Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| fait maison | /fɛ mɛ.zɔ̃/ /fɛ me.zɔ̃/ |
|
| maison | /mɛ.zɔ̃/ /me.zɔ̃/ |
familiar |
| selon la recette maison |
The phrase is used to describe something made at home. In French restaurants, fait maison is a standard label used to indicate that dishes are prepared on-site rather than being pre-packaged or industrial.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is a literal combination of the past participle fait (made) and the noun maison (home/house).
Which one should you use?
While fait maison is the standard phrase, you may also see selon la recette maison.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
In informal contexts, you can use fait maison. For a more formal way to say "prepared at home", you can use Préparé à la maison.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form of the adjective changes to agree with the gender and number of the noun it modifies. For example, use faite maison when modifying a feminine noun and faits maison when modifying a masculine plural noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/fɛ mɛ.zɔ̃/
Did you know?
- In France, the label fait maison on a menu is strictly regulated by law to prevent restaurants from lying about industrial food.
- The word fait in fait maison descends from the Latin factum, which is the same root as the English word 'fact'.
Examples in context
- C'est du fait maison.It's homemade.This sentence is useful for saying something is homemade using the phrase fait maison.Tatoeba #9416325 by Micsmithel, translation #2170801 by CK
- Cette confiture est faite maison.This jam is homemade.This sentence shows how to use the word maison to describe homemade jam.Tatoeba #5670099 by Scorpionvenin14, translation #5670097 by zumley
- La glace faite maison de ma grand-mère me manque.I miss my grandmother's homemade ice cream.This sentence shows how to use the word maison to describe homemade ice cream.Tatoeba #13338866 by genes1s, translation #10742808 by CK
- Les pâtisseries sont faites à la maisonThe pastries are homemade
- Les plats préparés à la maison sont plus sainsHomemade dishes are healthier
- Ce gâteau est fait maisonThis cake is homemade
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A couple is eating lunch at a small café.
- GabrielCe gâteau est vraiment fait maison ?Is this cake really homemade?
- LéaOui, c'est un dessert fait maison.Yes, it is a homemade dessert.
- GabrielIl est délicieux, Léa.It is delicious, Léa.
- LéaJe suis contente que tu l'aimes.I am glad that you like it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “homemade” translations and entries fait maison, maison, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries fait, la, maison, recette, selon, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
