cru
/kʁy/
The English word "raw" is translated into French as cru.
Meaning: uncooked (adj)
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective must agree in gender with the noun it modifies, using the feminine form crue for feminine nouns. The masculine plural form of the adjective is crus. The feminine plural form of the adjective is crues.
How do you pronounce it?
/kʁy/
Did you know?
- The word cru can also be the past participle of the verb croire, meaning 'believed'. Depending on the context, il a cru can mean 'he believed' rather than referring to something raw.
- If you are a wine enthusiast, you might hear about a grand cru, which does not mean 'great raw' but refers to a prestigious, high-quality vineyard or vintage.
- In French, the phrase parler cru describes someone who speaks bluntly or uses coarse language. Here, cru refers to the 'unrefined' nature of the speech rather than food being uncooked.
Examples in context
- Le poulet est cru.The chicken is raw.This sentence is useful for describing the state of chicken using cru.Tatoeba #4114944 by GB3, translation #4104550 by Hybrid
- J'aime la nourriture crue.I like raw food.This sentence is useful for expressing a preference for food in its cru state.Tatoeba #5558987 by sacredceltic, translation #5354979 by joshodude_1308
- On peut manger le chou, cru.Cabbage can be eaten raw.This sentence is useful for noting that cabbage can be eaten cru.Tatoeba #551629 by sacredceltic, translation #63177 by CK
- Les légumes crus sont très nutritifs.Raw vegetables are very nutritious.
- 41 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Nathan and Emma are deciding what to order at a sushi restaurant.
- NathanTu aimes le thon cru ?Do you like raw tuna?
- EmmaOui, j'adore ça.Yes, I love it.
- NathanOn commande un plateau de thon cru alors ?Shall we order a raw tuna platter then?
- EmmaBonne idée, Nathan !Good idea, Nathan!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “raw” translations and entries cru, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
