avoir la flemme

“Avoir la flemme” is a very common and informal French expression that translates literally to “to have laziness”. La flemme is an informal word for la paresse (laziness). English equivalents to avoir la flemme include:

  • can’t be bothered
  • can’t be asked
  • to be too lazy to
  • to not feel like

French-to-French definitions include ne pas avoir envie (to not feel like) and être fainéant (to be lazy, idle).

In the sample sentences below you’ll see “avoir la flemme de faire quelque chose”, which means can’t be bothered to do something.

Here are some sample sentences:

  • Je devrais apprendre tous ces nouveaux verbes que David m’a donnés mais j’ai la flemme. I should learn all these verbs that David gave me but I can’t be bothered.
  • J’ai la flemme de travailler aujourd’hui. Je reste sur le canapé devant la télévision. I can’t be bothered to work today. I’ll stay on the sofa in front of the TV.

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