, you may have realized that the French love their idioms. Seemingly nonsensical phrases are scattered through everyday conversation, leaving those who don’t know the context wondering what the other person meant.

Luckily, you can learn the meaning behind many new French idioms now that you know over a hundred veggies in French. A lot of these idioms also incorporate some French slang, so if you’re unfamiliar, you might want to go check out our blog post before you proceed.

Here are some of our favorite French idioms involving vegetables.

French IdiomIPA SpellingPronunciationEnglish meaning
Les carottes sont cuitesle kaʁɔt sɔ̃ kɥitLay kah-rot soh koo-eetYour fate is sealed
C’est la fin des haricotssɛ la fɛ̃ de aʁikoSay la fah des ah-re-kohGame over
Occupe-toi de tes oignonsɔkyptwa də tez‿ ɔɲɔ̃Oh-coupe-too-ah duh tes oh-nyohMind your own business
Raconter des saladesʁakɔ̃te de saladRah-koh-teh deh sah-ladTo make up stories
CarroterkaʁɔteKah-ro-tehTo swindle
Mettre du beurre dans les épinardsmɛtʁə dy bœʁ dɑ̃ lez‿ epinaʁMeh-truh doo burr dah les ay-pee-narTo increase your income
Mon choumɔ̃ ʃuMoh shoeMy dear
C’est un navet !sɛt‿ ɛ̃ navɛSeht oon nah-vehThis is awful!
Se prendre le chousə pʁɑ̃dʁə lə ʃuSuh pran-druh luh shoeTo argue with a friend
PoireauterpwaʁotePoo-ah-roh-tehTo wait for a long time
Être rouge comme une tomateɛtʁə ʁuʒ kɔm‿ yn tɔmatEh-truh roosh come oon toh-matTo turn red like a tomato
Ne pas avoir un radisnə pa avwaʁ‿ ɛ̃ ʁadiNuh pas ah-voo-ar ah rah-deeto be completely broke
Faire quelque chose aux petits oignonsfɛʁ kɛlkə ʃoz‿ o pətiz‿ ɔɲɔ̃Fehr kell-kuh shoss oh puh-teet oh-nyohTo do something very carefully
Appuyer sur le champignonapɥije syʁ lə ʃɑ̃piɲɔ̃Ah-poo-eh-yeh sur luh sham-pee-nyohTo step on the gas
Avoir un pois chiche dans la têteavwaʁ‿ ɛ̃ pwa ʃiʃ dɑ̃ la tɛtAh-voo-ar ah poo-ah sheesh dah la tetTo have a pea brain
Se prendre une châtaignesə pʁɑ̃dʁ‿ yn ʃatɛɲSuh pran-druh oon sha-teh-nyeTo be punched
Avoir un cœur d’artichautavwaʁ‿ ɛ̃ kœʁ daʁtiʃoAh-voo-ar ah korr dar-tee-shohSomeone who falls in love easily
Avoir la patateavwaʁ la patatAh-voo-ar la pah-tatTo feel great

Don’t forget to learn your veggies!

We know that learning over a hundred new words is no small potatoes. But, just the fact that you got to the end of this article shows that you are committed to the cause and will soon master saying all the vegetable names in the French language!

Using our tips and strategies will help you learn all the vegetables like a pro. And if you feel like you’ve already got a pretty good grasp on the veggies, why stop there? Check out our French language blog for even more awesome guides on all kinds of French vocabulary.

As always, get in touch with us if you have any questions about learning French and we’d be happy to help.

Thanks for reading and à bientôt !

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