Cool French Want to show some street cred? Here is our essential guide to young French people's slang by Hakim M'Barek, presenter of BBC beginners' online course French Steps. We've divided up the expressions so you know what to say and what not to say.
(* = familiar, ** = very familiar, *** = vulgar, v = Verlan, Lit. = literally)
Verlan M/oi becomes oi/m, pronounced ouam Verlan is a form of slang where the syllables of a word are said the other way round. These words are used in everyday French.
Verlan is l'envers To make a word Verlan, separate the word into syllables and then put the word back together in reverse.
ARGUMENT
The French do not always consider having an argument as negative or destructive, particularly for couples. In fact, you can't really say you have a normal relationship if you haven't been through a good old row. Now, breaking the crockery is optional, but using the right line at the right time is absolutely essential. So here's a list of expressions that will enable you to have a pretty decent argument with a French partner or close friend; the perfect come-backs to that provocative Tu me cherches? (*) Are you looking for trouble?
Looking for trouble
T'as un problème ? (*) Got a problem? Not very original, but you have to find a way to start an argument somehow. C'est quoi, ton problème ? (*) What exactly is your problem? More or less same use as above. C'est à moi que tu parles ? / C'est à moi que tu causes ? (*) Are you talking to me? Probably originates from Scorcese's Taxi Driver. Remember, there is nothing better than completely ignoring someone, particularly when there are only the two of you in a room. Expect a heated argument. Qu'est-ce que tu racontes ? (*) What are you talking about? Most arguments stem from confusion. Either you genuinely don't know what the other one is talking about, or you pretend you don't. Tu veux ma photo ? (*) What are you looking at? To make someone understand that the way they are looking at you is bothering them. Tu me cherches ? (*) Are you looking for me? Really implies that someone is looking for trouble.
Get Lost!
When someone is getting too nosy and asking awkward questions, there's always a way to change the subject. T'occupe ! (*) Mind your own business! Lit. Don't worry about that. The whole expression should be Ne t'occupe pas de ça. Q: Tu étais où hier soir ? Where were you last night? A: T'occupe.(*) Fais-moi des vacances ! (*) Give me a break. Lit. Give me a holiday. Q: Tu étais où hier soir ? Where were you last night? A: Fais-moi des vacances ! (*) Lâche-moi les baskets ! (**) Give me a break! Lit. Let go of my tennis shoes. Q: Tu étais où hier soir ? Where were you last night? A: Lâche-moi les baskets ! (**) Lâche-moi la grappe! (**) (same meaning as above) Laisse béton ! (*v = Laisse tomber) (same meaning as above)
You're getting on my nerves
Sometimes you just can't be bothered to justify yourself because you feel you haven't done anything wrong. Quite legitimately, you have to answer back... Tu m'emmerdes ! (***) You're annoying me. Lit. You're crapping on me. Q: Qui t'a offert ces fleurs ? Who gave you these flowers? A: Tu m'emmerdes avec tes questions. (***) A: Tu me fais chier ! (***) Lit. You make me shit You're a pain in the ass/you're really getting on my nerves/you're really pissing me off. Tu me prends la tête ! (**) You're doing my head in! Lit. You are taking my head. Same use as above. Q: Qui t'a offert ces fleurs ? Who gave you these flowers? A: Tu me prends la tête avec tes questions. (**) Tu me gonfles ! (**) Lit. You're inflating me ... meaning like a balloon. When a balloon gets too inflated, it explodes. So it's a way of saying: Careful, you're just about to go too far. Q: Qui t'a offert ces fleurs ? Who gave you these flowers? A: Tu me gonfles avec tes questions. (**) A: Ta gueule! (***) Shut up!
Are you taking the mickey?
