A guide to saying it like a local
How to Say "What's in this dish" in French
Ask your server what ingredients are in a dish to understand your meal better.
Qu'est-ce qu'il y a dans ce plat ?
kes-keel-ee-AH dah(n) suh PLAHneutral
French TTS · 0:01
Use this when you're looking at a menu and aren't sure about the components of a particular dish. It's also useful if you have allergies or dietary restrictions.
Alternatives
- Qu'est-ce que c'est ?More general, asking 'what is this?' about anything.
- C'est quoi, ça ?More casual, best with friends or a very relaxed server.
Ways to get it wrong
Pronouncing 'plat' like 'plate'
The French 'a' sound is open and clear, not like the 'ate' in English 'plate'.
Forgetting the liaison 'il y a'
The 'l' from 'il' links to 'y', making it sound like 'eel-ee-ah'.
A small cultural note
French cuisine often features ingredients that might be unfamiliar to English speakers, so asking this question is very common and appreciated.
The same phrase in other languages
Frequently asked
How to ask about ingredients in French?
The most direct way is 'Qu'est-ce qu'il y a dans ce plat ?' which means 'What is there in this dish?'.
What if I have allergies?
You can ask 'Qu'est-ce qu'il y a dans ce plat ?' and then specify your allergy, for example, 'Je suis allergique aux noix' (I am allergic to nuts).
Is 'Qu'est-ce que c'est ?' okay?
'Qu'est-ce que c'est ?' is more general and means 'What is it?'. While it can work, 'Qu'est-ce qu'il y a dans ce plat ?' is more precise for asking about dish ingredients.
