bœuf
/bœf/masculine
The English word "beef" is translated into French as bœuf.
In a culinary context, bœuf is used to refer to beef. However, it is very common to use the phrase viande de bœuf to specify that you are talking about beef meat. There are several specific cuts of beef you might encounter: Filet and Filet Mignon refer to beef tenderloin, Entrecôte and Côte de Bœuf refer to a rib steak and Bavette refers to flank steak. For roast beef, you would use Rôti de bœuf.
Meaning: meat (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
While the English word "beef" refers specifically to the meat, the French word bœuf literally refers to an ox.
How does it change in a sentence?
bœuf is a masculine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/bœf/
Did you know?
- In a musical context, the phrase faire un bœuf has nothing to do with meat, but refers to a jam session.
- The spelling of bœuf uses a special character œ, which is a ligature of the letters 'o' and 'e'.
Examples in context
- Ce bœuf est bon.This beef is good.This sentence is useful for describing the quality of the bœuf.Tatoeba #6452618 by Aiji, translation #3824349 by CK
- Le bœuf est tendre.This beef is tender.This sentence is useful for describing the texture of the bœuf.Tatoeba #6465595 by Aiji, translation #59703 by CK
- Mange moins de bœuf.Eat less beef.This sentence is useful for giving advice about the amount of bœuf to consume.Tatoeba #14027133 by Rovo, translation #14026108 by rul
- 38 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Manon and Gabriel are looking at a restaurant menu.
- ManonTu veux commander du bœuf ?Do you want to order some beef?
- GabrielOui, je préfère le bœuf au poulet.Yes, I prefer beef over chicken.
- ManonLe bœuf est très cher ici.The beef is very expensive here.
- GabrielC'est vrai, mais c'est excellent.That's true, but it is excellent.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “beef” translations and entries bœuf, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bœuf, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
