French Phrase
Le plat principal est encore en train de cuire.
Meaning
This sentence tells the listener that the main course is still being cooked. It emphasizes that the cooking process has not finished yet, often used to manage expectations about when the meal will be served.
When to use
Use this phrase in a restaurant when the waiter informs you that the main dish is not ready, or at home when you’re checking on a meal that’s still on the stove. It’s also handy when you need to explain a delay in serving the main course.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Leplatprincipalestencoreentraindecuire.
Definite article (Le)
Le is the masculine singular definite article used before a masculine noun.
Noun phrase (plat principal)
‘Plat principal’ means ‘main dish’; both words are masculine, so they take the article le.
Verb être (est)
Est is the third‑person singular present of être, used here as the auxiliary for the progressive construction.
Adverb encore
Encore means ‘still’ or ‘again’; placed before the progressive phrase to indicate the action is ongoing.
Progressive construction (en train de + infinitive)
‘En train de’ + infinitive expresses an action that is happening right now, similar to the English ‘‑ing’ form.
Infinitive cuire
Cuire means ‘to cook’; it follows the ‘en train de’ construction.
🗨In Conversation
Le plat principal est encore en train de cuire.
The main course is still cooking.
D'accord, je prépare la salade en attendant.
Alright, I’ll prepare the salad while we wait.
✕Common Mistakes
Le plat principal est encore en train de cuisiner.
‘Cuisiner’ means ‘to prepare food’ and is not used for the cooking process itself; use ‘cuire’ for ‘to cook’.
Le plat principal est encore en train cuire.
The infinitive must be preceded by ‘de’; omit ‘de’ and the sentence is ungrammatical.
Le plat principal est en train de encore cuire.
Place ‘encore’ before ‘en train de’ to correctly convey ‘still’.
↔Alternatives
Le plat principal n'est pas encore prêt.
The main dish isn’t ready yet.
Le plat principal continue de cuire.
The main dish continues to cook.
Le plat principal est en train de cuire.
The main dish is cooking.
Cultural Tip
In French dining, courses are served sequentially and timing is important. Saying ‘Le plat principal est encore en train de cuire’ is a polite way to inform guests that the chef is still working on the main course, showing respect for the cooking process. The progressive ‘en train de’ is more formal than the simple present and is common in restaurant settings.