{"id":324,"date":"2025-04-27T17:07:14","date_gmt":"2025-04-27T17:07:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.studyfrenchabroad.com\/blog\/?p=324"},"modified":"2025-02-13T17:07:53","modified_gmt":"2025-02-13T17:07:53","slug":"dipping-your-toes-into-french-slang","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.studyfrenchabroad.com\/blog\/dipping-your-toes-into-french-slang\/","title":{"rendered":"Dipping Your Toes into French Slang"},"content":{"rendered":"

You’re learning French in France<\/a> but still find yourself lost when talking to native speakers? Don\u2019t worry, you\u2019re doing great! The reason you might struggle is that most French people use French slang<\/strong> 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\u2014here\u2019s an introduction to help you navigate the informal side of French! Let\u2019s dipp your toes into French Slang!<\/strong><\/p>\n

1. The Secret Code of “Verlan”<\/h2>\n

Let\u2019s start with one of the most common slang forms in French: verlan<\/a>. This is a playful way of reversing the syllables of a word<\/strong> to create a new, coded vocabulary. In fact, the word verlan<\/strong> itself comes from l\u2019envers<\/em> (meaning “reverse”), with its syllables swapped.<\/p>\n

Originally popularized in youth culture, music, and everyday speech, verlan<\/strong> has been around for decades and is now used by people of all ages\u2014though it\u2019s still considered informal (so, definitely don\u2019t use it in a job interview! \ud83d\ude09).<\/p>\n

Here are a few common verlan words<\/strong> that will instantly make you sound more like a local:
\n\u2705 Meuf<\/strong> (from femme<\/em> \u2192 “woman” or “girl”)
\n\u2705 Relou<\/strong> (from lourd<\/em> \u2192 “annoying” or “heavy”)
\n\u2705 Ouf<\/strong> (from fou<\/em> \u2192 “crazy”)<\/p>\n

So, next time you want to tell your French friends something is wild, don\u2019t say “C\u2019est fou”<\/strong>\u2014say “C\u2019est ouf!”<\/strong><\/p>\n

2. Abbreviations & Spoken Shortcuts \ud83c\udfa4<\/h2>\n

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

For example, instead of saying:
\n\u27a1\ufe0f “Je vais”<\/strong> (I\u2019m going to<\/em>), people say “J\u2019vais”<\/strong>
\n\u27a1\ufe0f “Je sais”<\/strong> (I know<\/em>), becomes “J\u2019sais”<\/strong><\/p>\n

Notice how the \u201cje\u201d (I)<\/strong> is often shortened to just “j\u2019”<\/strong>? This happens in many phrases!<\/p>\n

The same thing happens to “tu” (you)<\/strong>, which often gets shortened to just “t\u2019”<\/strong>. So instead of:
\n\u27a1\ufe0f “Tu as vu ?”<\/strong> (Did you see?<\/em>), you\u2019ll often hear “T\u2019as vu ?”<\/strong><\/p>\n

These little spoken shortcuts<\/strong> are used constantly in French conversations, so keep an eye (and an ear) out<\/strong> for them!<\/p>\n

3. Understanding French Expressions: When Language Gets Colorful! \ud83c\udfad<\/h2>\n

French people love metaphors and imagery<\/strong>\u2014and their expressions are full of them! But if you’re learning French, you might hear some phrases that don\u2019t make any sense<\/strong> at first. Don\u2019t worry! Here are some fun and quirky expressions<\/strong> that will help you sound like a real French speaker.<\/p>\n

2. \u201cLes doigts dans le nez\u201d \u2013 Fingers in the nose?<\/h3>\n

If someone tells you they did something “les doigts dans le nez”<\/strong> (with fingers in the nose<\/em>), you might be a bit disgusted\u2026 but don\u2019t be!<\/p>\n

This just means they found the task ridiculously easy<\/strong>. It\u2019s the French equivalent of saying something was a piece of cake!<\/strong> \ud83c\udf82<\/p>\n

3. \u201cMettre son grain de sel\u201d \u2013 Putting in a grain of salt<\/h3>\n

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

This expression refers to adding your opinion to a discussion\u2014even when nobody asked for it!<\/strong> \ud83d\ude0f<\/p>\n

4. \u201cUn coup de foudre\u201d \u2013 A lightning strike or love at first sight?<\/h3>\n

If you\u2019re dating in France, this one\u2019s for you! When you meet someone and fall in love instantly<\/strong>, the French say you had \u201cun coup de foudre\u201d<\/strong>\u2014which literally translates to \u201ca lightning strike\u201d<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Sadly, love isn\u2019t always smooth sailing. If your date never shows up, you\u2019ve been \u201cpos\u00e9 un lapin\u201d<\/strong> (left with a rabbit<\/em>). In other words, you got stood up!<\/strong><\/p>\n