Tu te fous de ma gueule, ou quoi ? (**) Are you making fun of me, or what? A good way to say: Do you think I'm an idiot? Do you really think I'm going to believe this whopper of a lie? The grammatical construction is a bit difficult here, so the best thing to do is learn this expression by heart. Q: Ce soir, je sors avec ma cousine. Tonight I'm going out with my cousin. A: Tu te fous de ma gueule, ou quoi ? (**) Tu as bu, ou quoi ? (*) You must be joking! Lit. Are you drunk, or what? When someone is accusing you and you can't wriggle out of it, the only option left is to counter-attack and question the other person. It's mean, but sometimes you have no choice. Q: Je t'ai vu embrasser quelqu'un dans un café. I saw you kiss someone in a café. A: Tu as bu, ou quoi ? (*) Another way to say "You must be joking!" or "You're crazy" is to advise them to stop smoking drugs. Faut arrêter de fumer ! (**) Lit. You must stop smoking. Tu as trop fumé ! (**) Lit. You smoked too much! Tu as trop fumé la moquette ! (**) Lit. You smoked the carpet too much (you smoked so much that it made you crazy). Tu as trop tiré sur le chichon ! (**) Chichon is a kind of pipe used to smoke drugs. Non, mais, t'es pas bien ! (*) You're really mad!
Who do you think I am?
Tu me prends pour qui ? / Qu'est-ce qu'il y a marqué, ici ? (*) Who do you think I am? The latter litterally translates as "What does it say here?" Interesting expression as it's combined with a gesture: a finger pointing at your forehead. When your partner takes you for a ride, it's a way to say "Do you think I'm completely stupid?" It's always good to play the victim every now and then. Il n'y a pas marqué [...] ici ! (*) Could be used to say that you are not the expert in something and you don't want to do it - eg: Il n'y a pas marqué taxi ici means "I'm not a taxi driver" if you refuse to drive someone somewhere.
I don't believe it!
J'hallucine ! (*) I am hallucinating. I can't believe what I am seeing or hearing. C'est l'hallu totale ! (*) It's total hallucination! Hallu sounds cooler than the whole word hallucination. Just because you are angry, it doesn't mean you shouldn't use cool expressions. C'est pas vrai ! (*) It's not true! Je rêve ! (*) I'm dreaming J'y crois pas ! (*) I can't believe it!
DRINKING
The French like eating, but they also love to drink, particularly alcoholic drinks. For centuries they have been producing wine, beer, spirits... and many poets, writers, and artists were famous for writing masterpieces under the influence of alcohol. For instance Alfred de Musset, a 19th-century poet, wrote: Qu'importe le flacon, pourvu qu'on ait l'ivresse, nevermind the bottle, as long as you're intoxicated. All of this contributed to make alcohol a very popular social habit. Things are now changing in France, a country where alcoholism was still a cause for concern not so long ago. So, when you travel through France and sample delicious wines and spirits, it's always worth remembering the slogan Boire ou conduire, il faut choisir, drink or drive, it's your choice. Santé!
Booze
Boire ou conduire, il faut choisir Drink or drive, it's your choice. La picole (*) Booze. It gives picoler, the verb, and picoleur, picoleuse, the user.
Apéritif
Apéro (*) Short for apéritif. Un jaune (*) Lit. a yellow. Used to refer to the famous French aniseed-flavoured aperitif. Ricard or Pastis are two different names that refer to the aniseed-flavoured aperitif.
Beers
Un demi (*) Lit. A half. Half a pint of beer. Une mousse (*) Lit. A froth. A beer. Une blonde (*) Lit. A glass of ale. Une brune (*) A brown ale. Une rousse (*) A ginger beer. Une pression (*) A draught beer. Une roteuse (**) A beer. Lit. something that makes you roter, belch. French beer is quite bubbly, as a matter of fact. Hence this expression, not exactly elegant but rather explicit.
Vins
Le pinard, le picrate, le jaja, la bibine (*) Wine of poor quality, cheap wine. All of these are old slang words, but still very popular nowadays. Unfortunately, disgusting wine is also available in France. La gnôle, gnole, gniole (*) Hard stuff, seriously hard stuff. Pronounced "nee-all". Refers to all kinds of spirit made from fruit, often produced by farmers, both legally and illegally. Has to be tried once in a lifetime - for tough livers only. An expression that describes it well is Ça déchire la tête, lit. "It tears your head off". La flotte (*) Water. Lit. The fleet. The French sometimes drink water with their Pastis. Château La Pompe Humorous way to say water Château is usually the name of French wines and la pompe is a pump (uses as a water pump). Château Robinet The same as above. Robinet is a tap.
