Level A2 (Upper Beginner)
Published January 23, 2026 — Lesson written by French teacher David Issokson for students who want to learn French online, with native audio by Marie Assel Cambier, a voice artist from France.
The French Word of the Day is au gratin, a culinary term meaning sprinkled with breadcrumbs or grated cheese. This is one of those fun French loanwords we use all the time in English. But do the French actually use the term au gratin, and how is it used in everyday conversation?
📘 Au gratin meaning in French
Au gratin is a French cooking term used to describe dishes that are baked in the oven with a topping — usually cheese and sometimes breadcrumbs — that becomes golden and slightly crispy. The expression comes from the verb gratter (to scrape) and refers to the flavorful crust that forms on the surface as the dish cooks. Au gratin describes a method of preparation, not a specific recipe, and is commonly used for foods like potatoes, vegetables, or pasta, especially in classic dishes such as gratin dauphinois.
🎧 Au gratin pronunciation in French
The pronunciation of au gratin is /o ɡʁa.tɛ̃/ (IPA), which sounds roughly like “oh gra-tan.” In French, the final -in is a nasal sound /ɛ̃/ and the final -n is not pronounced like in English.
📝 Au gratin usage examples
Au gratin signifie qu’un plat est cuit au four avec une couche de fromage et/ou de chapelure dorée sur le dessus.
Au gratin means that a dish is baked in the oven with a layer of cheese and/or breadcrumbs browned on top.
Nous commandons des pommes de terre au gratin au restaurant.
We order potatoes au gratin at the restaurant.
Ils préparent des légumes au gratin pour accompagner la viande.
They prepare vegetables au gratin to go with the meat.
Elle aime les plats au gratin quand ils sont bien dorés.
She likes au gratin dishes when they are nicely browned.
True fluency comes from the building of vocabulary.
👉 See also: French food vocabulary (with audio) »
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🔗 Related words and expressions
- gratin dauphinois — potato gratin
- gratin de légumes — vegetable gratin
- fromage râpé — grated cheese
- chapelure — breadcrumbs
- bien doré — nicely browned
- passer au four — to bake in the oven
📚 Related lessons on FrenchLearner!
👉 French food vocabulary (with audio) »
Au gratin meaning — Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What does au gratin mean in French?
In French, au gratin describes a dish that is baked in the oven with a topping—usually cheese and sometimes breadcrumbs—that becomes golden and lightly crispy on top.
What is the origin of au gratin?
The word gratin comes from the French verb gratter (to scrape). The culinary term au gratin appeared in French cooking in the early 19th century. It was originally used to describe the browned crust formed when dishes were baked in the oven.
What are examples of au gratin dishes?
Common examples of au gratin dishes include gratin dauphinois (potatoes baked in cream), gratin de chou-fleur (cauliflower gratin), gratin de légumes (mixed vegetables baked with a browned topping), and gratin de pâtes (pasta baked with cheese).
