French for Praising the Cook: Say 'This is delicious' and 'You are a great cook'
Learn elementary French phrases to compliment a cook: say 'C'est délicieux' and 'Tu es un excellent cuisinier' with correct pronunciation and register.
By MarcusFood & cafés · Yapr Learn
When you enjoy a meal, French speakers often praise the person who made it, not just the food. This lesson teaches you elementary phrases to compliment the cook directly. You will learn 'C'est délicieux' (This is delicious) and 'Tu es un excellent cuisinier' (You are a great cook), along with polite variations for formal situations. We focus on the difference between describing food and praising the cook, so you can sound natural and appreciative in French.
By the end, you can…
- say 'This is delicious' in French.
- tell someone they are a great cook in French.
- distinguish between complimenting food and complimenting the cook.
- use the correct formal or informal form when praising someone.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
C'est délicieux.
This is delicious.
say day-lyuh-syuh
Use for any food or dish. Neutral and common.
Tu es un excellent cuisinier.
You are a great cook. (informal, to a man)
tew ay uhn ek-seh-lahn kwee-zee-nyay
Informal 'tu' to a male cook. For a woman: 'une excellente cuisinière' (ewn ek-seh-lahnt kwee-zee-nyair).
Vous êtes un très bon cuisinier.
You are a very good cook. (formal, to a man)
voo zet uhn treh bohn kwee-zee-nyay
Formal 'vous' to a male cook. For a woman: 'une très bonne cuisinière' (ewn tray bun kwee-zee-nyair).
C'est vraiment bon !
This is really good!
say vreh-mahn bohn
Enthusiastic but casual. Use with friends or family.
Bravo pour ce plat !
Well done for this dish!
brah-voh poor suh plah
Praise the cook's effort. 'Plat' means dish or course.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
To praise the cook, use 'Tu es' (informal) or 'Vous êtes' (formal) + an adjective + a noun for the cook. For a man: 'Tu es un excellent cuisinier.' For a woman: 'Tu es une excellente cuisinière.' Note that the adjective 'excellent' changes to 'excellente' for a woman, and the noun changes too. For a more general compliment, say 'C'est délicieux' or 'C'est vraiment bon.' These phrases focus on the food, but you can add 'Tu es un excellent cuisinier' to directly praise the person.
When to use it
Use 'C'est délicieux' when you taste something and want to compliment the food immediately. Use 'Tu es un excellent cuisinier' when you want to praise the cook's skill, especially after a home-cooked meal. If you are speaking to someone older, a stranger, or in a formal setting, use 'Vous êtes un très bon cuisinier' instead. For a woman, say 'une excellente cuisinière' or 'une très bonne cuisinière.' In casual settings, 'C'est vraiment bon !' works well. Avoid using 'Tu' with people you just met unless they invite you to.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Ce plat est incroyable ! Tu es un excellent cuisinier.
This dish is incredible! You are a great cook.suh plah ay an-kree-ahbl! tew ay uhn ek-seh-lahn kwee-zee-nyay.Merci beaucoup ! J'ai suivi une nouvelle recette.
Thank you very much! I followed a new recipe.mair-see boh-koo! zhay swee-vee ewn noo-vel ruh-set.C'est délicieux. Tu cuisines vraiment bien.
It's delicious. You really cook well.say day-lyuh-syuh. tew kwee-zeen vreh-mahn byan.C'est gentil. Je suis content que ça te plaise.
That's kind. I'm glad you like it.say zhahn-tee. zhuh swee kohn-tahn kuh sah tuh plez.A little context goes a long way
In France, complimenting the cook is a common politeness. Using 'tu' or 'vous' depends on your relationship: 'tu' with friends and family, 'vous' with acquaintances or in formal contexts. When unsure, use 'vous' until invited to switch. Also, 'cuisinier' refers to a cook by profession or skill; for a home cook, 'un bon cuisinier' is fine. Avoid over-praising in very formal settings; a simple 'C'est délicieux' is often enough.
One thing to watch for
Saying 'Tu es un bon cuisinier' to a woman.
Try this instead: The noun and adjective must agree in gender. For a woman, say 'Tu es une bonne cuisinière.' The adjective 'bon' becomes 'bonne' and the noun 'cuisinier' becomes 'cuisinière'.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you say 'This is delicious' in French?
Show a sample answer
C'est délicieux.
This is the standard phrase. You could also say 'C'est vraiment bon' in casual contexts.
2You want to tell your male friend he is a great cook. What do you say?
Show a sample answer
Tu es un excellent cuisinier.
Use 'tu' for a friend, and 'un excellent cuisinier' for a man. For a woman, it would be 'une excellente cuisinière'.
3How would you formally praise a female cook?
Show a sample answer
Vous êtes une très bonne cuisinière.
Use 'vous' for formality, and 'une très bonne cuisinière' for a woman. 'Une excellente cuisinière' is also correct.
Praise the cook directly with 'Tu es un excellent cuisinier' or 'Vous êtes une très bonne cuisinière', and compliment the food with 'C'est délicieux.' Match 'tu' or 'vous' to your relationship and make adjectives agree in gender.
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