Hi, welcome to my channel, in this video we will learn French slang words and backwards slang words.
As probably any language in the world, French slang can be hard to teach because there are slang words that you will hear everywhere in the country but some slang words only in some part of France. It can be different from one region to another, but also from France to another country or province where French is spoken, such a Belgium or Quebec (Canada).
For example, a 40-year-old French native speaker from Paris, will most likely not use the same slang words than a 40-year-old French native speaker from the south of France.
As you can imagine, it also depends on the age of the person, a 20-year-old person will have different slang words than a 50-year-old.
Of course, it is not necessary to learn all of it. However, when you learn a new language, knowing slang words can be helpful to take your speaking and comprehension skills to another level, and it’s a step forward to sound more like a native French speaker.
One more thing before you start, I don’t want to discourage you, but you need to know that we use slang (argot) and backwards slang (verlan), because we like to make things complicated!
Verlan actually means l’envers, “the inverse”.
Example :
Fou = crazy – Ouf (verlan)
Méchant = means bad – Chanmé (verlan)
Knowing these words can be useful for several situations, but I recommend you to use backwards slang words cautiously, if you don’t want to sound like an old person trying to act young and cool, just listen to your French friends, and try to catch the slang vocabulary they are using.
I didn't include rude French slang words and phrases or slang words for texting, but you can find them on my site https://youfrench.com/learn-french-sl..., where you can listen to each file and also discover slang from my region, Alsace.
Bonjour tout le monde. Welcome to my channel.
Are you ready to learn French words and phrases you would not learn in class?
In this lesson, we will learn vocabulary about Argo, French slang, and Verlan, backward slang.
It can be helpful when you hang out with French people,
or when you watch a French movie or listen to French rap, for example.
Keep in mind that slang words can be different from one region to another,
but also from France to another country or province where French is spoken,
such as Belgium or Quebec in Canada.
It also depends on the age of the person.
A 20 years old will use different slang words than a 40 years old.
Anyway, knowing these words can be useful for several situations,
but I recommend you to use backward slang words cautiously
if you don't want to sound like an old person trying to sound young and cool.
Just listen to your French friend and try to catch the slang vocabulary they are using.
So, let's start with the first one.
Fear. Be scared.
Avoir la frousse.
I'm too scared to watch this horror movie.
J'ai trop la frousse de regarder ce film d'horreur.
You can also use Avoir la trouille, Avoir les jetons, Avoir les chocottes.
They have the same meaning than Avoir la frousse.
To eat.
Bouffer.
I'm craving to eat a pizza.
J'ai trop envie de bouffer une pizza.
Food.
Bouffe.
The food is good in this restaurant.
La bouffe est bonne dans ce restaurant.
Work. Job.
Boulot.
I'm off to work.
Je pars au boulot.
You can also use Taf, which means the same.
For example, J'ai perdu mon taf.
I lost my job.
Cold weather.
To feel cold.
Cailler.
It's freezing this morning.
I had to put on a hat.
Ca caille ce matin.
J'ai dû mettre un bonnet.
Ca caille ce matin.
J'ai dû mettre un bonnet.
To steal.
To rip off.
To scam.
Caroter.
My car was stolen last night.
On m'a caroté ma voiture hier soir.
It works.
It's awesome.
Ca déchire.
This party is working.
Ca déchire cette soirée.
It's a perfect fit.
It goes well.
Ca passe crème.
A little digestive.
After a meal, it's perfect.
Un petit digestif.
Après le repas, ça passe crème.
Un petit digestif.
Après le repas, ça passe crème.
Good.
Awesome.
Fantastic.
C'est de la balle.
This song is awesome.
C'est de la balle cette chanson.
Nonsense.
Bullshit.
Crap.
C'est n'importe quoi.
This horror movie is bullshit.
C'est n'importe quoi ce film d'horreur.
You can also make it shorter and say
C'est n'importe cette histoire.
This story is nonsense.
Toilets, bathroom, loup, les chiottes.
Can I use your bathroom?
Je peux utiliser tes chiottes.
Tired or to die.
Claquer.
I'm tired this week.
Je suis claqué cette semaine.
He had an accident.
He died in two minutes.
Il a eu un accident.
Il a claqué en deux minutes.
Il a eu un accident.
Il a claqué en deux minutes.
Claquer can also be used if you want to say
Slam the door.
Peux-tu claquer la porte s'il te plaît?
Can you slam the door please?
Water.
Flot.
You've got water?
I'm so thirsty.
T'as de la flotte?
J'ai trop soif.
T'as de la flotte?
J'ai trop soif.
Money.
Fric.
Can you lend me some money?
Peux-tu me prêter du fric?
You can also use blé, caillasse, flouze, maille,
oseille, baise, pognon and thune.
They have the same meaning than fric.
Clothes.
Fringues.
Your clothes are cool.
Elles sont cool tes fringues.
To throw up.
To puke.
Gerber.
He puked in the bathroom.
Il a gerbé aux toilettes.
To eat.
Grailler.
I want to eat french fries.
J'ai envie de grailler des frites.
To drink alcohol.
Picoler.
We drank too much last night.
On a trop picolé hier soir.
To sleep.
Pioncer.
I'm tired.
I will sleep well tonight.
Je suis fatigué.
Je vais bien pioncer ce soir.
Je suis fatigué.
Je vais bien pioncer ce soir.
Wine.
Pinard.
Bring some wine for the barbecue.
