# passed hors d'œuvres



## tati-tatoo

I understand that the concept is a hors d'oeuvres that is not served on a table but rather by a waiter passing with a tray in the middle of the crowd.
I would in trat case translate "hors d'oeuvres" as "amuse-gueule" but how would you call "passed hors d'oeuvres" in a few words?

I am looking for something shorter and catchy as this is not a proper sentence but a service offered and described as "passed hors d'oeuvres". I'd like to avoid something as long as "amuse-gueules servis sur un plateau par le serveur " (plus serveur/servis sounds redundant)
Context: People buy a package (named xxx) and "passed hors d'oeuvres" are included in that package

*Hors d'oeuvre servis sur un plateau* maybe?


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## Topsie

(Le serveur) passait parmi les convives avec un plateau d'hors d'oeuvres / canapés / amuse-gueules 
 Attention "_pass_" ou plus correctement "_pass on_" peut aussi avoir le sens de decliner (ne pas accepter) quelque chose! pass on something (invitation, offer, etc.)


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## tati-tatoo

Topsie said:


> (Le serveur) passait parmi les convives avec un plateau d'hors d'oeuvres / canapés / amuse-gueules


 That's the concept yes, but I am looking for something shorter and catchy. Actually, it is not a proper sentence but a service offered and described as "passed hors d'oeuvres", that's why I'd like to avoid something as long as "amuse-gueules servis sur un plateau par le serveur " (plus serveur/servis sounds redundant)
People buy a package and know that "passed hors d'oeuvres" are included



Topsie said:


> Attention "_pass_" ou "plus correctement "_pass on_" peut aussi avoir le sens de decliner (ne pas accepter) quelque chose! pass on something (invitation, offer, etc.)



C'est noté, mais bon c'est pas grave ici


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## Uncle Bob

Hors d'oeuvres circulés? (Circulated hors d'oeuvres)


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## tati-tatoo

Uncle Bob said:


> Hors d'oeuvres circulés?


That's very literal. I don't thing that you would say that in French, wouldn't you?


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## Topsie

Servis sur un plateau


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## tati-tatoo

Topsie said:


> Servis sur un plateau


Yeah that's what I initially wrote, but does the reader understand that the waiter comes to them to offer them these hors d'oeuvre?


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## Topsie

I don't think there's a set phrase for _"passed ---"_ or _"tray passed ---"_ in French!


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## tati-tatoo

Ok I'll keep "servis sur un plateau" then I think that reflects the idea 99%, that's goo enough!
Thanks for your help Topsie


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## Soffie_54

"Hors d'œuvre servi sur plateau"
"Hors d'œuvres servis en salle de réception/salon" ou "Service en salle" , ce qui sous-entend qu'ils sont distribués par les serveurs


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## tati-tatoo

Soffie_54 said:


> "Hors d'œuvre servi sur plateau"


 just that it is "Hor*s-*d'œuvre*s* servi*s* sur plateau"


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## Laurent2018

Un serveur promenait des hors d'oeuvre...(je crois que "servis sur un plateau" est implicite)


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## tati-tatoo

Laurent2018 said:


> Un serveur promenait des hors d'oeuvre...(je crois que "servis sur un plateau" est implicite)


Mmmh... I don't think so


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## wildan1

I would stick with _canapés_ or _amuse-gueules_ in French--in AE _an hors d'oeuvre_ is nothing more than that--a shrimp on a piece of toast, a little tomato stuffed with cheese, olives stuck with a toothpick, etc. It's not a proper starter served as a first course in a sit-down meal.


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## tati-tatoo

wildan1 said:


> -in AE _an hors d'oeuvre_ is nothing more than that--a shrimp on a piece of toast, a little tomato stuffed with cheese, olives stuck with a toothpick, etc.


Oh yes! That is definitely an "amuse-gueule" 
Thanks for explaining that!


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## Kecha

For wedding cocktails, providers call them "servis" as opposed to those on the "buffet". 
You don't need "sur un plateau par un serveur", it's a giventhat they are not dopped on people by drones...


