Timeline
A French dinner party: from apéro to digestif
The order of a French dinner at friends' home: apéritif, starter, main, cheese, dessert, coffee and digestif, with what to say and do at each stage.
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In short
A French dinner at friends' home follows a rhythm: l'apéro (drinks and nibbles), l'entrée, le plat principal, le fromage (before dessert!), le dessert, le café, and sometimes le digestif. It often lasts three hours or more.
Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learnRed watch out
- 20 h 00On arrive avec un petit cadeau, un quart d'heure de retard.You arrive with a small gift, about fifteen minutes late.
- 20 h 15L'apéro : un verre et des chips ou des olives.Apéro: a drink with crisps or olives.
- 21 h 00À table ! L'entrée.Dinner's served! The starter.
- 21 h 30Le plat principal.The main course.
- 22 h 15Le plateau de fromages, avec du pain.The cheese board, with bread.
- 22 h 45Le dessert.Dessert.
- 23 h 15Le café, puis parfois un digestif.Coffee, then sometimes a digestif.
- minuitOn se dit au revoir… pendant vingt minutes !Goodbyes… for twenty minutes!
Key words
| French | English |
|---|---|
| l'apéro | pre-dinner drinks |
| l'entrée | starter |
| le plat principal | main course |
| le plateau de fromages | cheese board |
| le digestif | after-dinner drink |
| À table ! | Dinner's ready! |
Arriving exactly on time can catch hosts unprepared: a quart d'heure de politesse (polite quarter-hour) is normal. Bring flowers, chocolates or wine (though some hosts won't open your wine that evening). Wait for the host's bon appétit before eating, and keep your hands on the table.
- Hôte
Vous reprendrez un peu de fromage ?
Will you have a bit more cheese?
- Toi
Avec plaisir, il est délicieux. C'est quel fromage ?
With pleasure, it's delicious. Which cheese is it?
- Hôte
Un saint-nectaire, d'Auvergne.
A Saint-Nectaire, from Auvergne.