à point
/a pwɛ̃/
The French phrase for "cooked medium" is à point.
à point is the standard way to request meat that is cooked medium in a French restaurant. It describes meat that is cooked so it is neither raw nor well done. You may also encounter the term Cuisson rosée, which is a formal way to refer to meat cooked to a medium doneness with a hint of pink in the center.
Which one should you use?
If you prefer your meat rarer than à point, you should ask for it saignant.
How does it change in a sentence?
When referring to the level of cooking as a noun, such as "medium cooking", use the phrase cuisson à point.
How do you pronounce it?
/a pwɛ̃/
When do people say it?
For context, if you are ordering eggs and want them soft-boiled, you would ask for œufs à la coque.
Did you know?
- In traditional French culinary circles, requesting your meat bien cuit (well done) is sometimes viewed as a faux pas that ruins the chef's work, making à point the safer cultural choice.
- The word point in this expression shares its Latin ancestor pūnctum with the English word 'punctual', as both relate to a specific, precise point in time.
- While à point refers to steak, French speakers use à point in other contexts to mean something is perfectly timed or exactly right, such as a fruit being perfectly ripe.
Examples in context
- Un steak à point, s'il vous plaîtA medium steak, please
- À point, s'il vous plaîtMedium, please
- Je voudrais mon steak à point, s'il vous plaît.I would like my steak cooked medium, please.
- Est-ce que la viande est à point ?Is the meat cooked medium?
- Il préfère sa viande à point.He prefers his meat cooked medium.
Example conversation
Lucas and Manon are ordering dinner at a restaurant.
- ManonComment veux-tu ton steak, Lucas ?How do you want your steak, Lucas?
- LucasJe le prends à point, merci.I'll have it cooked medium, thank you.
- ManonEt pour moi, ce sera bleu.And for me, it will be rare.
- LucasD'accord, je commande pour nous deux.Okay, I will order for both of us.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry à point, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries point, à, CC BY-SA 4.0.
