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A1 verb #8,500 mais comum 11 min de leitura

moudre

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Pratique Exemplos Notas e dicas moudre em 30 segundos

Explicação moudre in your Level:

At the A1 level, you should recognize 'moudre' in the context of food, specifically coffee and pepper. You might see it on a menu or a grocery list. At this stage, you don't need to master all the complex conjugations, but you should know that 'moudre le café' means 'to grind the coffee.' It's a useful word for basic kitchen tasks. You might also encounter the adjective 'moulu' (ground), as in 'café moulu.' Focus on the present tense 'je mouds' and the simple idea of turning something hard into a powder. It's a 'doing' word for the kitchen. Imagine you are in a French supermarket looking for coffee; knowing the difference between 'en grains' (beans) and 'moulu' (ground) is very practical. You might also hear it in a restaurant when someone offers you pepper. The word is concrete and physical, making it easier to remember through visual association with a coffee grinder or a pepper mill.

At the A2 level, you begin to use 'moudre' in simple sentences and understand its irregular plural forms. You should be able to say 'Nous moulons le café' and recognize that the 'd' changes to an 'l'. You might use it when describing a recipe or a daily routine. You are also introduced to the past participle 'moulu' used with 'avoir' (J'ai moulu). At this level, you can distinguish 'moudre' from similar-sounding words like 'mordre' (to bite). You understand that 'moudre' is a specific type of action used for grains and spices. You might also learn the noun 'le moulin' (the mill), which is closely related. Your ability to use the imperative form like 'Mouds le poivre, s'il te plaît' (Grind the pepper, please) shows progress in your command of everyday French verbs. You are starting to see the word in broader contexts, perhaps in a short story about a farm or a village.

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By B1, you should be comfortable with the full conjugation of 'moudre' in the present, past, and future tenses. You understand the shift from 'moud-' to 'moul-' across different tenses like the imperfect (je moulais). You can also use the word in more descriptive contexts, such as explaining the process of making traditional bread or the importance of freshly ground ingredients in French cuisine. You might encounter the idiomatic expression 'être moulu' (to be exhausted) and understand its informal nature. At this level, you can also start to compare 'moudre' with synonyms like 'broyer' or 'concasser' and choose the correct one based on the desired result. Your vocabulary is expanding to include technical terms like 'la mouture' (the grind/texture). You can follow more complex instructions in a recipe and describe the sensory experience of grinding spices—the sound, the smell, and the change in texture.

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At the B2 level, you use 'moudre' with precision and can navigate its use in literature and professional contexts. You understand the nuances between 'moudre,' 'broyer,' and 'piler' and can explain why one is used over the other in a culinary or industrial setting. You are familiar with proverbs and expressions related to mills, such as 'apporter de l'eau au moulin.' You can use the subjunctive and conditional forms of the verb correctly (e.g., 'Il faudrait que nous moulions le grain plus finement'). You might read articles about the history of French agriculture or the revival of traditional milling techniques, where 'moudre' is a key term. Your understanding of the word includes its figurative potential, and you can appreciate how authors use it to create atmosphere. You are also aware of the tool names derived from the root, like 'une meule' (a millstone).

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At the C1 level, your command of 'moudre' is near-native. You can use it in highly technical discussions about coffee extraction or grain processing. You recognize rare or archaic uses of the verb in classical French literature (like the works of Alphonse Daudet). You are sensitive to the stylistic choice of using 'moudre' versus its synonyms to convey a specific tone—perhaps a rustic, traditional, or highly artisanal feel. You can discuss the etymology of the word and its connection to other Indo-European languages. You are also comfortable with the passive voice and complex grammatical structures involving the verb. You might use it in a metaphorical sense in a sophisticated essay or debate, perhaps discussing how the 'grind' of daily life affects the human spirit, although 'broyer' is more common for 'crushing' spirits, 'moudre' can appear in creative contexts.

