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Level A2 (Upper Beginner)
The French Word of the Day is mec. You’ll hear this slang term everywhere in France, even though it rarely appears in textbooks. Today you’ll learn its:
✅ Meaning
✅ Pronunciation
✅ Example sentences
✅ Related Words & Expressions
✅ Related lessons
📘 Mec meaning
Mec is an informal French slang word meaning “guy,” “dude,” “buddy” or “bloke.” It’s extremely common in everyday conversation and can also mean “boyfriend” depending on context. Unlike the more neutral homme (man), mec is casual and should be avoided in formal situations. (See examples below.)
🎧 Mec pronunciation
Mec is pronounced /mɛk/ in IPA. The e is like the short “e” in men, and the final c is a hard k sound, clearly pronounced.
📝 French and English examples
Salut, mec ! Ça va bien ?
Hey buddy! How’s it going?
C’est qui, ce mec ? Pourquoi est-ce qu’il m’appelle tout le temps ?
Who is this guy? Why is he calling me all the time?
Je n’aime pas ce mec, il m’énerve !
I don’t like this guy. He annoys me!
The word mec can also be used to mean “boyfriend” or “male partner.” For example:
Ce soir, elle sort avec son mec.
She’s going out with her boyfriend tonight.
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💡 Type and gars — synonyms of mec
There are two other common slang terms for “guy” in French: type and gars. The -rs on gars is silent, so it’s pronounced like gar.
Salut les gars, ça va ?
Hi guys! How’s it going?
Tu connais ce type ? Il ne vient pas souvent ici.
Do you know this (or that) guy? He doesn’t come here often.
👉 See also: Connaître conjugation chart (to know) »
📘 Recommended resource
Words like mec show up everywhere in French slang. Camille’s À Moi Paris course is full of real conversations that teach you how these expressions actually work in context.
👉 See the full course here »
💬 Related words & expressions
- Meuf: slang for “girl,” the feminine counterpart to mec.
- Gars: very common informal word for “guy” (the -rs is silent).
- Type: casual synonym for “guy,” slightly less slangy.
- Copain / Copine: friend or boyfriend/girlfriend (neutral register).
- Pote: buddy, pal, mate.
- Mon mec: “my boyfriend.”
- Un vieux mec: literally “an old guy,” can be affectionate or pejorative depending on tone.
- Un beau mec: a “good-looking guy.”
- C’est quoi ce mec ?: “What’s with that guy?” (used when someone acts strangely).
- Un mec bien: “a good guy,” a decent, trustworthy man.
🪶 Word origin
The French slang word mec, meaning “guy,” comes from maquereau (an old slang term for a man who exploited women) and is related to the Dutch word makelaar (broker).
🚀 Continue building your vocabulary!
Now that you’ve learned how to use mec, check out my full list of French slang words to expand your vocabulary!
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