French · Food & Drink

"Vegetable" in French: légume

le légume

Say it: luh lay-GUEMmasculine · le légumenoun/lə le.ɡym/

Vegetable in French is le légume, masculine. Des légumes means vegetables. At the market you ask for des légumes frais; a dish can be aux légumes.

At the market

Je prends des légumes de saison.
I'll take seasonal vegetables.
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How to pronounce légume

Say it

luh lay-GUEM

/lə le.ɡym/

Légume is lay-GUEM: acute é like ay, then guem. Le légume is luh lay-GUEM.

"Vegetable" in French: quick reference

FrenchEnglish
le légumethe vegetable

Singular item.

des légumesvegetables

Usual plural.

légumes fraisfresh vegetables

Market and cooking.

un plat de légumesa vegetable dish

On a menu.

How to use légume in real life

  1. 1At the market

    Je prends des légumes de saison.

    I'll take seasonal vegetables.

    Des légumes in shopping.

  2. 2Cooking

    Ce légume se mange cru ou cuit.

    This vegetable can be eaten raw or cooked.

    Singular ce légume.

  3. 3Kids and dinner

    Mange tes légumes, s'il te plaît.

    Eat your vegetables, please.

    Tes légumes.

Mistakes English speakers make with légume

Incorrect: La légume.

Correct: Le légume.

Légume is masculine, even though many vegetables are feminine words themselves.

Incorrect: J'achète des vegetables.

Correct: J'achète des légumes.

Use légumes.

Good to know

English vegetable is often plural in shopping talk; French also leans on des légumes. Individual items keep their own names: une carotte, un poireau.

Try it in a ChatPal conversation

Planning dinner from the fridge

  1. ChatPal

    Il nous reste quels légumes ?

    What vegetables do we have left?

  2. You

    Deux légumes un peu fatigués, et des carottes.

    Two tired vegetables, and some carrots.

  3. ChatPal

    On fait une soupe alors.

    Let's make a soup then.

  4. You

    Oui, avec du pain chaud.

    Yes, with warm bread.

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"Vegetable" in other languages

FAQ

Common questions about "Vegetable" in French

How do you say vegetable in French?

Le légume.

Is légume masculine?

Yes: le légume, un légume.

How do you say vegetables?

Des légumes.

How do you pronounce légume?

Lay-GUEM.

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  4. Step 4: Use it in real scenarios

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