A guide to saying it like a local
How to Say "Extra sauce on the side" in French
Order extra sauce on the side in French restaurants with this polite and clear phrase.
Sauce à part, s'il vous plaît.
sohs ah PAHR, seel voo PLEHneutral
French TTS · 0:01
Ask for your sauce to be served separately when ordering a dish that comes with a sauce. This is useful if you prefer to control the amount of sauce yourself or want to keep part of your meal sauce-free.
Alternatives
- Est-ce que je peux avoir la sauce à côté ?Slightly more of a question, good if you're feeling a bit shy.
- La sauce à part.More direct, works if you've already established rapport with the server.
Ways to get it wrong
Pronouncing 'part' like 'party'
The final 't' in 'part' is silent in French, so it sounds like 'par'.
Forgetting the accent on 'à'
The accent grave on 'à' changes the pronunciation and meaning; it's essential here.
Saying 'sauce on the side' literally
Direct translation like 'sauce sur le côté' sounds very odd and isn't standard.
A small cultural note
While common, asking for sauce on the side might be slightly less frequent than in some other cultures, as French cuisine often emphasizes the sauce as an integral part of the dish.
The same phrase in other languages
Frequently asked
How do I ask for more sauce?
To ask for more sauce, say 'Encore de la sauce, s'il vous plaît.' This means you want an additional serving of the sauce.
What if I don't want sauce at all?
If you want to avoid sauce entirely, say 'Sans sauce, s'il vous plaît.' This clearly indicates you want your dish prepared without any sauce.
Can I ask for a different sauce?
Yes, you can ask for a different sauce by saying 'Est-ce que je peux avoir [type of sauce] à la place ?' For example, 'Est-ce que je peux avoir une sauce au poivre à la place ?' (Can I have pepper sauce instead?)
