Adapting a Recipe When an Ingredient Is Missing | Learn French in English

Sentence explanations

1. La recette demande du basilic frais, mais nous n'avons que des herbes séchées.

   The recipe needs fresh basil, but we only have dried herbs.

   recette

   recipe

   demande

   needs

   basilic

   basil

   frais

   fresh

   mais

   but

   nous n'avons que

   we only have

   herbes

   herbs

   séchées

   dried

   More detail

   recette means “recipe” here. It is a feminine noun: une recette, plural des recettes. Example: La recette est simple. — “The recipe is simple.” demande comes from demander (“to ask for” or “to require”). Here, with la recette as the subject, the present-tense form is third-person singular: la recette demande. In this context it means that the recipe requires an ingredient, not that someone is asking a question. Example: La recette demande deux œufs. — “The recipe requires two eggs.” basilic means “basil.” It is a masculine noun: du basilic. The form du is the contraction of de + le; here it introduces an unspecified amount of basil rather than stating a numeric quantity. frais means “fresh” in this sentence. It is the masculine singular form agreeing with masculine singular basilic: du basilic frais. The feminine singular form is fraîche, and the plural forms are frais (masculine) and fraîches (feminine). Example: des légumes frais — “fresh vegetables.” mais means “but” and connects the requirement with the contrasting situation that follows. nous n'avons que is the restrictive pattern ne ... que, meaning “we only have.” avons is the first-person plural present form of avoir (“to have”); n' is the elided form of ne before the vowel of avons. The restriction applies to what is available: the speakers have only the item named afterward. Example: Nous n'avons que deux pommes. — “We only have two apples.” herbes means “herbs.” It is the plural of the feminine noun herbe: une herbe, des herbes. séchées means “dried” here. It is the feminine plural form of séché, the past participle of sécher (“to dry”), used adjectivally and agreeing with feminine plural herbes. Compare des herbes fraîches — “fresh herbs” — and des herbes séchées — “dried herbs.” Together, La recette demande du basilic frais says “The recipe requires fresh basil.” mais introduces the contrast, and nous n'avons que des herbes séchées says “but we only have dried herbs.” The complete utterance is: “The recipe needs fresh basil, but we only have dried herbs.”

2. Nous pouvons quand même la préparer, mais le goût sera simplement un peu différent.

   We can still make it; the flavor will just be a little different.

   Nous pouvons

   We can

   quand même

   still

   la

   it

   préparer

   prepare

   le goût

   the flavor

   sera

   will be

   simplement

   just

   un peu

   a little

   différent

   different

   More detail

   Nous pouvons expresses “we can.” pouvons is the first-person plural present form of pouvoir (“can, to be able to”): je peux, nous pouvons, ils peuvent. The subject is nous, so the form marks “we,” and the ability applies to the action that follows. quand même means “still” here: despite the difference in ingredients described by the context, the action remains possible. It is a reusable expression that can also mean “nevertheless” when contrasting with an obstacle. la is a feminine singular direct-object pronoun. Here it means the intended “it” in the fixed translation, while its exact noun referent is not named in this utterance. It is placed before the infinitive: la préparer = “prepare it.” Its grammatical gender and number must match the referent, not the person doing the preparing. préparer is the infinitive “to prepare” or “to make.” After a conjugated form such as pouvons, French uses the infinitive for the action that is possible. Example: Nous pouvons commencer. — “We can start.” le goût means “the flavor” or “the taste.” goût is a masculine singular noun, as shown by le; its plural is les goûts. In this sentence it refers to the flavor of the thing being prepared. sera is the third-person singular future form of être (“to be”): il/elle sera = “he/she/it will be.” The future is appropriate because the flavor is described as a result expected after preparation. Example: Le résultat sera différent. — “The result will be different.” simplement means “simply” or, in this context, “just.” It limits the extent of the difference rather than changing the tense or the possibility expressed by the neighboring words. un peu is the quantity expression “a little.” It softens the degree of the difference: the flavor will differ, but only slightly. Example: C’est un peu salé. — “It is a little salty.” différent means “different.” It is the masculine singular form of the adjective because it describes le goût, a masculine singular noun. The feminine singular form is différente, as in une texture différente (“a different texture”); the plural forms are différents and différentes. Together, Nous pouvons quand même la préparer means “We can still prepare/make it.” The following clause, mais le goût sera simplement un peu différent, contrasts that possibility with its limited consequence: “but the flavor will just be a little different.” The complete utterance therefore says that the item can still be made, although its flavor is expected to differ slightly.

