In this workshop you will practice talking about food in French. You will learn how to say what you are eating, ask someone what they are eating, and say what you like or do not like. The lesson uses short, natural sentences with common foods. You will hear each example, understand its meaning in English, and then try it yourself. By the end, you should feel comfortable using je mange (I eat) and j'aime / je n'aime pas (I like / I don't like) with a few everyday foods. Take your time, repeat aloud, and focus on clear pronunciation.
Saying What You Eat
To say what you are eating, use je mange (I eat / I'm eating) followed by a food word. The source uses du for an unspecified amount of a masculine food and une for one feminine item: «Je mange du pain.» means 'I eat bread.', «Je mange du riz.» means 'I eat rice.', and «Je mange une pomme.» means 'I eat an apple.' For general likes, the source uses definite articles: le, la, l', or les. Keep the article matched to the food word and meaning; do not treat du as the article for every food. Practice saying each sentence slowly, then a little faster. Pay attention to the nasal sound in pain and the silent letters in riz and pomme.
Asking and Answering About Food
You can ask someone what they are eating with «Qu'est-ce que tu manges ?», which means 'What are you eating?' The answer can include more than one food. For example, «Je mange du pain et du fromage.» means 'I'm eating bread and cheese.' Here the speaker uses du pain and du fromage. To ask if someone likes a food, use «Tu aimes les pommes ?», which means 'Do you like apples?' The answer can be positive or negative. «Oui, j'aime les pommes, mais je n'aime pas les tomates.» means 'Yes, I like apples, but I don't like tomatoes.' Notice the structure: j'aime les pommes (I like apples) and je n'aime pas les tomates (I don't like tomatoes). The word mais means 'but'. Practice the question and answer together, switching roles.
Liking and Not Liking
To say you like something in general, use j'aime followed by le, la, l', or les. For example, «J'aime le fromage.» means 'I like cheese.' Here le fromage is used because fromage is masculine and you are talking about cheese in general. To say you don't like something, add n' before the verb and pas after it: je n'aime pas. You saw this in «Oui, j'aime les pommes, mais je n'aime pas les tomates.» with les tomates. Remember that j'aime can also mean 'I love' depending on context, but for food it usually means 'I like'. Practice saying what you like and don't like using the foods from the recordings: pain, riz, pomme, fromage, tomate. You can also mix them, for example: J'aime le pain et le fromage.
Listen once, then say the phrase yourself. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Checking available voices…
Je mange du pain.
I eat bread.
zhuh mahnzh dew pan
Je mange du riz.
I eat rice.
zhuh mahnzh dew ree
Je mange une pomme.
I eat an apple.
zhuh mahnzh ewn pom
J'aime le fromage.
I like cheese.
zhem luh froh-mahzh
Read one side aloud, then answer in your own words. The goal is to make the exchange yours.
Qu'est-ce que tu manges ?
What are you eating?Je mange du pain et du fromage.
I'm eating bread and cheese.Tu aimes les pommes ?
Do you like apples?Oui, j'aime les pommes, mais je n'aime pas les tomates.
Yes, I like apples, but I don't like tomatoes.Your turn
Try each prompt out loud. Choose a guided start, the full sequence, or a challenge pass after your first attempt.
Guided Exchange: What Are You Eating?
Imagine you are at a simple meal with a friend. You will ask what they are eating, and then answer the same question yourself.
Your task: First, listen to «Qu'est-ce que tu manges ?» and repeat it aloud. Then listen to «Je mange du pain et du fromage.» and repeat it. Now switch roles: say «Qu'est-ce que tu manges ?» as if you are asking, then answer with «Je mange du pain et du fromage.» as if you are the other person. Do this three times, trying to sound natural.
Reply Comprehension: Do You Like Apples?
You will hear a question about liking apples, and then a reply that includes both a like and a dislike.
Your task: Listen to «Tu aimes les pommes ?» and «Oui, j'aime les pommes, mais je n'aime pas les tomates.». Then answer these questions in English: 1) Does the person like apples? 2) Does the person like tomatoes? 3) What word means 'but' in the reply? After answering, repeat «Oui, j'aime les pommes, mais je n'aime pas les tomates.» aloud, focusing on the contrast between j'aime and je n'aime pas.
Recall and Role-Play: Liking and Eating
You will practice recalling the sentences from memory and using them in a short role-play.
Your task: Without looking at the recordings, try to say the following in French: 1) I eat bread. 2) I eat rice. 3) I eat an apple. 4) I like cheese. Then, imagine you are at a market. A vendor asks you what you are eating. Answer with one of the sentences you just recalled. Then ask the vendor if they like apples, using the question from the recordings. Finally, answer as the vendor with a like and a dislike.
Common questions
When do I use du and when do I use une?
For an unspecified amount, the source examples use du with masculine foods, as in «Je mange du pain.» and «Je mange du riz.». For one feminine item, use une, as in «Je mange une pomme.». For general likes, use the definite article that matches the food word: le, la, l', or les. The food's gender and whether you mean an amount or a general preference determine the article.
How do I say I don't like something?
Put n' before the verb and pas after it: je n'aime pas. For example, «Oui, j'aime les pommes, mais je n'aime pas les tomates.» shows je n'aime pas les tomates, meaning 'I don't like tomatoes.' You can use this with any food word, keeping the correct article (le, la, l', or les).
Sources and further reading
- french: name common foodsChecked September 2026
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