5. \u201cFaire la grasse matin\u00e9e\u201d \u2013 Doing a fat morning?<\/h3>\n

You woke up late, and your professor tells you “Tu as fait la grasse matin\u00e9e\u201d<\/strong>. You know this means \u201cyou did a fat morning\u201d<\/strong>, but what does that mean exactly?<\/p>\n

It simply means you slept in!<\/strong>
\n \n\"French<\/a><\/picture>\n <\/p>\n

6. \u201cTu me casses les pieds\u201d \u2013 You\u2019re breaking my feet!<\/h3>\n

That annoying person from earlier is back at it again<\/strong>, and you\u2019re getting frustrated.<\/p>\n

In French, instead of saying \u201cyou\u2019re getting on my nerves\u201d<\/strong>, you can say “Tu me casses les pieds!”<\/strong>\u2014which literally means “You’re breaking my feet!”<\/strong>. It\u2019s a strong way to let them know they\u2019re really irritating you<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

7. \u201cTomber dans les pommes\u201d \u2013 Falling in the apples?<\/h3>\n

If you faint in France, you might hear people around you telling the doctor, \u201cIl\/elle est tomb\u00e9(e) dans les pommes\u201d<\/strong> (they fell in the apples)<\/em>.
\nNo, you didn\u2019t land in a fruit basket\u2014this is just the French way of saying someone passed out!<\/strong><\/p>\n

8. \u201c\u00catre dans la lune\u201d \u2013 To be in the moon?<\/h3>\n

Your teacher just told you \u201cArr\u00eate d\u2019\u00eatre dans la lune !\u201d<\/strong>, but you\u2019re confused. You\u2019re definitely not<\/strong> on the moon, right?<\/p>\n

In French, this phrase means you\u2019re daydreaming or lost in your thoughts<\/strong>\u2014not paying attention!<\/p>\n

9. \u201cRaconter des salades\u201d \u2013 Telling salads?<\/h3>\n

If you\u2019re telling a crazy (but true!) story<\/strong>, and people accuse you of \u201craconter des salades\u201d<\/strong>, they think you\u2019re making things up<\/strong>.
\nIt\u2019s the French way of saying you\u2019re telling nonsense or exaggerating<\/strong>\u2014how unfair! \ud83d\ude24<\/p>\n

10. \u201cOn n\u2019est pas sortis de l\u2019auberge\u201d \u2013 We\u2019re not out of the inn yet!<\/h3>\n

Feeling overwhelmed with work and can\u2019t see the light at the end of the tunnel?<\/strong> You can say: “On n\u2019est pas sortis de l\u2019auberge!”<\/strong><\/p>\n

Literally meaning “We\u2019re not out of the inn”<\/strong>, this expression is used when a problem isn\u2019t over yet<\/strong>\u2014you still have a long way to go<\/strong> before you\u2019re in the clear.
\n \n\"Learn<\/a><\/picture>\n <\/p>\n

Final Thoughts: Slang That Makes French More Fun!<\/h3>\n

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

So next time someone stands you up, gives you unwanted advice, or accuses you of telling salads<\/strong>\u2014you\u2019ll know exactly what they mean!<\/strong> \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n

French slang<\/strong> 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\u2019s verlan or spoken contractions, mastering these informal speech patterns will help you blend in and connect better with native speakers\/<\/p>\n

So go ahead\u2014start practicing<\/strong>, and soon you\u2019ll be sounding like a real Parisian<\/strong> in no time!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

You’re learning French in France but still find yourself lost when talking to native speakers? Don\u2019t worry, you\u2019re 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 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":325,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[21],"tags":[383,381,201],"yoast_head":"\r\nDipping Your Toes into French Slang | Blog French Abroad<\/title>\r\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"You're learning French in France but still find yourself lost when talking to native speakers? 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1. \u201cJ\u2019ai le cafard\u201d \u2013 I have the cockroach?<\/h3>\n

Your friend just said, \u201cJ\u2019ai le cafard\u201d<\/strong>, which literally translates to \u201cI have the cockroach\u201d<\/strong>. That sounds weird, right? Well, no worries\u2014your friend isn\u2019t carrying around a bug! It simply means they\u2019re feeling down or sad<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Interestingly, there\u2019s another animal-related phrase with the same meaning: \u201cJ\u2019ai le bourdon\u201d<\/strong> (I have the bumblebee<\/em>). In both cases, these insects symbolize feeling discouraged or melancholic<\/strong>.
\n \n\"French<\/a><\/picture>\n <\/p>\n