Ramène du pinard pour le barbecue.
To steal.
Piquer.
My bike was stolen.
Je me suis fait piquer mon vélo.
It can also be used in a friendly context to say to take.
For example, je peux te piquer des frites.
Can I take some french fries?
Don't worry.
T'inquiète.
Don't worry.
I got it under control.
T'inquiète, je gère la situation.
To work.
Taffer.
I'm working a lot these days.
Je taffe beaucoup en ce moment.
You can also use bosser which means the same.
For example, je ne peux pas venir ce soir, je bosse.
I can't come tonight, I'm working.
Alcohol.
Tease.
Buy some alcohol, I don't have anything at home.
Achète de la tease, je n'ai rien chez moi.
To drink alcohol.
Teaser.
I drank too much last night.
J'ai trop teasé hier soir.
A book.
Un bouquin.
Can you lend me a book for the holidays?
Tu peux me prêter un bouquin pour les vacances?
A dog.
Un clébard.
My dog is dead.
Mon clébard est mort.
You can also use un cleps or un cabot which also means a dog.
For example, t'as vu mon cleps?
Did you see my dog?
A dad, a father.
Un daron.
I became a dad.
Je suis devenu daron.
A mum, a mother.
Une daronne.
I saw your mother this morning.
J'ai vu ta daronne ce matin.
Cop.
Un flic.
Drive slower, a cop is at the roundabout.
Roule moins vite, il y a un flic au rond-point.
You can also use this word for cop, un poulet which means chicken.
For example, les poulets m'ont arrêté.
The cops arrested me.
A gun.
Un flingue.
I found a gun in the street.
J'ai trouvé un flingue dans la rue.
A brother.
Un frangin.
You are like a brother for me.
T'es comme un frangin pour moi.
A sister.
Une frangine.
I have no sister.
Je n'ai pas de frangine.
A man, a guy.
Un mec.
This guy is dangerous.
Ce mec est dangereux.
My husband, my boyfriend.
Mon mec.
My boyfriend is lazy.
Mon mec est fainéant.
A friend, a buddy.
Un pote.
I'm going to play tennis with a friend.
Je vais jouer au tennis avec un pote.
A doctor.
Un toubib.
Go see a doctor if you are sick.
Va chez le toubib si t'es malade.
A thing.
Un truc.
What's that thing on the table?
C'est quoi ce truc posé sur la table?
A house.
Une baraque.
Come have a beer at my house.
Passe-boire une bière à la baraque.
A beer.
Une binouze.
Do you want a beer?
Tu veux une binouze?
A car.
Une caisse.
His new car is fast.
Sa nouvelle caisse est rapide.
You can also use une bagnole which also means a car.
For example, je ne trouve plus les clés de ma bagnole.
I can't find my car keys.
A cigarette.
Une clope.
Give me a cigarette please.
Donne-moi une clope s'il te plaît.
You can also use une gareau which also means a cigarette.
For example, je vais acheter des gareaux.
I'm going to buy cigarettes.
A shoe.
Une godasse.
I bought new shoes.
Je me suis acheté de nouvelles godasses.
A woman, girl.
Une gonzesse.
Sandra is a beautiful girl.
Sandra est une belle gonzesse.
You can also use une nana which means the same.
For example, cette nana est belle.
This girl is beautiful.
My wife or my girlfriend.
Ma gonzesse.
My girlfriend loves animals.
Ma gonzesse adore les animaux.
You can also use ma nana which means the same.
For example, ma nana veut venir avec nous.
My girlfriend wants to come with us.
A room, a studio.
Une piole.
I'm watching TV in my room.
Je regarde la télé dans ma piole.
A prison, a jail.
Une zonze.
He's been in prison for two weeks.
Il est en zonze depuis deux semaines.
Let's see some French backward slang words and phrases.
We call it le verlan.
It means méchant which means bad.
But in verlan, chamé means amazing, awesome, cool or great.
For example, this movie is awesome.
Chelou is louche which means weird.
This girl is so weird.
Thanks for the party last night. It was great.
Is fin which means hungry.
I'm so hungry.
Golerie is rigoler or drôle, to laugh or funny.
Stop laughing. It's not funny.
Or he's so funny that guy.
Meuf is femme which means woman or girl.
This woman is so beautiful.
Ouf is fou which means crazy.
For example, this story is crazy.
Pécho is choper which means to catch.
But in verlan, it can mean to catch, to buy, to kiss or to sleep with someone.
For example, he caught malaria in Africa.
Oliver slept with his neighbor.
Olivier a pécho sa voisine.
Relou is lourd which means heavy.
But in verlan, relou means annoying, irritating.
It's annoying tomorrow. I have to get up at six o'clock.
C'est relou. Demain, je dois me lever à six heures.
Ramps is used for parents.
For example, my parents are on vacation in Italy.
Tema is mater which means to subdue, bring under control.
But in verlan, tema means to look with insistence, to check out or to stare at.
For example, look the girl, she is so hot.
Teuf is fête which means party, celebration.
There is a big party tonight. Are you coming?
Tromé is used for metro.
For example, I will meet you at the subway.
Vénère is énervé which means angry, mad, upset.
Martin is so angry tonight.
Zarbi is used for bizarre which means weird, bizarre.
My brother is weird lately.
OK. That was the last one for today. I hope you enjoyed the video.
And if you have any question, please leave a comment.
Have a good day. See you next time.
