French Phrase
Enfourne pendant 10-12 minutes.
Meaning
A typical recipe instruction meaning ‘Bake for ten to twelve minutes.’ The command is informal (tu) and is used to tell the listener to place the dish in the oven for a precise period.
When to use
Use this phrase when reading or giving a French recipe, during cooking classes, or when you need to tell someone how long to keep something in the oven.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Enfournependant10-12minutes
Imperative (tu)
‘Enfourne’ is the second‑person singular imperative of the verb ‘enfourner’; the final –s of the present tense is dropped.
Preposition for duration
‘pendant’ introduces a time span and is followed by a noun phrase indicating the length of the action.
Number range
‘10‑12’ is read as ‘dix à douze’; the hyphen signals a range, not a subtraction.
Unit of time
‘minutes’ is the plural of ‘minute’; it agrees with the numeric range.
🗨In Conversation
Comment je prépare le gâteau?
How do I prepare the cake?
Enfourne pendant 10-12 minutes.
Bake it for 10‑12 minutes.
✕Common Mistakes
Enfourner pendant 10-12 minutes.
The infinitive ‘enfourner’ is not a command; use the imperative ‘Enfourne’.
Enfourne pour 10-12 minutes.
‘pour’ expresses purpose, not duration. Use ‘pendant’.
Enfournez pendant 10-12 minutes.
‘Enfournez’ is the formal/plural imperative; in most recipes the informal singular is preferred.
↔Alternatives
Fais cuire au four pendant 10 à 12 minutes.
Cook in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes.
Mets au four pendant 10‑12 minutes.
Put it in the oven for 10‑12 minutes.
Laisse cuire au four 10‑12 minutes.
Let it bake for 10‑12 minutes.
Cultural Tip
In French culinary writing, ‘enfourner’ is the classic verb for ‘to put in the oven.’ In everyday conversation many French speakers simply say ‘mettre au four.’ The use of ‘pendant’ for a time span is standard; avoid ‘pour’ which would imply purpose rather than duration.