Dipping Your Toes into French Slang

---

You’re learning French in France but still find yourself lost when talking to native speakers? Don’t worry, you’re doing great! The reason you might struggle is that most French people use French slang in their daily conversations. From everyday phrases and expressions to spoken shortcuts and entirely new ways of forming words, French slang can be a challenge to master. But fear not—here’s an introduction to help you navigate the informal side of French! Let’s dipp your toes into French Slang!

1. The Secret Code of “Verlan”

Let’s start with one of the most common slang forms in French: verlan. This is a playful way of reversing the syllables of a word to create a new, coded vocabulary. In fact, the word verlan itself comes from l’envers (meaning “reverse”), with its syllables swapped.

Originally popularized in youth culture, music, and everyday speech, verlan has been around for decades and is now used by people of all ages—though it’s still considered informal (so, definitely don’t use it in a job interview! 😉).

Here are a few common verlan words that will instantly make you sound more like a local:
✅ Meuf (from femme → “woman” or “girl”)
✅ Relou (from lourd → “annoying” or “heavy”)
✅ Ouf (from fou → “crazy”)

So, next time you want to tell your French friends something is wild, don’t say “C’est fou”—say “C’est ouf!”

2. Abbreviations & Spoken Shortcuts 🎤

Another thing that might make spoken French harder to understand is the many abbreviations native speakers use. Just like in English, the French love shortening words in everyday speech.

For example, instead of saying:
➡️ “Je vais” (I’m going to), people say “J’vais”
➡️ “Je sais” (I know), becomes “J’sais”

Notice how the “je” (I) is often shortened to just “j’”? This happens in many phrases!

The same thing happens to “tu” (you), which often gets shortened to just “t’”. So instead of:
➡️ “Tu as vu ?” (Did you see?), you’ll often hear “T’as vu ?”

These little spoken shortcuts are used constantly in French conversations, so keep an eye (and an ear) out for them!

3. Understanding French Expressions: When Language Gets Colorful! 🎭

French people love metaphors and imagery—and their expressions are full of them! But if you’re learning French, you might hear some phrases that don’t make any sense at first. Don’t worry! Here are some fun and quirky expressions that will help you sound like a real French speaker.

1. “J’ai le cafard” – I have the cockroach?

Your friend just said, “J’ai le cafard”, which literally translates to “I have the cockroach”. That sounds weird, right? Well, no worries—your friend isn’t carrying around a bug! It simply means they’re feeling down or sad.

Interestingly, there’s another animal-related phrase with the same meaning: “J’ai le bourdon” (I have the bumblebee). In both cases, these insects symbolize feeling discouraged or melancholic.
   

2. “Les doigts dans le nez” – Fingers in the nose?

If someone tells you they did something “les doigts dans le nez” (with fingers in the nose), you might be a bit disgusted… but don’t be!

This just means they found the task ridiculously easy. It’s the French equivalent of saying something was a piece of cake! 🎂

3. “Mettre son grain de sel” – Putting in a grain of salt

Have you ever been in a conversation where someone keeps giving unsolicited advice? Well, in French, you can sarcastically say they love to “mettre leur grain de sel” (put in their grain of salt).

This expression refers to adding your opinion to a discussion—even when nobody asked for it! 😏

4. “Un coup de foudre” – A lightning strike or love at first sight?

If you’re dating in France, this one’s for you! When you meet someone and fall in love instantly, the French say you had “un coup de foudre”—which literally translates to “a lightning strike”.

Sadly, love isn’t always smooth sailing. If your date never shows up, you’ve been “posé un lapin” (left with a rabbit). In other words, you got stood up!

5. “Faire la grasse matinée” – Doing a fat morning?

You woke up late, and your professor tells you “Tu as fait la grasse matinée”. You know this means “you did a fat morning”, but what does that mean exactly?

It simply means you slept in!
   

6. “Tu me casses les pieds” – You’re breaking my feet!

That annoying person from earlier is back at it again, and you’re getting frustrated.

In French, instead of saying “you’re getting on my nerves”, you can say “Tu me casses les pieds!”—which literally means “You’re breaking my feet!”. It’s a strong way to let them know they’re really irritating you.

7. “Tomber dans les pommes” – Falling in the apples?

If you faint in France, you might hear people around you telling the doctor, “Il/elle est tombé(e) dans les pommes” (they fell in the apples).
No, you didn’t land in a fruit basket—this is just the French way of saying someone passed out!

8. “Être dans la lune” – To be in the moon?

Your teacher just told you “Arrête d’être dans la lune !”, but you’re confused. You’re definitely not on the moon, right?

In French, this phrase means you’re daydreaming or lost in your thoughts—not paying attention!

9. “Raconter des salades” – Telling salads?

If you’re telling a crazy (but true!) story, and people accuse you of “raconter des salades”, they think you’re making things up.
It’s the French way of saying you’re telling nonsense or exaggerating—how unfair! 😤

10. “On n’est pas sortis de l’auberge” – We’re not out of the inn yet!

Feeling overwhelmed with work and can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel? You can say: “On n’est pas sortis de l’auberge!”

Literally meaning “We’re not out of the inn”, this expression is used when a problem isn’t over yet—you still have a long way to go before you’re in the clear.
   

Final Thoughts: Slang That Makes French More Fun!

French expressions are full of creative imagery and humor, making the language even richer and more fun to learn. Now that you know these quirky phrases, you can impress native speakers and understand conversations more easily.

So next time someone stands you up, gives you unwanted advice, or accuses you of telling salads—you’ll know exactly what they mean! 😉

French slang can seem intimidating at first, but learning a few key words and expressions will make a huge difference in understanding and speaking naturally. Whether it’s verlan or spoken contractions, mastering these informal speech patterns will help you blend in and connect better with native speakers/

So go ahead—start practicing, and soon you’ll be sounding like a real Parisian in no time!