buffet
/by.fɛ/
The English phrase "buffet" is translated into French as buffet.
In French, buffet can refer to both the style of food service and the piece of furniture used to display food or dishes.
Meaning: food (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
/by.fɛ/
Did you know?
- The French word bouffer, meaning 'to eat' or 'to wolf down', is thought by some linguists to be an imitative sound that shares the same root as buffet.
- In a French hotel or café, a buffet might refer to the physical counter or bar area where drinks and snacks are prepared, rather than a meal service.
- While 'buffet' in English almost always implies a self-service meal, in French buffet can describe a professional catering setup where servers provide the food from a side table.
Examples in context
- Tu es encore au buffet ?Are you still at the buffet?This sentence is useful for asking if someone is currently at the buffet.Tatoeba #12573666 by Rovo, translation #12593274 by rul
- Pourriez-vous me montrer ce que vous servez dans le buffet ?Could you show me what you're serving in the buffet?This sentence is useful for asking to see the food being served in the buffet.Tatoeba #391451 by Sushiman, translation #35106 by Zifre
- Les invités ont été ravis du repas au buffet.The guests were delighted with the meal at the buffet.
- On se retrouve au buffet à volonté ce soir?Shall we meet at the all-you-can-eat buffet tonight?
- Le buffet est ouvert maintenant.The buffet is open now.
Example conversation
Gabriel and Chloé are at a wedding reception.
- GabrielRegarde, le buffet est enfin prêt !Look, the buffet is finally ready!
- ChloéGénial, j'ai très faim, Gabriel.Great, I'm very hungry, Gabriel.
- GabrielQu'est-ce que tu veux prendre au buffet ?What do you want to get from the buffet?
- ChloéJe vais commencer par les fruits.I'm going to start with the fruit.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry buffet, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries buffet, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