3. Devrait-on ajouter les herbes séchées plus tôt pour qu'elles ramollissent dans la sauce ?

   Should we add the dried herbs earlier so they soften in the sauce?

   Devrait-on

   Should we…?

   ajouter

   to add

   herbes

   herbs

   séchées

   dried

   plus tôt

   earlier

   pour qu'elles

   so that they

   ramollissent

   soften

   sauce

   sauce

   More detail

   Devrait-on combines devrait, the third-person singular conditional form of devoir, with inverted on. Here on means “we,” so the combination forms a suggestion or question: “Should we…?” The conditional makes this a proposal rather than a direct command. In ordinary questions, Devrait-on attendre ? means “Should we wait?” ajouter is the infinitive “to add.” After devoir, the following verb stays in the infinitive: On devrait ajouter… means “We should add…” The infinitive does not itself show who performs the action; on supplies that subject here. herbes is the feminine plural noun “herbs.” Its singular is herbe; the plural ending is visible in herbes. With a definite article, les herbes means “the herbs,” referring to the herbs relevant in this cooking situation. séchées means “dried” here. It is the feminine plural form of séché, agreeing with the feminine plural noun herbes: une herbe séchée, des herbes séchées. The agreement belongs to séchées, not to herbes. For a masculine plural noun, the corresponding form would be séchés, as in the example des fruits séchés — “dried fruits.” plus tôt is the temporal comparative “earlier.” The base adverb is tôt (“early”); plus tôt compares the proposed time with a later or otherwise understood time. It is different from plutôt, which commonly means “rather” or “instead.” Example: Ajoute-les plus tôt. — “Add them earlier.” pour qu'elles introduces a purpose clause: “so that they.” pour que is followed by a subjunctive clause, and elles is the feminine plural pronoun used here for the herbs. The pronoun’s grammatical form agrees with that feminine plural referent; it is not a general form for every plural noun. ramollissent is the present subjunctive, third-person plural form of ramollir, “to soften.” The subjunctive is required here after pour que: pour qu'elles ramollissent means “so that they soften.” Compare the infinitive ramollir (“to soften”) with the indicative present elles ramollissent (“they soften”) and this subjunctive form, which has the same visible form in this verb: pour qu'elles ramollissent. sauce is the feminine noun “sauce.” Its singular form is sauce; with the article in the sentence, la sauce means “the sauce.” The preposition dans makes the location explicit: the herbs soften in the sauce. Together, Devrait-on ajouter les herbes séchées plus tôt asks whether the herbs should be added earlier. pour qu'elles ramollissent dans la sauce gives the purpose: adding them earlier would allow them to soften in the sauce. The whole utterance therefore means: “Should we add the dried herbs earlier so they soften in the sauce?”

4. Ajoute-les plus tôt et mets-en moins, car les herbes séchées peuvent avoir un goût plus fort.

   Add them earlier and use less, because dried herbs can taste stronger.

