French is one of the world’s top ten most widely spoken languages. You can hear the language spoken on nearly every continent, even if you are not in Europe. French is the official language of 29 countries, the European Union’s (EU) procedural language, and the only language used in EU Court of Justice deliberations.
We recommend that you devote some time to learning French now that we have established that it is an important language, particularly for international students. Though learning the fundamentals of French can be challenging and time-consuming, we thought it would be a good idea to teach you some common French slang phrases words to help you get a better understanding of the language.
These slangs in French will not allow you to freely converse with a native French speaker, but they will provide you with some words to impress your friends and peers.
Now’s the right time to secure a safe education loan! Fill the form in this blog TODAY!
General Everyday French Slang Words
These French slangs are understood throughout the French-speaking world.
| French | English Translation |
| Bouffer | To eat |
| Dragger | To flirt |
| Piquer | To steal |
| Une arnaque | A scam |
| Un truc | A thing |
| C’est nul | That sucks |
| Une clope | cigarette |
| Une meuf | A woman |
| BG or Beau gosse | Handsome man |
| C’est trop | That’s great |
| Bordel | A large mess |
| Kiffer | To like something |
| ouf | Awesome |
Common French Slang Words And Phrases
These are French slang phrases where the individual words in the sentence are not slang, but they combine into a sentence that is used as a slang.
| French | English Translation |
| T’inquiète | A short version of Ne t’inquiète pas meaning ‘Don’t worry. |
| T’en fais pas or Ne t’en fais pas | Don’t make any or Don’t worry |
| Un coup de téléphone | A Phone call |
| C’est n’importe quoi | Its nonsense |
| Il a ma peau | He’s out to get me |
| Perdre la tête | To lose one’s head |
| Pas pire | Not bad |
| Ça va? Ça va! | How are you? Good! |
| Arrête de te la péter | To tell someone to stop being a show-off or stop bragging |
| Laisse tomber | Let it go |
| Je me casse | I am out of here |
Know More About France Education Loans For Students
Regional French Vocabulary
French slang is so extensive that there are different iterations of it in different parts of France. Here are some french slang phrases that are used only in certain smaller French-speaking regions –
A Pencil
- un crayon gris (in southern France)
- un crayon de bois (in northern France)
- un crayon (everywhere else)
A Pen
- un Bic (Belgium and Kinshasa, DRC)
- un crayon (commonly used in Quebec for “pen” although it also means “pencil”)
A Plastic Grocery Bag
- une poche (in southwestern France)
- un pochon (in small regions of central and western France)
- un sachet (near the French-German border)
- un cornet (in Switzerland)
- un sac en plastique (understood throughout France)
A Chocolate Croissant
- une chocolatine (in Quebec and in the Toulouse region of France)
- un petit pain (in northern France)
- un pain au chocolat (in the rest of France)
Know More about IDFC Abroad Education Loan
Shoes
- les baskets (in France – refers only to trainers/running shoes)
- souliers (in Quebec – refers only to everyday shoes. Considered an old-fashioned word in France)
- les chaussures (understood throughout the French-speaking world)
A Restaurant Bill/Check
- une addition (in France)
- une facture (in Quebec)
Now that we are having fun with french slang words, let’s go over the most common French Text Slang.
Slang used in French ‘textos’ is a lot like English slang. Most of the french slang words are abbreviated common words and expressions. French text slang messages tends to be universal, not regional.
- slt (salut), bjr (bonjour) – hello
- stp (s’il te plaît), svp (s’il vous plaît) – please.
- cad (c’est-à-dire) – that is to say.
- A+ (à plus tard) – see you later.
- pq (pourquoi) – why.
- wétu (où es-tu) – where are you.
- je t’m (je t’aime) – I love you.
We hope you enjoyed reading this blog on The Most Common French Slang Words. If you wish to read similar blogs, here are some link that you could check out –
- Common British Slang You Should Get Used To In University If You’re Studying In The UK
- British Slang Words You Should Totally Use
- All You Need To Know About Aussie Slang Words
FAQs
What is the weirdest French slang?
The word “dépaysant” translates to “un-country-ing.” While it may seem unusual, it captures a feeling similar to homesickness. It’s that sensation you experience when you’re in a new environment, encountering entirely new elements that make you feel foreign, disoriented, and unfamiliar.
What are some commonly used French slang expressions?
Un truc, Un mec, Un bordel and many others are some of the most used French slang words.
Is there a French urban dictionary for French slang?
While there is no particular French urban dictionary to help you learn some quick French slang, you can scour the net to pick up global French slang phrases and expressions. There are quite some resources that will help you pick up some widely-spoken French slang.
Is it easy to learn French slang or common terms?
The language is especially easy to pick up if you have fluent French-speaking friends who can help you practice and learn the language faster! Additionally, movies, songs and TV shows in French will help you gain a better understanding of what the spoken language sounds like as well as help you with its pronunciation.
If you’re someone who wants to share your valuable experiences through a blog, we’re more than happy to collaborate. Write to us at contact@unicreds.com to know more about our guest-post submission process.
Recent Posts