Let's go for a drink
Boire un verre, un godet, un coup, un pot (*) When the French go for a drink, they don't refer to what they're drinking, but rather what they drink from, ie the glass, jar, jug, etc. Tu viens boire un coup avec moi ? (*) Fancy coming for a drink with me? On va s'en jeter un ? (*) Lit. Shall we go and pour ourselves one? On va s'en jeter un derrière la cravate ? (*). Lit. Shall we go and pour ourselves one behind the tie? A bit long. Also, not everyone wears a tie. C'est où la "rue de la soif" ? (*) Lit. Where is the thirst street? Looking for a street full of bars.
Smashed
Je suis bourré, rond, pété, défoncé (*) I'm smashed, drunk, pissed. Too late, you did have that one drink too many. The previous expression could have saved you and helped you retain your dignity. Je suis fait! (*) Lit. I'm made. I'm drunk. J'ai les dents du fond qui baignent! (*) Lit. My back teeth are soaking. Quite descriptive, this expression can be used when you are just about to have one drink too many. A funny way to decline an offer for another round when you haven't finished your previous drink. J'ai la gueule de bois (*) I have a hangover. Lit. I have the wooden head. Very old expression. It's been, is and will be used and understood by all: the side effects of alcohol never change! Alcolo (*) Short for alcoholic. Pochtron (*) Means drunk or alcoholic. Pochtronne for women. Rade (*) A typical French bar, popular and cheap.
CLASS
Un richard (*) Loaded geezer, very wealthy man. Un aristo (*) An aristocrat or 'toff'. BCBG = bon chic bon genre (*) A person who dresses smartly and expensively (Parisian slang). Posh in Paris! Bobo or bo-bo = Bourgeois Bohême (*) People who prefer the 'Bohemian' way of life, support environmental issues and have good jobs. Un bourge (*) A bourgeois. A bourgeois or middle-class person. Obviously, people who are anti-bourgeois can't be bothered to pronounce the whole word. Un prolo (*) 'Prole', 'pleb', working class. Un smicard (*) Somebody who only earns SMIC, Salaire Minimum Interprofessionnel de Croissance, or minimum wage. Un rmiste (*) Pronounced like "remist". Someone who gets RMI, Revenu Minimum d'Insertion, jobseeker's allowance. Un clodo (*) A tramp. Short for a un clochard.
FAMILY
Ouam (*v=moi) Me. M/oi becomes oi/m, pronounced ouam. Ouate (*v=toi) You. Verlan for toi. T/oi becomes oi/t, pronounced ouate. On va chez ouate ou chez ouam ? (*v=toi) Your place or mine? Ma reum (*v=mère) My mum. Mon reup (*v=père) My dad. J'habite chez ma reum (*) I live with my mum. Verlan for mère, père. Mè/re, pè/re in verlan should be re/mè, re/pè, but the final é sounds ugly, so it's omitted, leaving us with re/m, re/p, pronounced reum, reup. Mon daron (*) My dad. Mon frangin, ma frangine (*) My brother, my sister. Un gamin, un môme, un gosse (*) A kid. La belle-doche, la belle-muche (*) The mother-in-law. Should be la belle-mère, but it's yet another opportunity to ridicule this rather unpopular character with the suffix doche. Le beauf (*) 1. short for beau-frère, brother-in-law. 2. pej. & fig. archetypal lower middle-class Frenchman. According to the Larousse dictionary, beaufs are archetypal ordinary Frenchmen as perceived by the French themselves. The term, which is short for beau-frère (brother-in-law), also suggests conformism and a narrow outlook. Ma meuf, ma nana (*) My girl-friend, my spouse. Mon ex (*) My ex.
FOOD
The direct translation of 'food' is la nourriture, which comes from nourrir, to feed, and therefore has a rather functional meaning. As a matter of fact, in France you eat for pleasure, not just to feed yourself. So nourriture refers to basic food, the sort of food you eat to keep your body going. For more elaborate dishes, the French are more likely to use the word cuisine. Cooking can be regarded as a sort of human triumph over nature; it is considered an art, a poetic form of expression. This explains the long and complicated, often incomprehensible nature of the names the French give to their dishes, even the most modest ones. For instance, if you think baked potatoes are pommes de terre en robe des champs, lit. potatoes "in their field dress". So good luck, and bon appétit or simply bon app'!
