bon repas
The English phrase "good meal" is translated into French as bon repas.
bon repas is used to describe a meal that is of high quality or tastes delicious.
Which one should you use?
While bon repas describes the quality of the food itself, bon appétit is the phrase used to wish someone enjoyment while they are eating.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Quebec, Canada, the phrase C'était ben bon! is primarily used to mean "It was really good!"
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase takes the masculine indefinite article un because repas is a masculine noun in the form un bon repas. When used in the plural, the adjective bon becomes bons and the article un becomes de before the adjective in a partitive or indefinite context, resulting in de bons repas.
Did you know?
- French distinguishes between a bon repas and a repas gastronomique. The latter refers to a meal as a cultural ritual, which is recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
- In France, a bon repas is often judged by its structure. A traditional high-quality meal typically follows a strict sequence of appetizer, main course, cheese platter and dessert.
- The word repas comes from the Latin repascere, meaning 'to feed again'. This reflects an ancient view of eating as a way to replenish the body's strength.
Examples in context
- Elle nous a servi un bon repas.She served us a good meal.This sentence is useful for showing how to say someone served a bon repas.Tatoeba #4775438 by sacredceltic, translation #314078 by CK
- Est-ce qu’Adam est capable de cuisiner un bon repas ?Can Adam cook a good meal?This sentence is useful for asking if someone is capable of cooking a bon repas.Tatoeba #10470189 by pkill, translation #11916454 by calypsow
- J'ai bien mangé ce soir. La cuisine était délicieuse!I had a good meal tonight. The food was delicious!
- Je me suis régalé(e) au restaurant ce soir. Le repas était incroyable!I indulged myself at the restaurant tonight. The meal was amazing!
- Nous avons partagé un bon repas hier.We shared a good meal yesterday.
Example conversation
Emma and Hugo are finishing dinner at a restaurant.
- EmmaC'était vraiment un bon repas !That was truly a good meal!
- HugoJe suis d'accord, Emma.I agree, Emma.
- EmmaLe chef est très talentueux.The chef is very talented.
- HugoIl a fait un excellent travail.He did an excellent job.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bon, repas, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