   Ajoute-les

   add them

   plus tôt

   earlier

   mets-en

   use some of it/them

   moins

   less

   herbes

   herbs

   séchées

   dried

   peuvent

   can

   avoir

   have

   goût

   taste

   plus fort

   stronger

   More detail

   Ajoute-les is the affirmative imperative of ajouter (“to add”) with the direct-object pronoun les attached after the verb by a hyphen. Here les means the previously discussed herbs. In affirmative commands, French commonly places object pronouns after the verb: Ajoute-les. = “Add them.” In a negative command, the placement changes: Ne les ajoute pas. = “Do not add them.” plus tôt means “earlier.” It is the comparative form of the adverb tôt (“early”): tôt → plus tôt (“earlier”). The expression compares the suggested time with a later time, without stating a specific clock time. Example: Ajoute le sel plus tôt. — “Add the salt earlier.” mets-en is the affirmative imperative of mettre (“to put” or, in this context, “to use”) followed by en. Here en refers to some quantity of the herbs already under discussion, so mets-en means “use some of them.” The form mets is the command form for tu; the pronoun en is attached after the verb in this affirmative command. En is especially useful when the amount or quantity is being discussed: Mets-en deux cuillères. — “Use two spoonfuls of it.” moins means “less” here and specifies a smaller quantity. In mets-en moins, it tells the listener to use less of the herbs, rather than describing their quality. Example: Mets-en moins la prochaine fois. — “Use less of it next time.” herbes is the plural noun herbe, “herb.” The plural is shown by the final -s, though that final letter is normally not pronounced. Example: Les herbes sont fraîches. — “The herbs are fresh.” séchées means “dried” here and describes herbes. It is the feminine plural form of séché, related to the verb sécher (“to dry”): séché (masculine singular), séchée (feminine singular), séchés (masculine plural), séchées (feminine plural). The ending -ées agrees with feminine plural herbes. Example: Des feuilles séchées — “Dried leaves.” peuvent is the third-person plural present form of pouvoir, “can” or “be able to.” Its plural form agrees with the plural subject les herbes. Pouvoir is followed by an infinitive: Les herbes peuvent changer. — “The herbs can change.” The form expresses possibility or capacity here, not a command. avoir is the infinitive of avoir, “to have.” After peuvent, it remains in the infinitive: peuvent avoir = “can have.” In this sentence, having a taste is the French way to express that something has a particular taste. goût is the masculine noun “taste” or “flavor.” In the sentence, un goût means “a taste” as a quality that the herbs may have. Example: Cette sauce a un goût doux. — “This sauce has a mild taste.” plus fort means “stronger” here and describes goût, which is masculine singular. Fort is the adjective’s base form; its useful comparison is plus fort (“stronger”), and its opposite is often plus faible (“weaker”) when discussing intensity. Feminine and plural forms change according to the noun: forte, forts, fortes. Example: Le café a un goût plus fort. — “The coffee has a stronger taste.” Together, Ajoute-les plus tôt gives the instruction “Add them earlier.” Mets-en moins gives the related instruction “Use less of them,” with en referring back to the quantity of herbs. car introduces the reason: les herbes séchées peuvent avoir un goût plus fort means “dried herbs can have a stronger taste.” The complete utterance is therefore: “Add them earlier and use less, because dried herbs can taste stronger.”

5. La recette dit aussi d'utiliser de la crème pour obtenir une texture lisse.

   The recipe also says to use cream for a smooth texture.

   recette

   recipe

   dit

   says

   aussi

   also

   d'utiliser

   to use

   crème

   cream

   obtenir

   to obtain

   texture

   texture

   lisse

   smooth

   More detail

   recette means “recipe” here. It is a feminine noun: une recette, la recette. French nouns should be learned with an article because gender affects forms such as articles and adjectives. Example: Cette recette est simple. — “This recipe is simple.” dit is the present-tense form of dire (“to say”) for il, elle, or another singular subject. The subject here is la recette, so the recipe is presented as the thing that gives the instruction. A useful form contrast is je dis — “I say” and ils disent — “they say.” aussi means “also” and adds this instruction to other information. In this sentence it comes after dit: dit aussi — “also says.” d'utiliser is de followed by the infinitive utiliser (“to use”). After dire in the pattern dire de + infinitive, it introduces an instruction or recommendation: La recette dit de mélanger. — “The recipe says to mix.” The apostrophe in d'utiliser is an elision of de before the vowel sound in utiliser; the lexical verb remains utiliser. crème means “cream.” The full noun phrase is de la crème, where de la is the partitive expression used with a non-count or unspecified amount of this feminine noun. It does not by itself state a particular quantity. Example: Ajoute de la crème. — “Add some cream.” obtenir is the infinitive “to obtain” or, in this context, “to achieve.” It follows pour in the reusable purpose pattern pour + infinitive: pour obtenir... — “in order to achieve...” Example: Il travaille pour obtenir un meilleur résultat. — “He works to achieve a better result.” texture means “texture.” It is a feminine noun: une texture, la texture. In this sentence it names the result being aimed for, not an action. Example: La texture change. — “The texture changes.” lisse means “smooth” and describes texture. The adjective agrees here with the feminine singular noun texture, although the written form lisse is also used with a masculine singular noun: un tissu lisse — “a smooth fabric.” Its comparative can be plus lisse — “smoother,” and a useful opposite is rugueux/rugueuse — “rough.” Together, La recette dit aussi means “The recipe also says,” and d'utiliser de la crème gives the recommended action: “to use cream.” pour obtenir une texture lisse states the purpose and intended result: “to achieve a smooth texture.” The complete utterance is therefore: “The recipe also says to use cream for a smooth texture.”

6. Si nous utilisons du yaourt à la place, nous devrions baisser le feu.

   If we use yogurt instead, we should lower the heat.