Hungry
Je mangerais un bœuf (*) The equivalent of the English expression "I could eat a horse", except in French it's a bull. For some reason, this expression is not so much in fashion these days. J'ai la dalle (*) Lit. I've got the paving-stone. To understand this expression, you have to be hungry, really hungry, and have hunger pangs - to the point where you feel you have a paving-stone in your stomach.
Meals
Le petit déj (*) Short for petit déjeuner, breakfast. Actually pronounced p'ti dèj. Une bouffe (**) A meal. An old French slang word. On se fait une bouffe ? (**) Shall we go for a meal? Un casse-dalle (**) Lit. a paving-stone breaker. When you have a paving-stone in your stomach, you have to break it. Logical, isn't it? This word applies to anything that will relieve your hunger, it can be a snack, a sandwich, a quick meal.
Food
La bouffe (*) Food. Quite logically, the verb bouffer means to eat. See also une bouffe above. J'adore la bouffe (*) I love food. La graille (**) Another old slang word for food. Just like its equivalent la bouffe, it can become a verb, grailler. La graillave (**) The ending -ave gives the word graille a sort of Bohemian feel. Mainly used by suburban youngsters. On va grailler We're going to eat. La barbaque (**) Bad meat. Old slang word, the origins of which are uncertain. It may come from the Romanian word "berbec", lamb, that French soldiers brought back to France in 1855. But it may also be of Mexican-Caribbean origins, from the word barbecue. Again, French soldiers didn't really appreciate meat cooked that way but they brought the word back from Mexico in 1862. Anyway, whatever the exact origins of this word, nowadays it means meat of very poor quality. La bidoche (**) Equivalent to la barbaque. Comes from the word bidet, which says a lot.
Tasty or not tasty
Super (*) Just add before an adjective for extra dramatic effect. Bon Good, tasty. Super bon (*)Super good. Dégueulasse, dégueu, super dégueu (*) Disgusting. Je m'en lèche les doigts I'm licking my fingers. Obviously recommended for a tasty, finger-licking dish. A nice compliment to make to the chef.
Spicy
Ça arrache la gueule (**) Lit. It tears your mouth off. It completely takes the roof off your mouth. Gives an idea of the damage spicy food can cause to a French mouth. Ça emporte la gueule (**) Lit. It takes your mouth away. It takes the roof off your mouth. Not as strong as the previous one, though. Ça déménage Lit. It removes. Obviously, a dish that manages to take the roof off your mouth has to be strong.
FRIENDS
Un mec, un keum (*v=mec) A bloke. Ma nana, ma gonzesse, ma meuf, ma louloutte (*v) A girl, a bird. Meuf is verlan for femme. Un pote, une pote, un poteau (*) A friend, a mate. Mon jules, mon mec, mon keum (*v) My boyfriend. In old-fashioned slang, jules used to mean pimp. Mon loulou My boyfriend. Loulou is short for mon loubard, which means yob, ma louloutte being the feminine. Ma nénette (**) My bird Mon frère (*) My brother - for a friend. Ma sœur (*) My sister - for a friend. Mon cousin (*) My brother - someone with the same ethnic background.
GOING OUT
A notorious night-bird wrote a book in which he tells of the restless nights he used to spend wandering around Paris. Nowadays, urban heroes sleep and rest during daytime. It's only in the evening that they come back to life. If you are tempted to try la vie nocturne, here is a list of expressions that should help you answer the usual question: Qu'est-ce qu'on fait ce soir ?
