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Level A2 (Beginner)
Published March 13, 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 ratatouille, a famous vegetable stew from southern France. You’ll master the pronunciation of the tricky -ouille sound and how to use the word in everyday conversations.
📘 Ratatouille meaning in French
Ratatouille (f.) is a traditional French vegetable stew from the Provence region of southern France. The dish is made by slowly cooking vegetables such as tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant, bell peppers, onions and garlic in olive oil with herbs. Ratatouille is known for its rich flavor and colorful appearance and is commonly served as a vegetable side dish, though it can also be enjoyed as a light main course.
🎬 Ratatouille in popular culture
The word ratatouille also became widely known through the 2007 Disney-Pixar animated film Ratatouille, which tells the story of a rat who dreams of becoming a chef in Paris. The movie helped introduce this traditional French vegetable dish to audiences around the world.
🎧 Ratatouille pronunciation in French
The pronunciation of ratatouille is /ʁa.ta.tuj/ (IPA), which sounds roughly like “rah-tah-too-y.” Pronunciation tip: The -ouille ending is pronounced “oo-y,” where the -ill- creates a soft “y” sound similar to the y in “yes.”
📝 Ratatouille usage examples
Elle va commander une ratatouille au restaurant.
She is going to order a ratatouille at the restaurant.
J’adore manger une bonne ratatouille maison.
I love eating a good homemade ratatouille.
Marie prépare une ratatouille pour ses amis.
Marie is preparing a ratatouille for her friends.
La ratatouille est un mélange de couleurs.
Ratatouille is a mix of colors.
👉 See also: French food vocabulary — 100+ food words with audio »
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🔗 Related words and expressions
- les légumes — vegetables
- l’aubergine (f.) — eggplant
- la courgette — zucchini
- la tomate — tomato
- le poivron — bell pepper
- l’oignon (m.) — onion
- l’ail (m.) — garlic
- l’huile d’olive (f.) — olive oil
- la cuisine provençale — Provençal cuisine
- le ragoût de légumes — vegetable stew
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