sandwich au fromage fondu
The English phrase "grilled cheese" is sandwich au fromage fondu in French.
The term refers to a sandwich made of grilled bread and melted cheese.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase au fromage fondu literally means with melted cheese.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the south of France, croque provençal refers to a grilled cheese with tomatoes and herbs. Croque savoyard is a variation of grilled cheese made with raclette cheese.
Did you know?
- The word fromage shares an unexpected ancestor with the English word 'form', as both trace back to the Latin 'forma', meaning 'mould' or 'shape'.
- The word croque comes from the French verb croquer, which means 'to crunch' or 'to bite'.
- While sandwich au fromage fondu is descriptive, if you order a grilled cheese in a French cafe, you are more likely to be served a croque-monsieur, which traditionally includes ham.
Examples in context
- Je voudrais un croque-monsieur, s'il vous plaîtI would like a grilled cheese, please
- Puis-je avoir un sandwich au fromage grillé?Can I have a grilled cheese sandwich?
Example conversation
Gabriel and Léa are deciding what to eat for lunch.
- GabrielLéa, j'ai très faim aujourd'hui.Léa, I am very hungry today.
- LéaMoi aussi, Gabriel. On mange quoi ?Me too, Gabriel. What are we eating?
- GabrielJe vais préparer un sandwich au fromage fondu.I am going to make a grilled cheese sandwich.
- LéaSuper idée, j'adore ça !Great idea, I love that!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries fondu, fromage, sandwich, CC BY-SA 4.0.
