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French fish counter vocabulary: weighing, preparing and wrapping an order

Edited by Chris Lee · Updated · About the library

Explore twelve fish-counter objects in French, from the scales and fish scaler to the wrapping paper. Follow the stages of a customer’s order.

In short

At the fish counter, la balance weighs your order, l’écailleur removes scales and le papier alimentaire wraps the fish. Ask Vous pouvez enlever les arêtes ? to request that the bones be removed. Explore twelve targets across the display, preparation space and wrapping area.

A fishmonger wraps two fish fillets at a market counter.
Le papier alimentaire wraps the prepared fish. Illustration: Atelier

Follow an order across the fish counter

Wide view across a French fishmonger’s counter with three clear areas. At the front a refrigerated display holds silver fish on crushed ice with a blank price c
Four stages, four useful verbs
FrenchEnglishExample
peserweighVous pouvez peser ce poisson ?
écaillerscale a fishVous pouvez l’écailler ?
enlever les arêtesremove the bonesVous pouvez enlever les arêtes ?
emballerwrapVous pouvez emballer les filets séparément ?

Deux filets pour ce soir

Sonia s’arrête devant l’étal réfrigéré. Elle regarde l’étiquette de prix, puis demande un poisson pour deux personnes. Le poissonnier le pose sur la balance et annonce le poids. Sonia souhaite deux filets1, sans arêtes. Le poissonnier prépare le poisson sur la planche à découper. Sonia remarque l’écailleur près de l’évier. Une fois la préparation terminée, le poissonnier prend une barquette et emballe2 les filets avec du papier alimentaire. Sonia ouvre son sac isotherme. « Vous pouvez les mettre ici, s’il vous plaît ? » Elle remercie le poissonnier et passe à la caisse3.

Read it in English

Sonia stops in front of the refrigerated display. She looks at the price label, then asks for a fish for two people. The fishmonger puts it on the scales and announces the weight. Sonia would like two fillets, with the bones removed. The fishmonger prepares the fish on the chopping board. Sonia notices the fish scaler near the sink. Once the preparation is finished, the fishmonger takes a tray and wraps the fillets in food wrapping paper. Sonia opens her insulated bag. “Could you put them in here, please?” She thanks the fishmonger and goes to the till.

Question 1No account needed
Where will the weight be checked?Je vais peser votre poisson.

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

la balance. Peser means to weigh: the fish goes onto la balance.

Question 2No account needed
Which tool matches the action?Je vais retirer les écailles avant de préparer les filets.

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

l’écailleur. L’écailleur is the toothed tool used for removing fish scales.

Question 3No account needed
What does the customer want removed?Vous pouvez enlever les arêtes, s’il vous plaît ?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

les arêtes. Les arêtes are fish bones; the customer is asking for them to be removed.

Question 4No account needed
Find the wrapping material.Je vais emballer votre commande dans ce papier.

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

le papier alimentaire. The wrapping station has le papier alimentaire, the paper for the food order.

Question 5No account needed
Find the customer’s carrying container.Mettez les filets emballés dans mon sac isotherme.

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

le sac isotherme. The customer names le sac isotherme, the insulated bag brought for the purchase.

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