jus de viande
masculine
The French word for gravy is jus de viande. Wiktionary also lists sauce au jus and sauce de viande.
Meaning: sauce (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | Note |
|---|---|
| jus de viande | masculine |
| sauce au jus | feminine |
| sauce de viande | feminine |
| sauce brune | feminine |
In French, several terms can be used to describe gravy depending on the specific type of sauce. General terms like sauce au jus or sauce de viande may also be used to describe sauces made from meat-based liquids.
What does it mean word for word?
The term jus de viande literally translates to meat juice.
Which one should you use?
There is a distinction between using the word jus and the word sauce. While jus refers to the natural juices released by meat, sauce implies a prepared sauce that may have been thickened or modified.
How does it change in a sentence?
The term jus de viande is masculine, while sauce au jus, sauce de viande and sauce brune are all feminine.
Did you know?
- While jus de viande describes the product, a chef may refer to the process of creating a concentrated version as making a glace de viande.
- The French word for meat, viande, actually comes from a Latin word meaning 'things to be lived' or 'things for life'.
- In a traditional French bistro, asking for sauce without a modifier might be seen as vague, as French cuisine categorizes hundreds of distinct 'mother sauces'.
Examples in context
- Le jus de viande est très chaud.The gravy is very hot.
- Je voudrais un peu de jus de viande.I would like a little bit of gravy.
- Il manque du jus de viande sur les pommes de terre.There is no gravy on the potatoes.
Example conversation
Emma and Lucas are eating dinner together.
- EmmaLucas, tu veux du jus de viande sur tes pommes de terre ?Lucas, do you want some gravy on your potatoes?
- LucasOui, j'en veux bien, merci Emma.Yes, I would like some, thanks Emma.
- EmmaJe vais t'en servir un peu.I will pour some for you.
- LucasCe jus de viande est délicieux !This gravy is delicious!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “gravy” translations and entries sauce brune, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries de, jus, sauce, sauce brune, viande, CC BY-SA 4.0.
