œuf dur
/œf dyʁ/
The English phrase "hard boiled egg" is translated into French as œuf dur.
œuf dur refers to an egg that has been cooked in boiling water until both the white and the yolk are solid.
Which one should you use?
While œuf dur refers to a fully solid egg, œuf à la coque refers to a soft-boiled egg with a runny yolk, which is typically eaten from its shell.
How does it change in a sentence?
When pluralizing the phrase to œufs durs (hard boiled eggs), both the noun and the adjective must take an 's'.
How do you pronounce it?
/œf dyʁ/
Did you know?
- While œuf dur describes the state of the egg, the French have a dedicated word mollet for an egg that is between soft and hard, specifically one with a solid white and a jammy yolk.
- In traditional French dining, an œuf à la coque is served in a specialized porcelain cup called an coquetière to hold the egg upright while it is eaten.
- The word œuf is a direct descendant of the Classical Latin word ōvum, which is also the root of the English word 'oval'.
Examples in context
- Préfères-tu un œuf à la coque avec ton petit-déjeuner ou un œuf dur ?Do you prefer a soft-boiled egg with your breakfast or a hard-boiled egg?This sentence is useful for comparing a soft-boiled egg with the form œuf dur.Tatoeba #9698135 by Micsmithel, translation #11618233 by tieguy
- J'aimerais un œuf bien cuit, s'il vous plaît.I would like a well-cooked egg, please.
- Je vais me préparer un œuf dur pour le petit déjeuner.I'm going to prepare a hard boiled egg for breakfast.
- Je n'aime pas trop les œufs bien cuits, je préfère qu'ils soient un peu mollets.I don't like eggs to be too well-cooked, I prefer them a bit soft-boiled.
- Je mange un œuf dur pour mon déjeuner.I am eating a hard boiled egg for my lunch.
- Il reste un œuf dur dans le frigo.There is one hard boiled egg left in the fridge.
Example conversation
Gabriel and Emma are preparing a snack in the kitchen.
- GabrielEmma, est-ce que tu veux un œuf dur ?Emma, do you want a hard boiled egg?
- EmmaOui, merci Gabriel, j'en ai très envie.Yes, thank you Gabriel, I really want one.
- GabrielEn voici un pour toi.Here is one for you.
- EmmaC'est parfait, merci beaucoup.It's perfect, thank you very much.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry œuf dur, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries dur, œuf, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