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At the C2 level, 'moudre' is a tool in your extensive linguistic arsenal. You can use it with complete spontaneity and accuracy in any register, from slang to academic French. You are aware of the most obscure idiomatic expressions and can play with the word's sounds and meanings in puns or poetry. You might analyze the role of the 'meunier' and the act of 'moudre' in French cultural identity and history. You can translate complex technical manuals or literary passages involving the verb, capturing every nuance of meaning and tone. Your understanding of the word is deep, encompassing its physical, metaphorical, and historical dimensions. You can effortlessly navigate the irregularities of its conjugation, even in the most complex tenses like the passé simple (il moulut), and you can explain these irregularities to others.

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Pratique Exemplos Notas e dicas

moudre em 30 segundos

Moudre means 'to grind' and is mainly used for coffee, spices, and grains.
It is an irregular verb: singular 'moud-', plural 'moul-'.
The past participle 'moulu' also means 'aching' or 'exhausted' in slang.
Commonly heard in cafes and kitchens across France.

The French verb moudre is a fascinating and essential term in the culinary and agricultural lexicon of the French language. At its core, it translates to 'to grind' or 'to mill.' It describes the physical process of reducing a solid substance—most commonly grains, coffee beans, or spices—into smaller particles or a fine powder using a mechanical device or manual force. In a country like France, where the ritual of coffee and the tradition of bread-making are central to daily life, moudre is more than just a technical verb; it is a word associated with freshness, aroma, and artisanal quality.

The Culinary Context: In the kitchen, you will most frequently encounter this verb when discussing coffee. To 'moudre le café' is seen as a mark of a true connoisseur, as freshly ground beans preserve oils and flavors that pre-ground coffee loses. Similarly, grinding pepper (moudre du poivre) or spices like cloves (clous de girofle) is a standard instruction in French gastronomy to ensure maximum potency.

Le meunier utilise la force de l'eau pour moudre le blé en farine.

Historical Significance: Historically, the act of grinding was a community event. The 'moulin' (mill) was the heart of the village. Peasants would bring their harvest to the miller to 'moudre le grain.' This historical weight gives the verb a slightly rustic or traditional feel, even when used in modern contexts. It evokes images of wooden wheels, stone grinders, and the dusty atmosphere of a granary.

Il est préférable de moudre les épices juste avant de les incorporer à la sauce.

Metaphorical Nuances: While primarily physical, the past participle 'moulu' (ground) has a very common idiomatic use. If someone says 'Je suis tout moulu,' they aren't saying they have been turned into powder; they are saying they are exhausted or 'aching all over,' as if their body had been through a grinder. This is a vital colloquial expression to recognize.

Après cette randonnée de dix heures, je suis complètement moulu.

Furthermore, the verb appears in the expression 'moudre du noir,' which is an older, more poetic way of saying one is brooding or having dark thoughts (though 'broyer du noir' is more common today). Understanding 'moudre' allows you to navigate French recipes, literature, and everyday physical descriptions with much greater precision. It is a verb that bridges the gap between the ancient agricultural past and the modern morning routine of an espresso lover.

Peux-tu moudre ces grains de poivre pour la viande ?

La machine commence à moudre le maïs dès que l'interrupteur est activé.

Using moudre correctly requires attention to its unique conjugation pattern. As an irregular verb ending in -re, it follows a logic that shifts the stem depending on the subject. In the present tense, the singular forms (je, tu, il/elle/on) use the stem 'moud-', while the plural forms (nous, vous, ils/elles) use 'moul-'. This phonetic shift from a 'd' sound to an 'l' sound is the most distinctive feature of the verb.

Present Tense Construction: To say 'I grind,' you say 'Je mouds' (the 's' is silent). To say 'We grind,' you say 'Nous moulons.' Notice how the 'd' disappears entirely in the plural. This is similar to verbs like 'résoudre' (to solve) or 'absoudre' (to absolve), though 'moudre' is part of its own small sub-family of conjugation.

Je mouds mon propre café chaque matin pour avoir le meilleur arôme possible.

The Past Participle: Moulu: The past participle is 'moulu.' This is what you will see on packaging in French supermarkets. 'Café moulu' means ground coffee. In the passé composé, you use the auxiliary verb 'avoir.' For example: 'J'ai moulu le poivre.' It is essential to remember this 'u' ending, as it deviates from the expected '-u' of regular -re verbs in a way that feels more like the 'l' stem of the plural present.

