soupe
/sup/feminine
The English word "soup" is translated into French as soupe or potage.
Meaning: dish (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| soupe | /sup/ | feminine |
| potage | /pɔ.taʒ/ | masculine |
In a culinary context, you may also encounter the term velouté, which describes a velvety-smooth soup made from a base of broth and thickened with a roux.
Which one should you use?
soupe is the common word for soup, while potage is a more formal or culinary term often used in menus to refer to a thick, blended or refined soup.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In southwestern France, particularly in Gascony, garbure is a popular regional soup made with cabbage, beans and various vegetables.
How does it change in a sentence?
The feminine noun soupe becomes soupes in its plural form. The masculine noun potage becomes potages in its plural form.
How do you pronounce it?
/sup/
Did you know?
- The word soupe originally did not refer to a liquid, but to the piece of bread that was used to soak up the liquid in a bowl.
- The French term soupe au lait describes a traditional breakfast of bread soaked in hot milk, which is treated as a soup.
- In many French households, the term soupe refers specifically to the evening meal, which often consists of a warm vegetable broth.
Examples in context
- Il hume la soupe.He is smelling the soup.This sentence is useful for practicing the verb with soupe.Tatoeba #2135853 by sacredceltic, translation #290184 by CK
- Touille la soupe !Stir the soup.This sentence is useful for practicing a command with soupe.Tatoeba #2136897 by sacredceltic, translation #704725 by Zifre
- Je mange ma soupe.I eat my soup.Tatoeba #5246634 by martin9, translation #6693610 by Eccles17
- Je voudrais un bol de bouillon, s'il vous plaît.I would like a bowl of bouillon, please.
- Ce velouté est tout simplement divin !This velouté is simply divine!
- 219 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Manon and Gabriel are having lunch at home.
- ManonGabriel, tu veux goûter la soupe ?Gabriel, do you want to taste the soup?
- GabrielOui, elle sent très bon.Yes, it smells very good.
- ManonEst-ce que la soupe est assez salée ?Is the soup salty enough?
- GabrielElle est parfaite, merci Manon.It is perfect, thanks Manon.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “soup” translations and entries soupe, potage, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries potage, soupe, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
