Animals & Meat: From Farm to Plate
In the world of food, the “mirror” between Spanish and French is very strong. Both languages often distinguish between the living animal and the meat on the plate, but the roots are almost identical.
Land Animals (Carnes / Viandes)
Notice the gender mirroring here. If you know it is la or el in Spanish, you likely know the French gender already.
| Animal (EN) | Spanish | French | Meat (EN) | Meat (ES) | Meat (FR) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cow | La vaca | La vache | Beef | La ternera/El buey | Le bœuf |
| Pig | El cerdo | Le porc | Pork | El cerdo | Le porc |
| Sheep | La oveja | Le mouton | Lamb | El cordero | L’agneau |
| Calf | El ternero | Le veau | Veal | La ternera | Le veau |
| Rabbit | El conejo | Le lapin | Rabbit | El conejo | Le lapin |
Poultry (Aves / Volailles)
In both Spanish and French, the name for the animal and the meat is usually the same.
| English | Spanish | French |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken | El pollo | Le poulet |
| Hen | La gallina | La poule |
| Duck | El pato | Le canard |
| Turkey | El pavo | La dinde |
| Quail | La codorniz | La caille |
Seafood (Mariscos / Fruits de Mer)
French uses the term “Fruits de mer” (Fruits of the sea), which is conceptually the same as the Spanish “Mariscos”.
| English | Spanish | French |
|---|---|---|
| Fish | El pescado | Le poisson |
| Shrimp | El camarón | La crevette |
| Lobster | La langosta | Le homard |
| Mussel | El mejillón | La moule |
| Oyster | La ostra | L’huître |
| Snail | El caracol | L’escargot |
Tips for the Spanish Speaker
- The “O” to “OU” Shift: Your Spanish O often becomes a OU in French (e.g., Pollo → Poulet, Oveja → Mouton).
- The “V” and “B” Distinction: In Spanish, vaca might sound like it starts with a ‘b’. In French, you must bite your lip for the V in vache.
- Gender Consistency: Most meats follow the Spanish gender exactly. El pollo (m) is Le poulet (m).
Since you’re B1 in Spanish, would you like to try ordering one of these in a hypothetical French restaurant using a Spanish sentence structure as your guide?
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