gombo
/ɡɔ̃.bo/masculine
The English phrase gumbo is translated into French as gombo.
gombo is a masculine noun that refers to a soup or stew.
Meaning: soup or stew (noun)
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some parts of Louisiana, locals use the word Gombo to refer to gumbo.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has two syllables and is pronounced /ɡɔ̃.bo/.
Did you know?
- The French word gombo is not native to Europe but traveled through the Antilles from the Kimbundu word kingombo, which means 'okra'.
- While in English 'gumbo' refers to the dish, the French gombo specifically refers to the ingredient 'okra' itself.
- In the cultural context of the dish, gombo represents a culinary blend of West African, French and Spanish influences, reflecting the colonial history of the Caribbean and Louisiana.
Examples in context
- Le bouc fait le gombo, le lapin le mange.The goat makes the gumbo, the rabbit eats it.This sentence is useful for seeing the word gombo in context.Tatoeba #10836353 by DavidDias, translation #10836352 by DavidDias
- Aujourd'hui, nous apprendrons à préparer un délicieux ragoût de gombo.Today, we will learn to prepare a delicious gumbo stew.
Example conversation
Nathan and Léa are at a restaurant.
- NathanLéa, veux-tu goûter ce gombo ?Léa, do you want to taste this gumbo?
- LéaOui, ça a l'air délicieux !Yes, it looks delicious!
- NathanC'est un gombo traditionnel de Louisiane.It is a traditional Louisiana gumbo.
- LéaC'est vraiment savoureux.It is really flavorful.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “gumbo” translations and entries gombo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries gombo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