Elle a moulu les amandes pour préparer la base de sa tarte aux fruits.

Direct Object Usage: Moudre is a transitive verb, meaning it usually takes a direct object. You grind *something*. 'Moudre le blé' (grind the wheat), 'moudre les céréales' (grind the cereals). It rarely appears without an object unless the context is very clear, such as in a factory or mill setting.

Les grandes meules de pierre moulent le grain lentement pour préserver ses nutriments.

When using it in the imperative (giving a command), you use the 'mouds' or 'moulez' forms. 'Moulez finement le café' (Grind the coffee finely) is a common instruction found on the back of coffee grinders. In more advanced French, you might use the subjunctive: 'Il faut que vous mouliez ces graines avant de les planter' (It is necessary that you grind these seeds before planting them—though usually seeds are ground for eating, not planting!).

Si tu veux un bon expresso, mouds les grains très finement.

Nous moulions autrefois notre propre farine à la ferme familiale.

In contemporary France, the word moudre is most vibrantly heard in the 'art de vivre' (art of living) surrounding gastronomy. If you visit a specialty coffee shop (un torréfacteur) in Paris, Bordeaux, or Lyon, the verb is ubiquitous. You will hear baristas asking customers how they would like their beans ground based on their brewing method at home.

At the Roaster (Chez le torréfacteur): The most common question you might hear is: 'Voulez-vous que je vous les mouds ?' (Do you want me to grind them for you?). Or you might see signs that say 'Café moulu sur place' (Coffee ground on-site). This highlights the verb's connection to quality and freshness.

Est-ce que vous pouvez moudre ce sachet pour une cafetière à piston ?

In the Kitchen and Restaurants: In a restaurant, the server might approach with a large 'moulin à poivre' (pepper mill) and ask: 'Voulez-vous du poivre fraîchement moulu ?' (Would you like some freshly ground pepper?). Here, the adjective form 'moulu' is used, but the action of 'moudre' is what is being performed right before your eyes.

Le chef préfère moudre ses propres mélanges d'épices pour garder le secret de sa recette.

In Literature and Folklore: The verb also appears in classic French literature and proverbs. One famous saying is 'Apporter de l'eau au moulin' (to bring water to the mill), which means to provide arguments that support a particular point. While the verb 'moudre' isn't in the proverb itself, the entire imagery of the mill grinding away is central to the metaphor.

Dans les contes anciens, le meunier passait ses journées à moudre le grain pour tout le village.

Finally, you might hear it in technical or DIY contexts. If someone is talking about a 'meuleuse' (a grinder tool), they are discussing the mechanical cousin of the 'moulin.' Whether you are in a chic cafe or a rural bakery, 'moudre' is the verb of transformation, turning the hard, raw materials of the earth into the refined ingredients of French cuisine.

On entendait le bruit sourd des pierres qui commençaient à moudre.

Il faut moudre le sucre pour obtenir du sucre glace.

Learning moudre presents several hurdles, primarily due to its irregular conjugation and its phonetic similarity to other common verbs. Avoiding these pitfalls will make your French sound much more natural and precise.

Confusion with 'Mordre' (To Bite): This is the most frequent error for English speakers. 'Mordre' (to bite) and 'moudre' (to grind) differ by only one vowel sound. 'Mordre' has an 'o' sound (like 'more'), while 'moudre' has an 'ou' sound (like 'mood'). Saying 'Je mords le café' would mean 'I am biting the coffee,' which would certainly get you some strange looks in a Parisian bistro!

Attention : le chien peut mordre (bite), mais le moulin peut moudre (grind).

Conjugation Errors: The 'd' vs 'l' trap: Many learners try to conjugate 'moudre' as a regular -re verb. They might say 'nous moudons' instead of the correct 'nous moulons.' Remember that the 'd' only exists in the singular present (mouds, mouds, moud). As soon as you move to plural or other tenses like the imperfect, the 'l' takes over.

Faux : Nous moudons le blé.
Vrai : Nous moulons le blé.