Places to go
Un restau, un resto: short for un restaurant. Qu'est-ce qu'on fait ce soir ? Where shall we go tonight? On se fait un restau ? (*) Shall we eat out? Un bistrot (*) A bar or café. Linguists can't agree on the origins of this old word. What matters is that it has survived and that it's still very popular. Une boîte (de nuit): Lit. A (night) box. A (night) club. On va en boîte ? (*) Fancy going clubbing? Une teuf (*v=fête) A party Fê/te became te/fê. The final ê was taken out, leaving us with te/f, pronounced teuf. On fait une teuf à la "son-mai" ? (*) Shall we do a party at home? Son-mai is verlan of maison, house. Un cinoche (*) Slang for un cinéma. On se fait un cinoche ? (*) Fancy seeing a film? La téloche (*) Slang for la télévision. You don't always want to go out every night. But this shouldn't prevent you from sounding cool when telling your friends about it the next day. Hier soir, j'ai maté la téloche. (*) Last night, I watched the telly. Une bouffe entre potes (*) A nosh-up with friends. This is how most evenings start. Une soirée cool dans mon caleçon (*) Lit. A cool evening in my underpants. An evening bumming around at home. Hier soir, j'ai passé une soirée cool dans mon caleçon. (*) Last night, I just bummed around at home. Une soirée pyjama (*) For girls - staying at home.
A plan
Un plan (*) Lit. A plan. This small word can mean different things. It can mean your plans for the evening: Pour ce soir, j'ai un super-plan. (*) I have a great evening planned. It can also mean a situation in general: Cette fête, c'est un plan pourri. (*) This party sucks. Lit. This party, it's a rotten plan. It can also designate a hint, a tip, a piece of advice: Laurent m'a donné un bon plan-resto. (*) Laurent told me about a great restaurant. Lit. Laurent gave me a good restaurant plan. Un plan d'enfer (*) Lit. A plan from hell. A great idea/plan. Un plan pourave - un plan galère (*) Lit. A rotten plan. Pourave comes from pourri, rotten. The suffix -ave gives it an edge. Anyway, if it's rotten, it's rubbish. Un plan moisi (*) Lit. A mouldy plan. Same meaning as pourave. All these expressions, d'enfer, pourave, moisi can also apply to anything else (things, situations, etc.)
The day after
J'ai la gueule de bois (*) Lit. I have the wooden head. I have a hangover. Very old expression. It's been, is and will be used and understood by all: the side effects of alcohol never change! J'ai la tête dans le seau (**) Lit. I've got my head in the bucket. The morning after your body sometimes rejects the liquids that you weren't sensible enough to refuse the night before. J'ai la tête dans le cul (***) I'm feeling upside down. Lit. I've got my head in my bum. No matter what this phrase actually means, it expresses rather well how unpleasant the morning after can sometimes be. On se fait un "after" ? (*) Lit. Shall we make an after. To carry on (drinking) until the early morning
HEALTH
It is sometimes difficult to stay cool when you are ill. Nevertheless here is a list of words and expressions that should help you talk about your aches and still remain dignified. Some of the expressions may be a bit strong, but remember that when you are ill, in search of comfort or sympathy, what matters is not how much you are actually suffering but how much others think you are suffering.
Where to go when you're ill
Le toubib (*) The doctor. From Arabic for doctor. One of the words that the French imported from Algeria. L'hosto, l'hosteau (*) L'hôpital The hospital. This is an example of related words where a vowel with a ^ in one word corresponds to vowel + s in another, e.g. fête and festin, goût and gustatif. Le gynéco (*) (le gynécologue) Gynaecologist. Le psy (*) (le psychologue) Psychologist. Le kiné (*) (le kinésythérapeute) Physiotherapist.
Parts of the body
Le pif (*) The nose. La tronche The face. La gueule (*) The face. Les chicots (*) The teeth. Lit. the stumps, the stubs... Understood by all, although not very flattering. Le bide The belly, the tummy.
My ... is sore
J'ai mal au/à la + [any of the aforementioned body parts]: I have a sore [body part that's sore]. J'ai mal au bide I have a tummy ache. J'ai mal is a rather conventional way of expressing your pain. If no other expression comes to mind, at least make sure you use a cool word to designate the painful body part.
I am so ill
Je ne suis pas bien ! Je vais mal ! (*) I'm really bad. J'ai la crève (**) I have a cold. Je vais gerber (*) I'm going to be sick. Je suis en morceaux (*) I'm in pieces. Je vais tomber dans les pommes ! (*) Lit. I'm going to fall into the apples. Never mind the origin of that very usual expression, you'll never remember it if you do happen to pass out. Je vais tomber dans les vapes ! (*) I am going to pass out.