Picture scene

French dining-table vocabulary: find the missing place setting

Learn ten French words for a laid table, then work out which plate, glass, napkin or utensil each dinner guest still needs.

In short

Set the table with une assiette, un verre, une fourchette, un couteau, une cuillère and une serviette. Say Il manque un verre for “A glass is missing.” Explore the table, then complete three guests’ places.

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A French dining table with ceramic plates, glasses, forks, knives, spoons and folded napkins, one glass waiting on a sideboard.
Setting la table gives each object a place. Illustration: Atelier

What is on the table?

A rectangular dining table seen from above at a gentle angle, with three chairs. A white tablecloth covers it. At the near-left place there is a plate, knife, f
Ask for one missing object
FrenchEnglish
Il manque une fourchette.A fork is missing.
Tu peux me passer une serviette ?Can you pass me a napkin?
Je voudrais un verre d’eau, s’il te plaît.I’d like a glass of water, please.

Trois places à compléter

Lina s’assied à gauche, près de nous. Elle a une assiette, un couteau, une fourchette et une serviette. Mais elle veut boire de l’eau. Son ami apporte un verre1.

Au fond, Paul a une assiette, un verre, un couteau et une cuillère. Il veut manger sa salade. Il cherche une fourchette2. À droite, Nora a ses couverts et son verre. Elle cherche une serviette3 pour la poser sur ses genoux. Les objets qui manquent sont sur le petit meuble derrière la table.

Read it in English

Lina sits down on the left, near us. She has a plate, a knife, a fork and a napkin. But she wants to drink some water. Her friend brings a glass.

At the far end, Paul has a plate, a glass, a knife and a spoon. He wants to eat his salad. He is looking for a fork. On the right, Nora has her cutlery and her glass. She is looking for a napkin to put on her lap. The missing objects are on the small sideboard behind the table.

Les couverts means cutlery: knives, forks and spoons. La vaisselle is a broader word for tableware. Keep la nappe for the cloth covering the whole table and la serviette for one person’s napkin.

Question 1No account needed
What does Lina need for her water?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

un verre. Lina has no glass at her place, so she needs un verre to drink from.

Question 2No account needed
What is missing from Paul’s place?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

une fourchette. Paul already has a spoon and a knife; his salad request calls for une fourchette.

Question 3No account needed
Which cloth does Nora need for her lap?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

la serviette. A personal napkin is une serviette; la nappe covers the table.