French · Food & Drink
"Restaurant" in French: restaurant
le restaurant
Restaurant in French is le restaurant, masculine — same spelling as English, French pronunciation. Au restaurant means at/to the restaurant. Informal: un resto.
Friday plans
On mange au restaurant ce soir ?Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce restaurant
Say it
reh-stoh-RAHN
/ʁɛs.tɔ.ʁɑ̃/
Restaurant: reh-stoh-RAHN. Nasal -ant; don't say the final t.
"Restaurant" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| le restaurant | the restaurant Standard. | Standard. |
| au restaurant | at / to the restaurant Location. | Location. |
| un resto | a restaurant (informal) Casual speech. | Casual speech. |
| réserver un restaurant | to book a restaurant Plans. | Plans. |
How to use restaurant in real life
- 1Friday plans
On mange au restaurant ce soir ?
Shall we eat at a restaurant tonight?
Au restaurant.
- 2Choosing a spot
Ce restaurant est toujours plein le week-end.
This restaurant is always full on weekends.
Ce restaurant.
- 3Booking
J'ai réservé un restaurant près du canal.
I booked a restaurant near the canal.
Réservé un restaurant.
Mistakes English speakers make with restaurant
Incorrect: On va à le restaurant.
Correct: On va au restaurant.
À + le = au.
Incorrect: Un restaurante italien.
Correct: Un restaurant italien.
Masculine: restaurant, not restaurante.
Good to know
Service is calmer than tip-driven US dining; you often ask for l'addition. Many spots still expect a reservation on busy nights.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Picking dinner
ChatPal
Tu veux un resto rapide ou un vrai restaurant ?
Want a quick spot or a real restaurant?
You
Un restaurant calme, sans trop de bruit.
A calm restaurant, without too much noise.
ChatPal
Je connais un restaurant dans la rue d'à côté.
I know a restaurant on the next street.
You
Parfait, j'ai faim.
Perfect — I'm hungry.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Restaurant" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Restaurant" in French
How do you say restaurant in French?
Le restaurant (masculine).
How do you say at the restaurant?
Au restaurant.
What is un resto?
Informal short form of restaurant.
How do you pronounce restaurant?
reh-stoh-RAHN (nasal ending).
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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- 10 Best French Speaking Practice Apps for 2026Find the best French speaking practice app to build fluency. We review 10 top tools like ChatPal for conversation, travel prep, and building confidence in 2026.