Misusing 'Moulu' vs 'Mouillé': Because 'moulu' (ground) and 'mouillé' (wet) both start with 'mou-', beginners sometimes swap them. 'Café mouillé' is wet coffee, which is what you have after brewing, but 'café moulu' is the dry grounds you start with. Context usually clears this up, but it's good to be precise.

J'ai acheté du poivre moulu, pas du poivre entier.

Overusing 'Broyer': While 'broyer' also means to grind or crush, it is much more aggressive. You 'broyer' a car in a junkyard or 'broyer' someone's hopes. If you use 'broyer' for coffee, it implies a more violent destruction than the refined process of 'moudre.' Stick to 'moudre' for food and 'broyer' for industrial or metaphorical destruction.

On ne dit pas 'broyer le café' mais bien 'moudre le café'.

Finally, be careful with the past participle 'moulu' in the expression 'être moulu.' It is a slangy/informal way to say you are tired. If you use it in a formal business meeting, it might sound a bit too colorful. In formal settings, stick to 'épuisé' or 'fatigué.'

Je ne peux plus marcher, je suis moulu !

Est-ce que tu mouds le grain avec une machine électrique ?

French is a language of precision, especially when it comes to the kitchen and manual labor. While moudre is the standard for grinding to a powder, several other verbs describe similar actions with subtle but important differences in texture, method, and intent.

Broyer (To Crush / To Grind): Broyer is the closest synonym but carries a heavier, more destructive connotation. It is often used for industrial processes or when the resulting particles aren't necessarily fine. You broyer stones for gravel or broyer waste. Metaphorically, 'broyer du noir' means to be very depressed.

La machine broie les débris de verre pour le recyclage.

Concasser (To Crush Coarsely): In cooking, 'concasser' is used when you want large, irregular pieces rather than a fine powder. You 'concasser' tomatoes (chop them roughly) or 'concasser' peppercorns for a 'poivre concassé' crust on a steak. It is less about 'milling' and more about 'breaking.'

Il faut concasser les noisettes avant de les mettre dans le gâteau.

Piler (To Pound / To Pestle): Piler specifically refers to using a mortar and pestle (un mortier et un pilon). It involves a vertical pounding motion. You 'piler' garlic or ice (glace pilée). While the end result might be similar to 'moudre,' the technique is different.

Utilise le mortier pour piler l'ail et le basilic pour le pesto.

Pulvériser (To Pulverize): This is the most extreme form of 'moudre.' It means to reduce something to dust or a spray. It is often used in science or when something is completely destroyed. 'Le choc a pulvérisé le pare-brise' (The impact pulverized the windshield).

Le mixeur peut pulvériser le sucre en quelques secondes.

Understanding these distinctions is key to following French recipes. If a recipe says 'moudre,' they expect a uniform, fine texture. If it says 'concasser,' they want texture and crunch. Choosing the right verb shows a high level of linguistic and cultural competence.

Je préfère moudre mes épices plutôt que d'acheter des poudres industrielles.

Le vieux moulin continue de moudre le sarrasin pour les galettes bretonnes.

How Formal Is It?

Curiosidade

The English word 'molar' (the teeth in the back of your mouth) comes from the same Latin root 'molere' because those teeth are used for grinding food!

Guia de pronúncia

UK /mudʁ/

US /mudɹ/

Single syllable verb, stress is on the main vowel 'ou'.

Rima com

foudre poudre coudre résoudre absoudre dissoudre sourdre

Erros comuns

Pronouncing it like 'mordre' (bite).
Dropping the 'r' at the end, making it sound like 'mou' (soft).
Confusing the 'ou' sound with the English 'u' in 'mud'.

Nível de dificuldade

Leitura 2/5

Easy to recognize in context, especially on food labels.

Escrita 4/5

Difficult due to the irregular 'd' to 'l' stem change.

Expressão oral 4/5

Challenging to distinguish from 'mordre' and to get the plural forms right.

Audição 3/5

Requires attention to vowel sounds to avoid confusion with other verbs.

O que aprender depois

Pré-requisitos

le café le poivre le grain le pain faire

Aprenda a seguir

broyer concasser la farine le meunier résoudre

Avançado

absoudre dissoudre émoudre mouture

Gramática essencial

Third Group Irregular Verbs

Moudre follows a unique pattern unlike 'vendre' or 'prendre'.