   Si

   if

   utilisons

   use

   yaourt

   yogurt

   à la place

   instead

   devrions

   should

   baisser

   lower

   feu

   heat

   More detail

   Si introduces the condition: “if.” Here it is followed by utilisons, a present-tense form. A useful pattern is si + present in the condition, followed by a main clause expressing a possible or recommended result: Si tu viens, nous partirons — “If you come, we will leave.” utilisons means “use” here. It is the first-person plural present form of utiliser: j'utilise, nous utilisons. The ending -ons is associated with the nous form, and the subject is also explicitly written as nous in this sentence. yaourt is the noun “yogurt.” Its plural is yaourts. The phrase du yaourt means an unspecified amount of yogurt: du is the partitive form used here with a masculine singular mass noun. It does not assert one yogurt or one container. à la place is a reusable expression meaning “instead” or “in its place.” Here it marks yogurt as the replacement choice in the condition. Example: Prenons du lait à la place. — “Let’s use milk instead.” devrions means “should” here. It is the first-person plural conditional form of devoir: nous devons means “we must/need to,” while nous devrions means “we should,” presenting the action as advisable rather than stating an obligation as firmly. The conditional form presents the result as dependent on the stated condition. baisser is the infinitive “to lower.” After the conjugated form devrions, French uses an infinitive: nous devrions baisser — “we should lower.” The understood subject of baisser is the same nous as the subject of devrions. feu is the noun “heat” in this cooking expression. baisser le feu is a common way to say “lower the heat,” with le feu referring to the cooking heat or flame in this context. The article le marks this noun as masculine singular; it does not itself indicate a quantity. Together, Si nous utilisons du yaourt à la place means “If we use yogurt instead,” and nous devrions baisser le feu means “we should lower the heat.” The complete utterance therefore means: “If we use yogurt instead, we should lower the heat.” The first clause states the condition, and the second gives the recommended consequence.

7. Sinon, la sauce risque de se séparer et d'avoir un aspect étrange.

   Otherwise the sauce might separate and look strange.

   Sinon

   Otherwise

   sauce

   sauce

   risque de

   may / risks

   se séparer

   separate

   d'avoir

   to have

   aspect

   appearance

   étrange

   strange

   More detail

   Sinon means “otherwise” here: it introduces the possible result if the preceding action is not followed. It can also mean “if not” in other contexts, but here it links a condition to its consequence. la sauce is “the sauce.” Sauce is a feminine noun, so the definite article is la. The article identifies a particular sauce in this cooking situation; it does not mean that sauces in general behave this way. risque de comes from risquer de + infinitive, “to risk / be likely to.” Here risque is the third-person singular present form of risquer, agreeing with la sauce. In this sentence, the construction presents an unwanted possible outcome, so “might” is a natural translation. Example: Le plat risque de brûler. — “The dish might burn.” se séparer is the pronominal infinitive “to separate.” The infinitive is séparer; se marks the pronominal construction. With a sauce, this means its components may separate rather than remain combined. After risque de, the infinitive is required: risque de se séparer. d'avoir is de + avoir, with de changing to d' before the vowel sound in avoir. Avoir is the infinitive “to have.” It continues the construction after risque de; the same de governs the coordinated infinitives se séparer and d'avoir. aspect means “appearance” or “look” here. It is a masculine singular noun, as shown by un aspect. Example: Le gâteau a un bel aspect. — “The cake looks good.” étrange means “strange” or “unusual.” It describes aspect, so it is masculine singular in this phrase. The form is the same for masculine and feminine singular nouns; the plural form is étranges. The structure is Sinon, [subject] risque de [infinitive 1] et de [infinitive 2]: “Otherwise, [subject] might [outcome 1] and [outcome 2].” Thus la sauce risque de se séparer gives “the sauce might separate,” while d'avoir un aspect étrange gives “and look strange.” Together: “Otherwise the sauce might separate and look strange.”

8. Le mélanger lentement vers la fin devrait aider.

   Stirring it in slowly near the end should help.

