Meaning & use
fines herbes
Last updated
Meaning
nounplural
A mixture of finely chopped fresh herbs, traditionally parsley, chives, tarragon and chervil, used to flavor food.
Grammar: Plural in form and used with a plural verb: fines herbes are added at the end.
Patterns
- fines herbes are added to something
- a dish with fines herbes
The omelette is finished with fines herbes just before serving.
Classic fines herbes are chopped very fine so they blend into the sauce.
She grows parsley, chives, tarragon and chervil in one pot for her own fines herbes.
Common combinations
- a fines herbes omelette
- We ordered a fines herbes omelette and a green salad.
- chopped fines herbes
- Sprinkle chopped fines herbes over the potatoes.
- add fines herbes
- Add fines herbes at the very end so they keep their fresh taste.
- a blend of fines herbes
- The dressing is a blend of fines herbes, oil and vinegar.
Synonyms and how they differ
- mixed herbs
- A looser, everyday term for any combination of dried or fresh herbs, not the specific French four-herb mix.
- bouquet garni
- Also a herb mixture, but it is tied in a bundle and removed before eating, while fines herbes are chopped and left in the dish.
Commonly confused: fines herbes or fine herbs?
fines herbes vs fine herbs
'Fine herbs' with a space is just the adjective 'fine' plus 'herbs'; the fixed French term keeps the -s on 'fines'.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'fines herbes' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Fines herbes' is a plural fixed phrase, so it takes a plural verb and no article: 'the fines herbes are stirred in.' Option A wrongly adds 'a', and option C wrongly changes the spelling.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “fines herbes”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.