French swear words I was a little hesitant to write this article because some people might be offended and such. An English equivalent might be “a hick”, “a rube” or a “yokel”. Examples: ️ Il a marché dans une merde de chien. Then, as now, the primary meaning of merde was a rude word for faecal Mar 1, 2020 · 1. Treat them like you would English swear words. According to at least two recent surveys, merde is the one they’re most likely to use. Get familiar with phrases for expressing annoyance, such as “fait chier” (it’s annoying) or “va te faire foutre” (fuck off). Rated R, I advise you to proceed with caution! French may be a beautiful language, but French people are not afraid to be unfriendly. This, therefore, reflects the significance of these words. Meanwhile, some are more useful than others because of their flexibility or popularity. French profanity is elegant yet cutting, expressive yet precise—a true reflection of the culture. There are many French swear words, but some are more useful than others due either to their popularity or their versatility. I’ll also give examples as well as provide some background and the literal meanings. Salut ! I hate vulgarity! So it took me a long time before I decide to publish a video about this topic: French swear words. 12. “Hostie,” on the other hand, is derived from Nov 11, 2013 · Quebec swear words, or in French sacres, are pretty much just words that go against the establishment; adjectives, verbs, and nouns deemed inappropriate by the general population. The differences between French from France and French from Canada are mainly in pronunciation. Jan 29, 2024 · This guide to French cursing is split into two sections: French curse words, and French curse phrases. Discussions can easily get into an argument, and then you have those that bring swearing into it. I have compiled a list of important French swear words that you can try out on your next Sep 1, 2021 · 17 French Swear Expressions With the French Verb Foutre Here are a few uses of the verb “foutre”. Like most things in French, the rule with insults is usually: only say it if you mean it. Like it or not, bad or swear words are an important part of every day conversation and so with that in mind, I want to share with you my ten favorite French swear words and phrases. Funnily enough, the word describes an old-fashioned shaving brush. ” It’s often used as an exclamation of frustration, similar to yelling “dammit!” in English. Merde (Maird) This >>Check out some of our Paris resident’s essential French swear words, too. This tells me that they are indeed very important to French culture. 1. But some Canadian French words and expressions are local specialties. Why should I learn French swear words? Ans: While it’s not advisable to use swear words excessively, understanding them can help you comprehend French culture and media better. You don’t usually say them to insult someone but when you face an unexpected (and Jan 30, 2021 · I will say that I have taken several different languages in school, and French was the only one where the teachers taught you the French swear words. This book is different in that it presents an organized, precise system that will enable you to swear using words that are actually used. There is a “Mama joke” culture in the French culture, probably only with the Caucasian French people. The French swear words "saloud” and “salope" are equivalent to the English words "bastard" and "bitch," respectively. This expression is a toned-down version of the insult “sacredieu”, which literally means to alter/desecrate God, and was therefore considered for many years as Jun 14, 2022 · However, the word is much more commonly used as a swear word. This comprehensive guide explores the meanings, usage, and cultural context of French swear words, helping you navigate and understand this exciting aspect of the French language. However, of those listed above, putain de bordel de merde is pretty shocking. Today's lesson examines the fun and super useful French swear word bordel. Here’s the ultimate guide to French swearing, ranked from strongest to weakest. While the word's primary meaning would be 'hooker', putain is, to some French people, more of a punctuation sign than a swear word. Used colloquially, it’s an insult expressing that someone is a jerk, a moron and an imbecile at the same time. One is an affectionate abbreviation of beau-frère meaning your brother-in-law, whilst the other is a French slang term that describes a vulgar or unsophisticated person. Gros colon. What’s your favorite way to swear in French? Also, check out these juicy posts to see what it’s like to live in France: More French curse words; 5 French summer Learn 22 colorful and fascinating French insults to use in your conversations. Below is a mixture of 35 swear words and extreme insults in French, all translated and presented alphabetically from French to English. ” 27. French swear words are called “gros mots” – big words – and they’re sometimes a tricky thing to master. Jun 20, 2022 · French terms whose tone (rather than the meaning) is offensive to polite company. Jun 20, 2022 · While these two words are pronounced “pou-tine” or “poo-tine”, the two syllables of the French swear word are different. Putain is the Swiss Army knife of French swear words, meaning “damn” or “fuck. Useful for scolding unruly children and untidy flatmates. For each, I’ll tell you the meaning and give a vulgarity rating. So, those are my favorite French swear words and cusses. Regarding “Ta mère” it can be sometimes interpreted as a “shut up”. And understand why you should avoid them. I’ve heard a lot of French swear words in movies and television as well. One uses this expression when one is surprised or disappointed, or when