French · Food & Drink
"Fish" in French: poisson
le poisson
Fish in French is le poisson, masculine. Du poisson means some fish as food; un poisson is one fish. Au restaurant you may see poisson du jour.
Market stall
Ce poisson est encore très frais.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce poisson
Say it
luh pwah-SOHN
/lə pwa.sɔ̃/
Poisson is pwah-SOHN with nasal on. Le poisson is luh pwah-SOHN. Double s keeps an s sound, not z.
"Fish" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| le poisson | the fish Animal or food. | Animal or food. |
| du poisson | some fish On the plate. | On the plate. |
| poisson grillé | grilled fish Menu item. | Menu item. |
| aller à la pêche | to go fishing Activity (related, different word). | Activity (related, different word). |
How to use poisson in real life
- 1Market stall
Ce poisson est encore très frais.
This fish is still very fresh.
Ce poisson.
- 2Dinner order
Je prends du poisson avec des légumes.
I'll have fish with vegetables.
Du poisson.
- 3Aquarium
Regarde ce petit poisson orange.
Look at that little orange fish.
Un poisson as animal.
Mistakes English speakers make with poisson
Incorrect: La poisson.
Correct: Le poisson.
Poisson is masculine.
Incorrect: Je mange du fish.
Correct: Je mange du poisson.
Use poisson.
Good to know
Poison (poison) and poisson (fish) are classic mix-ups — the extra s changes everything. Double-check menus.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Ordering at a seaside restaurant
ChatPal
Tu prends le poisson du jour ?
Are you having the fish of the day?
You
Oui, le poisson me tente.
Yes, the fish tempts me.
ChatPal
Avec du riz ?
With rice?
You
Plutôt des frites.
Fries instead.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Fish" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Fish" in French
How do you say fish in French?
Le poisson.
How do you say some fish (food)?
Du poisson.
How do you avoid confusing poison?
Poisson has ss and means fish; poison is poison.
How do you pronounce poisson?
Pwah-SOHN.
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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