French Phrase
Commence par un roux blanc.
Meaning
The sentence means ‘Start with a white roux.’ In French cuisine a ‘roux blanc’ is a mixture of flour and fat cooked just enough to lose the raw flour taste but not browned, serving as a thickening base for sauces and soups.
When to use
Use this phrase when giving or following a recipe, especially in a professional kitchen or cooking class. It’s typical in written or spoken instructions that detail the order of steps in French culinary preparation.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Commenceparunrouxblanc
Imperative (2nd person singular)
‘Commence’ is the imperative form of the verb ‘commencer’ used for giving a direct command to one person.
Preposition ‘par’
‘Par’ introduces the means or starting point of an action, similar to ‘by’ or ‘with’ in English.
Indefinite article ‘un’
‘Un’ is the masculine singular indefinite article, used here because ‘roux’ is masculine.
Adjective agreement
The adjective ‘blanc’ agrees in gender and number with the noun ‘roux’, so it stays singular masculine.
🗨In Conversation
Commence par un roux blanc, puis ajoute le bouillon petit à petit.
Start with a white roux, then add the broth little by little.
D'accord, je le fais tout de suite.
Okay, I’ll do it right away.
✕Common Mistakes
Commence par un roux blancs.
‘Roux’ is masculine singular; the adjective must stay singular ‘blanc’.
Commence par un roux blanche.
The adjective must agree in gender; ‘roux’ is masculine, so use ‘blanc’.
Commencer par un roux blanc.
In an imperative you drop the ‘-er’ ending; use ‘Commence’ (or ‘Commencez’).
↔Alternatives
Commencez par un roux blanc.
Start with a white roux. (formal/plural)
Débutez avec un roux blanc.
Begin with a white roux.
Faites d'abord un roux blanc.
First, make a white roux.
Cultural Tip
In French cuisine there are three classic roux types: blanc (white), blond (light brown) and brun (brown). The blanc roux is used when you want a smooth, neutral‑flavored thickener, such as in béchamel sauce. Remember that the word ‘roux’ is masculine despite ending in –x, so adjectives must match its gender (e.g., ‘blanc’, not ‘blanche’).