Ways to say it
| French | IPA |
|---|---|
| cuisiner | /kɥi.zi.ne/ |
| cuire or faire cuire |
Cuisiner is used when discussing the hobby or the general activity of preparing food.
Which one should you use?
While cuisiner refers to the general act of preparing a meal, cuire refers specifically to the physical process of applying heat to food. In many contexts, French speakers prefer the phrase faire cuire (to make cook) over cuire when describing the act of cooking an ingredient.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The term Cuisinier/Cuisinière is often shortened to cuistot in informal contexts. Cuistot is an informal, colloquial term for a cook, often used in a friendly or slightly reductive way.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun for a person who cooks is gendered: cuisinier for a man and cuisinière for a woman.
How do you pronounce it?
The word cuisiner has 3 syllables and is pronounced /kɥi.zi.ne/.
Did you know?
- In French slang, the verb cuisiner can mean to interrogate someone intensely, as if they are being grilled under pressure.
- The term cuisinière refers to both a female cook and the physical kitchen stove used for cooking.
- The French word cuire is a direct descendant of the Latin word coquere, which is also the ancestor of the English word 'concoct'.
Examples in context
- Qui va cuisiner ?Who'll cook?This sentence is useful for asking who will be responsible for preparing the meal using cuisiner.Tatoeba #7152185 by Micsmithel, translation #2203630 by CK
- Tom sait-il cuisiner ?Can Tom cook?This sentence is useful for asking about someone's ability to prepare food using cuisiner.Tatoeba #8664794 by Micsmithel, translation #2235654 by CK
- Sais-tu bien cuisiner ?Can you cook well?This sentence is useful for asking about someone's skill level in preparing food using cuisiner.Tatoeba #933574 by sacredceltic, translation #6887129 by CK
- Mon frère est un cuisinier talentueuxMy brother is a talented cook
- Mon oncle est un cordon-bleu en cuisineMy uncle is an excellent cook
- Je suis en train de cuisiner un délicieux repas.I am cooking a delicious meal.
- Je voudrais parler au chef, s'il vous plaît.I would like to speak to the chef, please.
- Ce repas est divin! Tu es vraiment un cordon-bleu!This meal is divine! You are truly a skilled cook!
- 135 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Gabriel are in the kitchen deciding on dinner.
- EmmaJe vais cuisiner un plat italien ce soir.I am going to cook an Italian dish tonight.
- GabrielEst-ce que tu peux cuisiner pour nous deux ?Can you cook for the both of us?
- EmmaOui, je vais cuisiner des pâtes délicieuses.Yes, I am going to cook delicious pasta.
- GabrielC'est parfait, merci Emma !That is perfect, thank you Emma!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cook” translations and entries cuisiner, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cuire, cuisiner, faire, or, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