   mélanger

   to mix; to stir

   lentement

   slowly

   fin

   end

   devrait

   should

   aider

   to help

   More detail

   mélanger means “to mix” or, in this cooking context, “to stir.” It is the infinitive, the form used after another verb or in an infinitive phrase. In Le mélanger, le is a direct-object pronoun meaning “it”; its masculine-singular grammatical form does not by itself identify the referent. The fixed sentence and translation support the meaning “to stir it,” without specifying the noun’s identity. lentement means “slowly.” It is an adverb, so it describes how the mixing or stirring is done rather than changing form for the thing being stirred. Example: Mélangez lentement. — “Mix slowly.” fin means “end.” In vers la fin, the noun appears with the feminine article la; the complete phrase means “toward the end” or, here, “near the end.” vers indicates an approximate direction or time, so vers la fin refers to the later part of the process rather than an exact moment. Example: Ajoutez le sel vers la fin. — “Add the salt near the end.” devrait is the third-person singular conditional form of devoir. Here it expresses an expected or recommended result: “should.” A useful chain is devoir (base form) → doit (present, “must/has to”) → devrait (conditional, “should”). Because the subject is the infinitive phrase le mélanger lentement vers la fin, devrait is singular. aider means “to help.” It is an infinitive after devrait: devrait aider means “should help.” The sentence does not state exactly whom or what it will help; the translation supports the general result “should help.” Example: Cela devrait aider. — “That should help.” Taken together, Le mélanger lentement vers la fin means “stirring it slowly near the end.” This infinitive phrase functions as the subject of devrait aider, producing the complete meaning: “Stirring it in slowly near the end should help.”

9. Si le résultat est bon, je noterai ce remplacement.

   If the result turns out well, I will write down the substitution.

   Si

   if

   le résultat

   the result

   est

   is

   bon

   good

   noterai

   will write down

   ce

   this

   remplacement

   substitution

   More detail

   Si introduces a condition: “if.” In French, the condition clause here uses the present tense even though the main clause refers to the future. A reusable pattern is Si + present tense, followed by a future result: Si tu viens, je partirai. — “If you come, I will leave.” le résultat means “the result.” résultat is a masculine singular noun, so the masculine singular article le is used. Its plural is les résultats — “the results.” est is the third-person singular present form of être, “to be.” Here it agrees with singular le résultat. The relevant pattern is le résultat est ... — “the result is ...”. bon means “good” here, describing the result. It is the masculine singular form of the adjective; feminine singular is bonne, and the plural forms are bons and bonnes. For example, La réponse est bonne. means “The answer is good.” noterai means “I will write down” in this sentence. It is the first-person singular future form of noter, “to write down” or “to note.” The future pattern is formed with the infinitive plus the future ending: je noterai — “I will write down.” For example, Je noterai l'adresse. means “I will write down the address.” ce means “this” in the intended phrase. It is a masculine singular demonstrative determiner, used before the masculine singular noun remplacement. Related forms include cette before a feminine singular noun and ces before plural nouns; for example, cette méthode means “this method,” while ces résultats means “these results.” remplacement means “substitution” here. It is a masculine singular noun, which is why it follows ce rather than cette. The phrase ce remplacement therefore means “this substitution.” Together, Si le résultat est bon means “If the result turns out well” or more literally “If the result is good.” je noterai ce remplacement means “I will write down this substitution.” The complete utterance is: “If the result turns out well, I will write down the substitution.”

10. Alors, la prochaine fois, nous n'aurons pas besoin de deviner.

    Then next time we will not need to guess.

    Alors

    then

    la prochaine fois

    next time

    nous n'aurons … pas

    we will not have

    besoin

    need

    deviner

    to guess

    More detail

    Alors means “then” here, linking the statement to the preceding condition or situation. It can also introduce a conclusion or transition, but in this utterance it points forward to the next occasion. la prochaine fois means “next time.” fois is a feminine noun meaning “time” in the sense of an occasion, and prochaine is its feminine singular form agreeing with it. The adjective comes after the noun here. Example: La prochaine fois, je vérifierai. — “Next time, I will check.” nous n'aurons ... pas expresses “we will not have.” nous is the subject pronoun “we,” and aurons is the first-person plural future form of avoir (“to have”): avoir → nous aurons, “we will have.” The n' ... pas pair makes the verb negative; n' is the elided form of ne before a vowel sound, and pas completes the standard written negation. besoin is a noun meaning “need.” The reusable construction is avoir besoin de + noun or infinitive, meaning “to need.” Here, besoin de deviner means “a need to guess,” or naturally “need to guess.” deviner is the infinitive “to guess.” After avoir besoin de, an infinitive can name the action that is needed: J'ai besoin de comprendre. — “I need to understand.” The infinitive itself does not mark the person; the conjugated verb carries the subject and tense. Together, nous n'aurons pas besoin de deviner means “we will not need to guess”: the future is expressed by aurons, negation by n' ... pas, and the need construction by avoir besoin de followed by deviner. With Alors, la prochaine fois at the beginning, the complete utterance is “Then next time we will not need to guess.”