Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| entrée | /ɑ̃.tʁe/ | feminine |
| hors d'œuvre | masculine |
Both terms refer to the first course of a meal. In high-end restaurants or formal settings, you may also encounter the term amuse-gueule to describe a bite-sized appetizer.
What does it mean word for word?
The term hors d'œuvre literally translates to 'outside of the work', referring to items served outside of the main meal.
Which one should you use?
entrée is a feminine noun, while hors d'œuvre is a masculine noun.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Québec, hors d'œuvre can be used to refer to starters.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural of entrée is entrées. However, hors d'œuvre is an invariable noun, meaning its spelling does not change in the plural.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɑ̃.tʁe/ (2 syllables)
What mistakes should you avoid?
Be careful with the word entrée. In North American English, 'entrée' often refers to the main course, but in French, it refers to the starter.
Did you know?
- The term amuse-gueule contains the word gueule, which is a slang term for the mouth of an animal. In a formal dining context, it literally means 'to amuse the maw'.
- The word entrée is used in French for both the first course of a meal and the physical door or entrance to a building.
- In traditional French gastronomy, hors d'œuvre were specifically designed to be salty or acidic to stimulate the appetite rather than satisfy hunger.
Examples in context
- Les tomates peuvent être servies chaudes ou froides, comme entrée ou comme accompagnement.Tomatoes may be served hot or cold, as a starter or as a side dish.This sentence shows how entrée can be used to describe how tomatoes are served.Tatoeba #895378 by sacredceltic, translation #1250814 by niceguydave
- Je vais prendre l'entrée du jourI'll have the starter of the day
- On a commandé quelques entrées pour commencerWe ordered some starters to begin with
- Les mises en bouche étaient délicieusesThe starters were delicious
- Je vais prendre une soupe comme entrée.I am going to have a soup as a starter.
- Cette salade est une excellente entrée.This salad is an excellent starter.
Example conversation
Léa and Nathan are looking at a restaurant menu.
- LéaQu'est-ce que tu veux comme entrée, Nathan ?What do you want for a starter, Nathan?
- NathanJe vais choisir la salade.I'll choose the salad.
- LéaMoi, je préfère l'entrée aux escargots.I prefer the snail starter.
- NathanC'est un très bon choix !That's a very good choice!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “starter” translations and entries entrée, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
