French · Food & Drink
"Dinner" in French: dîner
le dîner
Dinner in French is le dîner. Dîner can also be a verb: on dîne à vingt heures. In parts of France the evening meal is still later than in some other countries.
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How to pronounce dîner
Say it
dee-NAY
/di.ne/
Dîner is dee-NAY. The î is a clear ee. Soft final r.
"Dinner" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| le dîner | dinner The evening meal. | The evening meal. |
| dîner | to have dinner Verb: on dîne. | Verb: on dîne. |
| au dîner | at dinner When something is served. | When something is served. |
| invitation à dîner | dinner invitation Social plans. | Social plans. |
How to use dîner in real life
- 1Home
Le dîner est prêt dans dix minutes.
Dinner will be ready in ten minutes.
Le dîner.
- 2Invite
Tu viens dîner chez nous vendredi ?
Are you coming to dinner at ours on Friday?
Dîner as verb.
- 3Restaurant
On réserve pour le dîner à vingt et une heures.
We're booking dinner for nine.
Pour le dîner.
Mistakes English speakers make with dîner
Incorrect: Le dinner.
Correct: Le dîner.
Use dîner.
Incorrect: Le déjeuner at night.
Correct: Le dîner.
Déjeuner is lunch; dîner is the evening meal.
Good to know
French dîner often starts later than Anglo early-bird dinners. Business lunches may matter more than evening work meals outside big cities.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Hosting friends
ChatPal
Le dîner commence à vingt heures.
Dinner starts at eight.
You
Je peux apporter quelque chose pour le dîner ?
Can I bring something for dinner?
ChatPal
Oui, un dessert. Merci.
Yes, a dessert. Thanks.
You
Une tarte aux pommes, alors.
An apple tart, then.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Dinner" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Dinner" in French
What is dinner in French?
Le dîner.
Is dîner also a verb?
Yes — on dîne means we're having dinner.
Dinner vs lunch?
Déjeuner = lunch; dîner = dinner.
How do you pronounce dîner?
Dee-NAY.
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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