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## tati-tatoo

Kecha said:


> "servis"


That sounds nice... I finally used "servis sur un plateau" (ça a également une connotation un peu luxueuse je trouve, to show that what you get is a super service where they take care of you)


Kecha said:


> it's a giventhat they are not dopped on people by drones...


LOL


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## wildan1

Just to be clear about what we are discussing, see this photo from a US catering company.


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## tati-tatoo

wildan1 said:


> Just to be clear about what we are discussing, see this photo from a US catering company.


Looks yummy! And these are definitely "amuse-gueules servis sur un plateau"


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## Batfink

I know it's the translation into French that you want, but is it only me who wouldn't have understood the English term 'passed hors d'oeuvres' until it was explained here?! If I had seen that on a list of options for e.g. a wedding reception, I would have had absolutely no idea what it meant.


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## tati-tatoo

Batfink said:


> I know it's the translation into French that you want, but is it only me who wouldn't have understood the English term 'passed hors d'oeuvres' until it was explained here?! If I had seen that on a list of options for e.g. a wedding reception, I would have had absolutely no idea what it meant.



I understand your point, but when finding that in an EN source text, as a native FR speaker, I can only suppose that the source text is correct... but I must admit that "passed hors d'oeuvres" just sounds like hors d'oeuvres that you pass and not put on a table where everyone has to go and pick what he wants.... I think that even if you have never heard it before, you can guess. Translate it is just a way to find an equivalent of the EN term


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## Batfink

Yes, I understand. I wasn't criticising the post. I do get that it was from a legitimate source. I was just wondering whether other English speakers would not have understood the original, or maybe I was just being dim.


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## tati-tatoo

Batfink said:


> Yes, I understand. I wasn't criticising the post. I do get that it was from a legitimate source. I was just wondering whether other English speakers would not have understood the original, or maybe I was just being dim.


It would be interesting to post your question in the EN only forum  Just to see


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## wildan1

Batfink said:


> I was just wondering whether other English speakers would not have understood the original, or maybe I was just being dim.


Maybe I didn't make my post above clear enough, Batfink, but _hors d'œuvres_ is indeed the standard word in American English for a pre-meal amuse-gueule or canapé, but it is generally an upscale offering--chips or peanuts in a bowl would just be _snacks_; _hors d'œuvres_ require you to make a bit of an effort to make them attractive--I have given some examples in my earlier post, and the photo I posted illustrates it.

FR _hors d'œuvre_ (first course of a meal) is called _an appetizer _or _starter_ over here.


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## tati-tatoo

wildan1 said:


> but _hors d'œuvres_ is indeed the standard word in American English for a pre-meal amuse-gueule or canapé, but it is generally an upscale offering


That's different in French because in FR "hors-d'oeuvre" is as you said "apetizer" as in EN it can be "hors-d'œuvre", "amuse-gueule" and "amuse bouche" (according to the WR dictionary, Wiki and other sources). That's what French call "faux-amis"


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## Topsie

Batfink said:


> Yes, I understand. I wasn't criticising the post. I do get that it was from a legitimate source. I was just wondering whether other English speakers would not have understood the original, or maybe I was just being dim.


Well if you're dim, then so am I  I didn't think of it as being a_ formule consacrée_ either! (probably Americanese...)


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## Enquiring Mind

The problem is with "passed", as already pointed out in previous posts. Although the source text may English, that may already be a poor translation. A waiter who's serving anything doesn't "pass" it.  Things served from a tray are not "passed".


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## tati-tatoo

Enquiring Mind said:


> that may already be a poor translation


Nope: it's from an original Am Eng website, but that might just be a way to express something that doesn't even have a specific name in English maybe... Considering however that Am En is more "flexible" than Brit. Engl. that idea of "passed" is acceptable. I really don't thing that you "pass" the tray from one guest to another especially since this is a service offered to a group or whatever


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## wildan1

Enquiring Mind said:


> Although the source text may English, that may already be a poor translation.


This is a standard caterer's term in North America: Passed Hors d'Oeuvres.


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## tati-tatoo

wildan1 said:


> This is a standard caterer's term in North America: Passed Hors d'Oeuvres.


Good to know, thanks


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