saignant
/sɛ.ɲɑ̃/
In French, the phrase for rare meat is saignant.
The term saignant is used to describe meat that is cooked for a short time so that the center remains red. When ordering a steak in a French restaurant, you typically state the meat type followed by the desired cooking level, such as un steak saignant. Informally, you may also hear the expression Viande bleue to describe meat cooked very briefly at a rare level.
Which one should you use?
While saignant refers to rare meat, you can use other terms depending on your preference: use bleu if you want the meat even rarer (essentially seared on the outside and cold/red in the middle), à point if you prefer medium and bien cuit if you want your meat well done.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective saignant must agree in gender with the noun it modifies. Use saignante if the meat is a feminine noun like viande.
How do you pronounce it?
/sɛ.ɲɑ̃/
Did you know?
- If you are a fan of intense way of speaking, you might encounter the phrase un ton saignant, which describes a tone of voice that is particularly sharp or biting.
- In traditional French culinary circles, ordering a steak bien cuit is sometimes seen as a faux pas, as it is believed to destroy the flavor and texture of high-quality beef.
- The word saignant is the present participle of the verb saigner, which was historically used to describe the medical practice of bloodletting.
Examples in context
- Je voudrais mon steak saignant, s'il vous plaît.I would like my steak rare, please.
- Je préfère mon steak saignant.I prefer my steak rare.
- Le bœuf est servi saignant.The beef is served rare.
- Voulez-vous votre viande saignante ?Do you want your meat rare?
Example conversation
A man and a woman are ordering steaks at a restaurant.
- LéaComment voulez-vous votre viande, Hugo ?How do you want your meat, Hugo?
- HugoJe la voudrais saignante, s'il vous plaît.I would like it rare, please.
- LéaTrès bien, un steak saignant pour lui.Very well, one rare steak for him.
- HugoMerci beaucoup, Léa.Thank you very much, Léa.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry saignant, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
