French Drinking Traditions
In this lesson you’ll learn how to say different kinds of drinks (les boissons) in French. When you travel to France you’ll quickly discover that that in addition to having a very rich and vast cuisine, the the country also offers a very vast selection of beverages.
Before French meals people traditionally have a light alcoholic beverage called an “apéritif”. A popular aperitif, especially in the south of France, is the “pastis”, an drink make from anise.
During the meal the beverage of choice is often bottled water or sparkling water as this is perceived to help digestion.
Speed up your learning with an app
Many of our students have greatly enhanced their learning by using an app. On these pages we've examined the top-30 apps for learning French. On this pages we've written comprehensive reviews for Pimsleur (great for people struggling with pronunciation), Rosetta Stone and FrenchPod101 (both great for visual learners).
Of course the French also enjoy drinking wine with their meals. A common “vin de table” (table wine) is often the beverage of choice for many families while the children enjoy sweetened syrup drinks (a popular one is the diabolo menthe), fruit juices and ciders.
After the meal the French often enjoy a nice coffee (usually an espresso) or a cup of tea. Finally, during the weekends and especially on Sunday afternoons French families enjoy getting together in one of the family member’s homes and enjoying a more expensive beverage.
In these situations the host will often serve a bottle of prized wine or champagne poured into the family’s best crystal glasses.
French beverages (drinks) vocabulary list
In the table below you’ll find a complete list of vocabulary words for drinks and beverages in French. Click on any of the French MP3 word links and listen!
| le citron pressé lemonade | le jus de fruit fruit juice |
| le jus de pomme apple juice | le jus d’orange orange juice |
| le jus de raisin grape juice | le jus de tomate tomato juice |
| le jus de pamplemousse grapefruit juice | le jus d'ananas pineapple juice |
| l’eau water | l’eau minéral mineral water |
| l'eau du robinet tap water | l'eau gazeuse sparkling water |
| le lait milk | le chocolat chaud hot chocolate |
| le café coffee | le thé le thé |
| le thé noir black tea | le thé vert green tea |
| le vin wine | l'apéritif apéritif |
| le champagne champagne | le vin blanc white wine |
| le vin rouge red wine | la bière beer |
| le cidre cider | le pastis anise drink |
| le diablo menthe green mint syrup in soda water | Le Coca Coca-Cola |
| le Coca light diet Coke | le Pepsi Pepsi |
Discover more:
If you've found this post useful you might want to considering looking at our post covering the best apps for learning French. We've looked a total 33 apps and have written comprehensive reviews of Rosetta Stone, Pimsleur and FrenchPod101.
- Bastille Day – The 14th of July – Traditions & Celebrations - July 1, 2022
- You’re Welcome In French: 7 Expressions Beyond “De Rien” - June 29, 2022
- Édith Piaf – Mon Dieu (French Lyrics, English Translation) - June 28, 2022
Bonjour! My name is David Issokson. I'm based in Victor, Idaho (near Jackson, Wyoming) and have helped hundreds of students to learn French online since 2013.
