French Phrase
Barbecue au charbon ou au gaz ?
Meaning
The speaker is asking which type of grill is being used – one that runs on charcoal or one that runs on gas. It’s a quick way to compare the two most common fuel sources for outdoor cooking.
When to use
Use this question when you’re at a store, a friend’s house, or a picnic and you want to know what kind of grill is available, or when you’re discussing the pros and cons of each type with fellow cooking enthusiasts.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Barbecueaucharbonouaugaz?
au
Contraction of the preposition à + the definite article le; used here to mean ‘with’ or ‘made of’.
ou
Coordinating conjunction meaning ‘or’, used to present a choice between two options.
charbon / gaz
Both are masculine nouns; the article le is hidden inside the contraction au.
Barbecue (noun)
Masculine noun borrowed from English; in French it can refer to the grill itself or the cooking event.
🗨In Conversation
Barbecue au charbon ou au gaz ?
Charcoal or gas grill?
J’ai le modèle à gaz, mais j’aime bien le goût du charbon.
I have a gas model, but I like the flavor of charcoal.
✕Common Mistakes
Barbecue en charbon ou en gaz ?
‘En’ is not used with fuel types; the correct preposition is ‘au’ (à + le).
Barbecue au charbon et au gaz ?
Using ‘et’ changes the meaning to ‘both’, while the original phrase asks for a choice.
Barbecue du charbon ou du gaz ?
‘Du’ (de + le) would imply ‘of the charcoal’, which is not idiomatic for this comparison.
↔Alternatives
Barbecue à charbon ou à gaz ?
Charcoal or gas barbecue?
Préférez‑vous le barbecue au charbon ou au gaz ?
Do you prefer a charcoal or a gas barbecue?
Quel type de barbecue utilisez‑vous, charbon ou gaz ?
What type of barbecue do you use, charcoal or gas?
Cultural Tip
In France, charcoal barbecues (barbecue au charbon) are often associated with traditional summer gatherings and give a smoky flavor prized in classic recipes like ‘saucisses grillées’. Gas barbecues (barbecue au gaz) are popular in urban apartments with balconies because they heat up quickly and produce less ash. Regional preferences vary: the South‑West tends to favor charcoal, while the Île‑de‑France leans toward gas for convenience.