Stem Alternation

The stem changes from 'moud' (singular) to 'moul' (plural).

Past Participle Formation

The past participle 'moulu' is irregular.

Imperfect Stem

The imperfect is formed from the plural present stem: moul- + endings.

Imperative of Irregular Verbs

Mouds (tu), Moulons (nous), Moulez (vous).

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Exemplos por nível

Je mouds le café.

I grind the coffee.

Present tense, 1st person singular.

Tu mouds le poivre.

You grind the pepper.

Present tense, 2nd person singular.

Il moud le grain.

He grinds the grain.

Present tense, 3rd person singular.

Elle moud les épices.

She grinds the spices.

Present tense, 3rd person singular.

Le café est moulu.

The coffee is ground.

Passive construction with past participle.

Mouds le café, s'il te plaît.

Grind the coffee, please.

Imperative mode.

Je veux moudre du sucre.

I want to grind some sugar.

Infinitive after another verb.

C'est du poivre moulu.

It is ground pepper.

Adjective use of past participle.

Nous moulons le café ensemble.

We grind the coffee together.

Present tense, 1st person plural (note the 'l').

Vous moulez le grain pour le pain.

You grind the grain for the bread.

Present tense, 2nd person plural.

Ils moulent les amandes pour le gâteau.

They grind the almonds for the cake.

Present tense, 3rd person plural.

J'ai moulu le café ce matin.

I ground the coffee this morning.

Passé composé.

Elle a moulu tout le poivre.

She ground all the pepper.

Passé composé.

Nous avons moulu le blé à la main.

We ground the wheat by hand.

Passé composé with 'nous'.

Tu ne mouds pas assez finement.

You are not grinding finely enough.

Negative construction with adverb.

Le moulin moud le maïs.

The mill grinds the corn.

Noun and verb usage.

Autrefois, on moulait le blé au village.

In the past, we used to grind wheat in the village.

Imparfait tense.

Si tu avais un moulin, tu moudrais ton café.

If you had a mill, you would grind your coffee.

Conditional mode.

Je suis tout moulu après ce travail.

I am all aching after this work.

Idiomatic use of 'moulu'.

Il faut que je mouds ces graines.

I must grind these seeds.

Present subjunctive (often identical to present for singular).

Nous moulions le café quand le téléphone a sonné.

We were grinding coffee when the phone rang.

Imparfait for ongoing action.

Cette machine peut moudre n'importe quoi.

This machine can grind anything.

Modal verb 'pouvoir' + infinitive.

La mouture doit être très fine pour l'expresso.

The grind must be very fine for espresso.

Related noun 'mouture'.

Ils ont moulu les épices pour faire le curry.

They ground the spices to make the curry.

Passé composé with plural subject.

Le meunier moud le grain depuis l'aube.

The miller has been grinding grain since dawn.

Present tense indicating ongoing state.

Bien que nous moulions le café, il n'est pas bon.

Although we grind the coffee, it is not good.

Subjunctive after 'bien que'.

L'industrie moud des tonnes de céréales par jour.

The industry grinds tons of cereals per day.

Subject-verb agreement with collective noun.

Elle moudrait volontiers le café si elle avait le temps.

She would gladly grind the coffee if she had time.

Conditional with adverb.

Les pierres du moulin s'usent à force de moudre.

The millstones wear out by grinding.

Pronominal verb + prepositional phrase.

Avez-vous déjà moulu vos propres noisettes ?

Have you ever ground your own hazelnuts?

Interrogative passé composé.

Le café fraîchement moulu a une odeur divine.

Freshly ground coffee has a divine smell.

Adverb modifying a past participle used as adjective.

Il ne faut pas moudre le poivre trop longtemps à l'avance.

One must not grind pepper too far in advance.

Negative impersonal construction.

Le vent fait tourner les ailes pour moudre le froment.

The wind turns the sails to grind the wheat.

Causative 'faire' + infinitive.

Il moulut le café avec une précision d'orfèvre.

He ground the coffee with the precision of a goldsmith.

Passé simple (literary).

Quoi que vous mouliez, assurez-vous de la propreté du matériel.

