bleu

Everyday

1. (French) «Bleu» means «blue»: «le ciel bleu» = the blue sky. It sounds roughly like «bluh» (lips rounded), and it is not an English word. tree →
2. (cooking) In English menus, «bleu» or «blue» describes a steak cooked very rare, only seared outside. tree →
3. «Cordon bleu» means top-class cooking, and «bleu cheese» is an American spelling of «blue cheese». tree →

In the lessons

In French lessons «bleu» is a colour word learned with «rouge» (red), «vert» (green) and «jaune» (yellow); the French flag is «bleu, blanc, rouge». In French, colour words usually come after the noun and change for feminine and plural: «une robe bleue». Phrases: «bleu, blanc, rouge», «cordon bleu», «bleu cheese».

Examples

• In French, «bleu» means blue. tree →
• «Mon sac est bleu» means «My bag is blue». tree →
• The French flag is «bleu, blanc, rouge». tree →
• «Une voiture bleue» has an extra e because «voiture» is feminine. tree →
• Grandad likes his steak «bleu», almost raw. tree →
• She trained as a cordon bleu chef. tree →
• The menu said «bleu cheese dressing». tree →

Note

French only; forms: bleu (m.), bleue (f.), bleus, bleues. The final «eu» has no exact English sound. Trap: in English write «blue»; «bleu» in English is only in borrowed phrases.