Opinions about food (Edexcel GCSE French): Revision Notes
📚 Revision Notes
Opinions about food
When discussing food preferences and opinions in French, you'll need to master key vocabulary and specific grammar structures. This topic is essential for tourism conversations and appears frequently in GCSE speaking assessments.
Essential food vocabulary
Basic food items and meals
| French | English |
|---|---|
| le café | coffee |
| la cuisine | cooking/cuisine |
| le déjeuner | lunch |
| l'entrée (f) | starter |
| le gâteau | cake |
| la glace | ice cream |
| le goût | taste |
| les légumes (mpl) | vegetables |
| l'œuf (m) | egg |
| le pain | bread |
Describing food and preferences
| French | English |
|---|---|
| allergique | allergic |
| délicieux/délicieuse | delicious |
| la faim | hunger |
| les frites (fpl) | chips |
| le fromage | cheese |
| aigre | sour |
| savoureux/savoureuse | tasty |
| sucré(e) | sugary |
| végétarien/végétarienne | vegetarian |
| la boisson | drink |
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Example sentences in context:
- Je suis allergique aux œufs. (I am allergic to eggs.)
- Les frites sont délicieuses mais pas très saines. (The chips are delicious but not very healthy.)
- Ma mère préfère la cuisine végétarienne. (My mother prefers vegetarian cuisine.)
- Cette boisson est trop sucrée pour moi. (This drink is too sugary for me.)
Using "en" to replace quantities
The pronoun "en" is crucial when discussing food opinions. It means 'of it', 'of them', 'some', or 'any' and replaces phrases beginning with "de".
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Key rules for using "en":
- "En" always comes before the verb
- It replaces "de" + a noun
- Use it when talking about quantities or portions
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Usage examples:
- Tu aimes manger de la viande? Oui, j'en mange beaucoup. (Do you like eating meat? Yes, I eat a lot of it.)
- Tu as de l'argent? Non, je n'en ai pas. (Do you have some money? No, I don't have any.)
Expressing likes and dislikes with le/la/les
When saying you like or dislike specific items, use le, la, or les on their own before the verb.
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Structure: Tu aimes + le/la/les + verb
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Practical examples:
- Tu aimes bien ce restaurant? Oui, je l'aime bien. (Do you like this restaurant? Yes, I like it.)
- Tu aimes les omelettes? Non, je ne les aime pas. (Do you like omelettes? No, I don't like them.)
Restaurant and dietary vocabulary
Dining out terms
| French | English |
|---|---|
| la baguette | French stick |
| les pâtes (fpl) | pasta |
| prendre un repas | to have a meal |
| le restaurant | restaurant |
| le riz | rice |
| sortir | to go out |
| végétalien | vegan |
| la viande | meat |
| la confiture | jam |
| le plat | dish |
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Context examples:
- Mon père est allergique au lait, alors il ne mange pas de glaces. (My father is allergic to milk, so he doesn't eat ice cream.)
- Ma mère adore les frites mais elle sait qu'elles sont mauvaises pour la santé. (My mother loves chips but she knows they're bad for health.)
- Je suis végétarienne. Je ne mange pas de viande. (I am vegetarian. I don't eat meat.)
Pronunciation tip
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Be careful with préfère (I prefer) and préféré (preferred/favourite). These are different words with different pronunciations:
- Préfère - present tense verb
- Préféré - past participle/adjective
Translation practice
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Translation Practice:
French to English:
- Je suis allergique aux œufs, donc je ne peux pas manger d'omelettes.
- Tu aimes ce restaurant? Oui, la cuisine est délicieuse.
English to French:
- Do you like eating meat? No, I am vegetarian.
- My favourite dish is pasta with cheese.
Answers:
- I am allergic to eggs, so I can't eat omelettes.
- Do you like this restaurant? Yes, the cuisine is delicious.
- Tu aimes manger de la viande? Non, je suis végétarien(ne).
- Mon plat préféré, ce sont les pâtes au fromage.
Speaking exam preparation
In the speaking assessment, you might be asked questions like:
- Qu'est-ce que tu préfères manger? (What do you prefer to eat?)
- Tu es allergique à quelque chose? (Are you allergic to anything?)
- Quel est tonne restaurant préféré? (What is your favourite restaurant?)
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Exam tip: Don't be distracted by irrelevant information in listening exercises. Focus on the specific question being asked and listen for key vocabulary related to food preferences and dietary restrictions.
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Key Points to Remember:
- "En" replaces "de" + noun and comes before the verb when discussing quantities
- Use le/la/les alone before verbs to express likes and dislikes about specific items
- Master food vocabulary for both dietary restrictions and preferences
- Préfère (verb) and préféré (adjective) are different words with different pronunciations
- Practice expressing opinions about food using varied vocabulary to impress examiners