Whatever you grind, ensure the cleanliness of the equipment.

Subjunctive with 'quoi que'.

La meule semblait moudre les souvenirs du passé.

The millstone seemed to grind the memories of the past.

Metaphorical literary use.

Après ce long voyage, il se sentait tout moulu et brisé.

After this long journey, he felt all aching and broken.

Double adjective with 'moulu'.

L'art de moudre le grain a évolué avec la technologie.

The art of grinding grain has evolved with technology.

Abstract noun phrase as subject.

Nous moulons les faits pour qu'ils correspondent à notre version.

We 'grind' (distort/shape) the facts so they fit our version.

Figurative/creative use.

Le bruit du moulin qui moud est apaisant.

The sound of the mill grinding is soothing.

Relative clause.

Le meunier ne saurait moudre sans eau ni vent.

The miller would not know how to grind without water or wind.

Formal 'saurait' for 'could/would'.

Il importe que la machine moudât le grain avant l'hiver.

It is important that the machine grinds the grain before winter.

Imperfect subjunctive (very rare/archaic).

La finesse de la mouture dépend de la vitesse à laquelle on moud.

The fineness of the grind depends on the speed at which one grinds.

Complex relative pronoun 'à laquelle'.

On ne saurait moudre du grain avec des paroles.

One cannot grind grain with words (actions speak louder).

Proverbial/Philosophical use.

Le moulin moudra-t-il encore quand les sources seront taries ?

Will the mill still grind when the springs have dried up?

Future tense with inversion and hypothetical.

À force de moudre le noir de son âme, il finit par s'isoler.

By constantly brooding over the darkness of his soul, he ended up isolating himself.

Literary play on 'broyer du noir'.

L'automatisation permet de moudre sans intervention humaine constante.

Automation allows for grinding without constant human intervention.

Infinitive as part of a complex verbal phrase.

C'est en moulant qu'on devient meunier.

It is by grinding that one becomes a miller.

Gérondif construction (parody of 'c'est en forgeant...').

Colocações comuns

moudre le café

moudre le grain

moudre du poivre

moudre finement

moudre grossièrement

moudre du blé

moudre à la main

moudre sur place

moudre mécaniquement

moudre des épices

Frases Comuns

café fraîchement moulu

— Coffee that has just been ground.

Rien ne bat l'odeur du café fraîchement moulu.

moudre du noir

— An older version of 'broyer du noir' (to have dark thoughts).

Il reste seul à moudre du noir.

être tout moulu

— To be very tired or aching in the muscles.

Après le sport, je suis tout moulu.

moudre à la meule

— To grind using a traditional stone.

Farine moulue à la meule de pierre.

donner à moudre

— To give someone something to think about or work on.

Ce problème nous donne du grain à moudre.

moudre menu

— To grind very small.

Moudre menu les herbes séchées.

moudre pour expresso

— To grind specifically for an espresso machine.

Il faut moudre plus fin pour l'expresso.

moudre le maïs

— To process corn into meal.

Ils moulent le maïs pour la polenta.

moudre du sel

— To use a salt grinder.

Moudre du sel de mer sur le plat.

moudre les céréales

— General term for milling grains.

La coopérative moud les céréales des fermiers.

Frequentemente confundido com

moudre vs mordre

Means 'to bite'. Often confused because of the similar sound.

moudre vs mourir

Means 'to die'. The past participle 'mort' is sometimes confused with 'moulu' by beginners.

moudre vs coudre

Means 'to sew'. It has a similar -oudre ending but conjugates differently (nous cousons).

Expressões idiomáticas

"Donner du grain à moudre"

— To provide someone with material for thought, discussion, or work.

Ses révélations vont donner du grain à moudre aux journalistes.

neutral

"Être moulu"

— To be exhausted or feeling sore all over.

Je suis moulu, je vais me coucher.

informal

"Apporter de l'eau au moulin"

— To provide arguments or facts that support someone's point of view.

Cette nouvelle étude apporte de l'eau à mon moulin.

neutral

"Moudre du noir"

— To be in a state of depression or brooding (less common than 'broyer').

