Master 75 French Slang Words And Phrases For Native-Like Fluency

Learning French well means knowing slang. It’s a big deal. Slang helps you sound like you’re from France, not just someone who studied French in a classroom. We’re going to dive into 75 excellent French slang words and phrases. They’ll spice up your talks and show you the actual French people use every day. What’s the deal with these expressions? They make your French sound natural and connect you with French culture.

75 French Slang Words and Phrases

Exploring French slang words and phrases is a great way to understand everyday French as locals speak it. These expressions make your conversations more lively and helps you connect better with native speakers. Here’s a simple guide to some everyday slang:

No. French Slang English Translation/Meaning
1 Bagnole Car
2 Boulot Job/Work
3 Bouffer To eat
4 Fric Money
5 Mec Guy/Dude
6 Nana Girl/Chick
7 Ouf Crazy (verlan for fou)
8 Relou Annoying/Heavy (verlan for lourd)
9 Teuf Party (verlan for fête)
10 Blé Dough/Money
11 Baraque House
12 Boîte Nightclub/Company
13 Flipper To freak out
14 Kiffer To like/Enjoy
15 Péter les plombs To lose it/Go crazy
16 Flic Cop
17 Clopes Cigarettes
18 Potes Friends/Buddies
19 Chouette Cool/Great
20 Meuf Girl/Woman (verlan for femme)
21 Naïf Gullible/Naive
22 Gosses Kids
23 Baraque Pad/House
24 Bobo Bohemian bourgeois (hipster)
25 Chouette Cool/Nice
26 Degueulasse Disgusting/Gross
27 Taper la discute To chat
28 Chialer To cry/Whine
29 Crever To die (informal)
30 Piquer To steal
31 Choper To catch/To pick up (a person)
32 Fringues Clothes
33 Tocard Loser/Idiot
34 Zonard Slacker/Low-life
35 Grave Totally/Seriously
36 Bosser To work
37 Bouquin Book
38 Tronche Face
39 Balancer To snitch/To throw
40 Beur Arab (verlan for arabe)
41 Tif Hair
42 Débile Stupid/Idiot
43 Bidon Fake/Bogus
44 Baraqué Muscular/Buff
45 Nickeler To clean
46 Cailler To freeze
47 Radin Cheap/Scrooge
48 Taré Crazy/Nuts
49 Pif Nose
50 Taffe Job/Work
51 Pécho To hook up with/To score (verlan for choper)
52 Dodo Sleep/Nap
53 Frimeur Show-off/Bragger
54 Blague Joke
55 Reum Mom (verlan for mère)
56 Foireux Lame/Risky
57 Flouze Money
58 Moche Ugly
59 Baraque Buff/Stocky
60 Se taper To sleep with/To eat
61 S’arracher To leave/To split
62 Caillera Thug
63 Goujat Boor
64 Laisse béton Forget it/Let it be (verlan for laisse tomber)
65 Poteau Friend/Buddy
66 Radiner To show up
67 Ringard Outdated/Old-fashioned
68 Taper To hit/To ask for money
69 Zonard Low-life
70 Caisse Car
71 Boire un coup To have a drink
72 Se marrer To laugh
73 Tarte Slap/Pie
74 Draguer To hit on/To flirt
75 Se casser To leave/To split

Why Learn French Slang?

Connect with locals

Learn French Slang

Getting to know French slang can help you connect with the locals. It makes your chats more natural and fun. When you pick up slang, you’re not just learning words. You’re getting a peek into how people live and think, which shows you respect their way of life. This makes your interactions richer and more genuine.

So, what are the perks?

  1. Better Cultural Fit: Slang opens a direct line to the core of a culture. It reveals what people value and how they joke and relate to each other.
  2. Smoother Social Moments: Slang eases the mood and can help form quick connections.
  3. More Fun and Genuineness: Using slang makes your conversations lively and real, enhancing overall communication.

Sound like a native speaker

French slang can help

Learning French slang can help you fit in and sound like a local. It’s not just about picking up new words; it’s about getting the feel of everyday language you don’t usually learn in class.

When you use slang, you show that you get the language. It makes chatting with native speakers more natural and genuine. Plus, knowing slang helps you catch jokes and cultural hints that you might miss otherwise.

Enhance fluency

Learning slang can boost your fluency in French. It makes your conversations flow better and feel more natural. Slang isn’t just casual talk; it’s a key part of daily language and changes how people chat. By getting good at slang, you can:

  1. Understand Better: You’ll get what native speakers say more clearly, including the jokes and subtle points you might miss with more formal language.
  2. Speak Naturally: You’ll share your thoughts and feelings more clearly and sound like a native speaker.
  3. Fit In Better: You’ll connect more with French speakers, whether hanging out casually or networking professionally.

Conclusion

In short, if you want to speak French like a native, you need to know the slang. These 75 slang words and phrases will help you understand and express yourself in everyday French situations. It bridges the cultural and language divide. Knowing slang improves how well you speak French and makes you feel more connected to French culture. This makes conversations more fun and real. So, go ahead and start using these colloquial expressions to appreciate the French language’s richness fully.

About the author
Ines YAICI
Ines Yaïci, born and raised in France, brings her native fluency in French to the Translation Blog as a part-time content writer. With a master's degree from the prestigious University of Paris I: Panthéon-Sorbonne, Ines combines her academic expertise with a keen interest in the stock markets. Her diverse background and passion for languages make her contributions to the blog both insightful and engaging.

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