table à manger
/ta.bl‿a mɑ̃.ʒe/
The English phrase 'dinner table' is translated into French as table à manger.
table à manger refers to the table on which dinner is served. In many contexts, simply saying la table is sufficient to refer to the dining table if the context of a meal is established.
Meaning: table on which dinner is served (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to 'table for eating'.
Which one should you use?
Do not confuse table à manger with table de nuit, which refers to a bedside table.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase is a feminine noun phrase, so the definite article is la table à manger.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /ta.bl‿a mɑ̃.ʒe/. It consists of 3 syllables.
Did you know?
- If you are invited to a French person's home, they might say 'À table !' to call everyone to the dining table, a common idiomatic shorthand that skips the noun entirely.
- The verb manger in table à manger comes from the Late Latin manducāre, which specifically meant 'to chew' or 'to devour' rather than just 'to eat'.
- While table à manger refers to the furniture, the phrase mettre la table means to set the table. In French, you do not 'set' the table with a word for 'prepare', but rather you 'put' the table.
Examples in context
- La table à manger est très grande.The dinner table is very large.
- Range les couverts sur la table à manger.Put the cutlery on the dinner table.
- Nous avons acheté une nouvelle table à manger.We bought a new dinner table.
Example conversation
Hugo and Manon are in their dining room.
- HugoOù est la nappe pour la table à manger ?Where is the tablecloth for the dinner table?
- ManonElle est dans le placard, Hugo.It is in the cupboard, Hugo.
- HugoMerci, Manon. On va pouvoir dîner.Thanks, Manon. We can eat dinner now.
- ManonOui, la table à manger est prête.Yes, the dinner table is ready.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry table à manger, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries manger, table, à, CC BY-SA 4.0.