Depuis son départ, elle moud du noir.

literary

"Passer à la moulinette"

— To examine something in great detail or to criticize harshly.

Le projet a été passé à la moulinette par la direction.

informal

"Moulin à paroles"

— Someone who talks constantly (chatterbox).

Ma voisine est un vrai moulin à paroles.

informal

"Premier arrivé, premier moulu"

— First come, first served (archaic version of 'premier arrivé, premier servi').

Dans ce village, c'était premier arrivé, premier moulu.

archaic

"Faire moudre"

— To have something ground by someone else.

Je fais moudre mon grain chez le voisin.

neutral

"Moudre fin"

— To be very precise or meticulous (figurative).

Il moud fin dans ses analyses politiques.

literary

"S'en aller comme du café moulu"

— To disappear or be used up quickly (rare).

L'argent s'en va comme du café moulu.

informal

Fácil de confundir

moudre vs mordre

Phonetic similarity.

Mordre is about teeth; moudre is about a mill or grinder.

Le chien mordre (bite) vs Le moulin moudre (grind).

moudre vs broyer

Semantic similarity (both mean grind/crush).

Broyer is more violent/industrial; moudre is for fine particles like flour.

On broie du noir mais on moud du café.

moudre vs piler

Both involve reducing size.

Piler uses a vertical pounding motion (mortar); moudre uses a circular/mill motion.

Piler de la glace vs moudre du blé.

moudre vs moudre vs mouliner

Both relate to mills.

Mouliner often refers to using a small hand-cranked device or a food mill for vegetables.

Mouliner la soupe vs moudre le café.

moudre vs moudre vs concasser

Both are kitchen actions.

Concasser is for coarse chunks; moudre is for fine powder.

Concasser le poivre vs moudre le poivre.

Padrões de frases

Je mouds le [food].

Je mouds le café.

Nous moulons le [food].

Nous moulons le grain.

J'ai moulu le [food] pour [action].

J'ai moulu le poivre pour le dîner.

Je suis tout moulu.

Je suis tout moulu ce soir.

Il faut moudre le [food] [adverb].

Il faut moudre le café finement.

Le moulin servait à moudre le [food].

Le moulin servait à moudre le seigle.

À force de moudre, le [noun] [verb].

À force de moudre, la meule s'échauffe.

Donner du grain à moudre à [person].

Cela va donner du grain à moudre aux critiques.

Família de palavras

Substantivos

le moulin (mill)

la mouture (the grind)

le meunier (miller)

la meunière (miller's wife/style)

la moulinette (food mill)

la meule (millstone)

Verbos

remoudre (to grind again)

émoudre (to sharpen on a grindstone)

Adjetivos

moulu (ground/aching)

émoulu (sharpened/fresh out of school)

Relacionado

la farine

le grain

le café

le poivre

la meuleuse

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Como usar

frequency

Common in culinary and rural contexts; rare in general daily conversation outside of coffee.

Erros comuns

Nous moudons le café. → Nous moulons le café.
The 'd' changes to 'l' in the plural present tense.
J'ai mordu le café. → J'ai moulu le café.
Mordu is the past participle of mordre (to bite). Moulu is for moudre (to grind).
Je moude le poivre. → Je mouds le poivre.
The first person singular ends in 's', not 'e'. It is a 3rd group verb.
Café moulé. → Café moulu.
Moulé means 'molded' (like a shape). Moulu means 'ground'.
Ils moudent le blé. → Ils moulent le blé.
Even in the 3rd person plural, use the 'l' stem.

Dicas

The 'L' Rule

Whenever you have more than one person (plural), the 'd' in moudre turns into an 'l'. Nous moulons, vous moulez.

Coffee shop tip

If you buy beans, look for 'en grains'. If you want it ground, look for 'moulu'.

Avoid the Bite

Make sure to use the 'ou' sound (like 'you') for moudre. If you use the 'o' sound (like 'more'), people will think you are talking about biting (mordre).

Feeling tired?

Use 'Je suis tout moulu' after a long hike to sound like a native speaker.

The Miller's Wife

The term 'à la meunière' (fish cooked in flour) comes from the word for a miller's wife, who obviously had plenty of flour from 'moudre' grain.

