French · Food & Drink
"Chicken" in French: poulet
le poulet
Chicken in French is le poulet. Du poulet means some chicken on a plate or in a recipe. A whole bird is often un poulet rôti.
At the butcher
Je prends un kilo de poulet, s'il vous plaît.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce poulet
Say it
puh-LEH
/pu.lɛ/
Poulet is puh-LEH. The final t is silent. Soft French u as in tu.
"Chicken" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| le poulet | chicken (meat or bird) Default word at the butcher and on menus. | Default word at the butcher and on menus. |
| du poulet | some chicken Partitive: chicken as food. | Partitive: chicken as food. |
| un poulet rôti | a roast chicken Whole bird from the rotisserie. | Whole bird from the rotisserie. |
| une cuisse de poulet | a chicken thigh Ordering a specific cut. | Ordering a specific cut. |
How to use poulet in real life
- 1At the butcher
Je prends un kilo de poulet, s'il vous plaît.
I'll take a kilo of chicken, please.
Poulet for the meat.
- 2Sunday lunch
On mange du poulet avec des frites.
We're having chicken with fries.
Du poulet = some chicken.
- 3Market chat
Ce poulet est élevé en plein air.
This chicken is free-range.
Le poulet can mean the whole bird.
Mistakes English speakers make with poulet
Incorrect: Je mange la chicken.
Correct: Je mange du poulet.
Use poulet, not the English word. Partitive du for food amounts.
Incorrect: Un poulet de terre.
Correct: Une pomme de terre.
Potato is pomme de terre. Poulet is only chicken.
Good to know
A poulet rôti from the market or supermarket rotisserie is a classic French weeknight shortcut: crispy skin, sold by weight, often with potatoes cooked in the juices.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Choosing dinner at the market
ChatPal
Tu veux du poulet ou du poisson ce soir ?
Do you want chicken or fish tonight?
You
Du poulet, avec une salade.
Chicken, with a salad.
ChatPal
Parfait. Il reste un beau poulet rôti.
Perfect. There's still a nice roast chicken left.
You
On le partage à deux.
We'll share it between us.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Chicken" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Chicken" in French
How do you say chicken in French?
Le poulet.
Is poulet the bird or the meat?
Both. Context decides: the animal or chicken on your plate.
How do I order roast chicken?
Un poulet rôti, s'il vous plaît.
How do you pronounce poulet?
Puh-LEH, silent final t.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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