manger
/mɑ̃.ʒe/
The English phrase 'eat' is translated into French as manger.
manger is the standard verb used when referring to the act of eating a meal. If you want to suggest grabbing a bite to eat or having a snack, you can use the expression manger un morceau.
Meaning: eat a meal (verb)
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
While manger is the standard term, the word bouffer is a colloquial way to say 'eat'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb manger has several forms depending on the tense and subject. The first-person plural present tense form is mangeons (we eat / we are eating), and the third-person singular imperfect tense form is mangeait (was eating / used to eat). The past participle is mangé (eaten).
How do you pronounce it?
/mɑ̃.ʒe/
Did you know?
- If you say you are 'going to eat' in a very casual way, you might use the slang se rincer la dalle, which literally translates to 'rinsing one's gullet'.
- The word mange-tout refers to a type of snap pea, literally translating to 'eat-all'.
- The Latin ancestor of manger, manducāre, is the same root used in the English word 'masticate'.
Examples in context
- Je vais manger !I am going to eat!This sentence is useful for expressing the intention to eat using manger.Tatoeba #11621765 by Adrien_FR, translation #7681776 by ouitroisheures19
- Vas-tu manger ça ?Are you going to eat that?This sentence is useful for asking if someone is going to eat something using manger.Tatoeba #1842480 by sacredceltic, translation #1841746 by CK
- Je veux manger ça.I want to eat this.This sentence is useful for expressing a desire to eat something using manger.Tatoeba #7669365 by tras, translation #5152930 by CarpeLanam
- Je vais manger au restaurant ce soir.I am going to eat at the restaurant tonight.
- Nous allons manger ensemble.We are going to eat together.
- J'ai trop faim, je vais bouffer une pizza.I'm so hungry, I'm going to eat a pizza.
- Ça te dit de manger un morceau ce midi?Would you like to grab a bite to eat for lunch?
- 1251 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A couple is deciding what to do for lunch.
- ManonTu veux manger maintenant ?Do you want to eat now?
- GabrielOui, j'ai très faim.Yes, I am very hungry.
- ManonOn va manger une pizza ?Shall we eat a pizza?
- GabrielBonne idée, Manon.Good idea, Manon.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “eat” translations and entries manger, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries manger, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