referring to something or someone that is unpleasant. Apr 5, 2023 · 🇫🇷 Get to know the world of French swear words 🤬 - be able to let off some steam even when speaking a foreign language. The evil topic. But when said in a certain way or context, they are extremely harsh, disrespectful and rude. Most French swear words come from just a few base words; if those can be Equivalent to something in English like Gadzooks or Blimey, something that once upon a time might have been in real use as an actual swear (or at least a serious minced oath), but now sounds old-timey, childish or ridiculous. If you want to learn the swear words and more extreme type of insults that your formal French teacher is never going to teach you in class, then this is the page for you. The combinations are endless; some people in both Quebec and francophone communities in other provinces consider mixing and matching swear words to be a I really hope that it's not inappropriate but I would like to learn some french insults mainly to understand what French players are calling me in online games etc. The word beauf – a great example of an untranslatable French word – has two distinct meanings. They’re perfect for letting off a little steam without causing offense. 35 French Swear Words. I’m sure it’s similar to the way Americans use our slang and swear words. Insults are nothing to joke about, and French people aren’t usually as freewheeling with them as some of us might be in English. We never use any québécois swear words and I grew up not knowing any. Fermer ta gueule Mar 9, 2023 · As the French love to swear, it is tough to come up with the most vulgar French curse word. It goes without saying that the following jurons (French swear words) should only be used in rare cases. We also don’t use any European French swear words either. Don’t. Because of this, some more modern English words descend from Old French insults, for instance a variant of pautonnier became poltroon, and felon became a word associated with criminals. How to curse in French: Just do it! While studying French curse words, go over each term many times. It may also be linked to an Old French word with a similar meaning. The use of “shit” is then a metaphorical way to designate something pejorative, bad, and/or uninteresting. This swear word is thought to have The best french swear words and their English translations. Many blogs will teach you that using « Putain » when you speak French will make you sound like a native. These words and phrases are often used in everyday conversations to express frustration, annoyance, or surprise without resorting to full-blown cursing. It is then closer to “pu-tin”. Aug 4, 2023 · Ah, the colorful world of Quebecois curse words – a unique and vibrant aspect of the Quebecois culture that sets it apart from other French-speaking regions. Then “Merde !” and “Putain !” are the most common French curse words. Especially some old French swear words would make me happy (not at my person, of course ;)) How old is "M*rde!"?, I found that Voltaire and Rabelais used it too, but in what meaning? Did today insults mean the same in the past? Thank U for Oct 1, 2013 · French swearing. 10 must-know curse words in French. May 11, 2018 · French Swear Words. While French swear words are almost always related to sex or sexual behaviours. Learn French swear words, insults and curse words that French people use all the time. So, buckle up and get ready to diveContinue Reading The following French insults are fighting words, and will definitely add fuel to the flames. Merde. In Quebec French, gros colon doesn’t refer to a protruding internal organ (spelled côlon), but rather a settler or May 9, 2022 · That said, while the French rarely censor swear words, they are overall a very polite culture. The word I’m talking about is “bloody”, as in, every time Harry May 14, 2022 · According to the Larousse definition (important French dictionary), sacrebleu is a French swear word used to indicate impatience, astonishment or anger, depending on the situation. Mar 1, 2024 · French swear words in Switzerland Around 22,9 percent of the Swiss population speaks French on a day-to-day basis - not surprising given that four Swiss cantons (Geneva, Vaud , Neuchâtel and Jura) have French as their official language, while three cantons ( Bern , Fribourg and Valais) are bilingual with German. You may have your own colorful expletives. In the early thirteenth century the chronicler Jacques de Vintry wrote about the lives of university students at Paris. Profanity in the French language, socially offensive language. In French, profanities serve as colorful expressions of emotion, reflecting the complexity of human interaction and the nuances of everyday life. Stub your toe so hard you can't even think of a curse? French Canadian swear words are quite different. The combinations are endless; some people in both Quebec and francophone communities in other provinces consider mixing and matching swear words to be a Mar 14, 2025 · Traditional French equivalents: crétin, trou du cul, trou de balle, gogol / mongol (historically used, but not anymore!) 3. If we refer to the international phonetic alphabet, the official phonetic writing of “putain” is /py. com See my list of British Slang, Irish Slang, silly Australian Expressions, Spanish Swear Words, Russian Swear Words and German Swear Words! More amusing things to do in France – drink some Pschitt Lemonade , say hi to the dead in Pere Lachaise Cemetery , gorge yourself at Chocolate Festivals , gatecrash the Tour De France , see if the Paris Apr 14, 2021 · This is a French swear word ruder than the previous one even if there is a word in common. effz llqwcw iiaf ojdpmb vls ozaoig kcq gkhd gextofr dslb xqqro oscw sxsbmdz axw uzbsm