Spelling check

The singular forms 'mouds' and 'moud' always keep the 'd'. Don't forget it!

Mill sounds

If you hear a 'l' sound in a word that sounds like 'mood', it's likely a form of moudre.

Recipe reading

If a recipe says 'poivre moulu', it means use the pepper grinder, not whole peppercorns.

Old Mills

Many French surnames like 'Meunier' or 'Moulin' come from this verb's history.

Grain to grind

The phrase 'donner du grain à moudre' is perfect for business meetings when you provide new data.

Memorize

Mnemônico

Think of a 'MOO-lin' (Moulin) where a cow grinds (MOUD) its coffee. The 'L' in Moulin only appears when there's more than one person (Nous moulons).

Associação visual

Imagine a giant wooden windmill (Moulin Rouge style) turning slowly, reducing hard grains into soft white powder.

Word Web

café poivre farine moulin meule grain poudre meunier

Desafio

Try to conjugate 'moudre' in your head while you are making your morning coffee or tea. Say 'Je mouds le café' out loud.

Origem da palavra

Derived from the Latin verb 'molere', which means to grind or to mill.

Significado original: The act of crushing grain between two stones to make flour.

Indo-European > Italic > Romance > French.

Contexto cultural

No specific sensitivities; it is a standard culinary and agricultural term.

English speakers often use 'grind' for everything from coffee to work. In French, 'moudre' is much more specific to the physical process of milling.

Lettres de mon moulin by Alphonse Daudet Le Moulin de la Galette (painting by Renoir) Moulin Rouge (cabaret and film)

Pratique na vida real

Contextos reais

Kitchen / Cooking

Moudre le poivre
Café moulu
Moudre des noix
Moudre finement

Farming / Agriculture

Moudre le blé
Le moulin tourne
Le grain est moulu
Apporter le grain

Coffee Shops

Voulez-vous le moudre ?
Mouture pour filtre
Grain ou moulu ?
Moudre à la demande

Physical State

Je suis moulu
Tout moulu
Se sentir moulu
Corps moulu

Literature

Moudre le passé
Le bruit du moulin
Donner du grain à moudre
Moudre du noir

Iniciadores de conversa

"Préférez-vous acheter votre café déjà moulu ou le moudre vous-même ?"

"Savez-vous comment moudre des épices sans moulin électrique ?"

"Est-ce que vous vous sentez souvent 'moulu' après une séance de sport ?"

"Avez-vous déjà visité un vieux moulin qui continue de moudre du grain ?"

"Quelle est la meilleure façon de moudre le poivre pour un steak ?"

Temas para diário

Décrivez l'odeur du café quand vous commencez à le moudre le matin.

Imaginez que vous êtes un meunier au 19ème siècle. Racontez votre journée à moudre le blé.

Avez-vous déjà eu l'impression que la vie vous 'moud' ? Expliquez pourquoi.

Pourquoi est-il important de moudre les ingrédients juste avant de cuisiner ?

Racontez une fois où vous étiez 'tout moulu' après un effort physique intense.

Perguntas frequentes

10 perguntas

No, it is a highly irregular verb of the third group. Its main difficulty lies in the stem change from 'moud-' to 'moul-'.

You say 'café moulu'. 'Moulu' is the past participle of the verb 'moudre'.

Usually, for ice, we use 'piler' (glace pilée). 'Moudre' is reserved for things that become powder, like grain or coffee.

It is an informal way to say you are exhausted or your body aches, similar to saying 'I feel like I've been through a grinder' in English.

It is: nous moulons, vous moulez, ils moulent. The 'd' from the singular forms disappears.

Yes, it is the standard verb for grinding spices like pepper, cinnamon, or cloves into powder.

Moudre produces a fine powder (flour, coffee). Broyer is more destructive and used for harder materials or industrial waste.

Yes, 'Moulin' means mill, and the action performed in a mill is 'moudre'.

In the passé composé, it is 'avoir moulu'. For example: 'J'ai moulu le café'.

No, the 's' is silent. It sounds like 'mou' with a very slight 'd' stop, but in modern speech, it often sounds just like 'mou'.

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