This page provides a list of 60 French slang words. After having spent a year in France, I made this list based on slang word that I heard on a daily basis. While the language is constantly evolving, I feel that every student learning French should be familiar with the words listed on this page.

French slang for daily survival in France

I broken down French slang into multiple several categories including people, family, money, food, the body, social status, professions and verbs.

People

Un mec

Meaning: a guy

Un mec, which translates to “a guy” is one of the most useful French slang words. It’s used in all sorts of situations. Je n’aime pas ce mec. I don’t like this guy.

Un type

Meaning: a guy

Another word for guy. C’est qui ce type? Who is this guy?

Un gars

Meaning: a guy

A third slang word for guy. Pourquoi tu as embauché ce gars? Why did you hire this guy?

Une meuf

Meaning: a woman, chick

This slang word is from from femme comes from Verlan, a Parisian street slang where words are pronounced backwards.

Une nana, une gonzesse

Meaning: chick

Two slang words for young woman or girl. C’est qui cette gonzesse? Elle est canon! Who’s that chick? She’s hot!

Mon pote, ma potte

Meaning: my pal

These words translate to my buddy. Je vous présente mon pote, Martin. This is my buddy, Martin.

Mon keum

Meaning: my boyfriend

This is another Verlan word based on the word mec. Mon keum est tellement mignon! My boy friend is so cute!

Un gamin, une gamine, un/une gosse

Meaning: child, kid

You can use all these words for kids. Regarde-moi ce sale gosse! Look at that brat!

Un boudin

Meaning: overweight person

Horribly impolite term mostly used to describe females. Ce qui ce boudin? Who’s this fat chick?

Family

Ma reum

Meaning: my mom

This term is based on Verlan and is mère pronounced backwards. Ma reum m’a téléphoné hier. My mom called me yesterday.

Mon reup

Meaning: my dad

Same as the previous term. Mon reup is Verlan for mon père.

Mon frangin, ma frangine

Meaning: My brother, my sister

Very common French slang and can be used in all sorts of settings. Je connais bien mon frangin. C’est un mec très intelligent. I know my brother very well. He’s a very smart guy.

Une belle-doche, une belle-muche

Meaning: mother-in-law

Elle me rend fou ma belle-douche! My mother-in-law drives me nuts!

Un fiston

Meaning: son

This word is based on fils (son). Il est beau mon fiston, non? My son is handsome, isn’t he?

Un tonton, une tatie

Meaning: uncle and aunt

These terms are used very often and are terms of endearment. Tanton Philippe arrive demain! Uncle Philippe is coming tomorrow!

Money

le fric
Meaning: money

Il est bourré de fric, ce mec! That guy’s loaded/filthy rich!

Le pognon
Meaning: money

J’ai pas assez de pognon pour acheter cette chemise. I don’t have enough money to buy this shirt.

L’oseille (f)
Meaning: money

Tu peux me prêter un peu d’oseille? Can you lend me some money?

La thune
Meaning: money

T’as de la thune sur toi? Do you have any money on you?

Une balle
Meaning: buck, quid

Use this term the way you’d use bucks in English. Ça coute trente balles. It costs thirty bucks.

Reuch
Meaning: expensive

This is a Verlan term based on cher (expensive). Elle est reuch, cette bagnole. This car is expensive.

Une brique
Meaning: 10,000 francs

Somewhat outdated but worth knowing. La maison a coûté dix briques. The house cost 100,000 francs.

Être fauché, raide, à sec
Meaning: to be broke

You can use all three of these terms to express being broke. Je ne peux pas y aller ce week-end. Je suis fauché. I can’t go this weekend. I’m broke.

Un radin, une radine, un/une pingre
Meaning: cheapskate, skinflint

M. Dupont est un radin et il n’achète rien pour sa famille. Mr. Dupont is a cheapskate and doesn’t buy anything for his family.

Food

Bon ap’ short for bon appétit – Use this at the table and you’ll get lots of smiles!

J’ai la dalle = J’ai très faim – Slang term for I’m very hungry. Not very polite.

Une casse-dalle
Meaning: snack

The more formal term for snack is a une casse-croûte.

Le petit déj = le petit déjeuner
Meaning: breakfast

The French love to shorten words. Tu prends le petit déj avec moi? Want to have breakfast with me?

dégueu = dégueulasse
Meaning: disgusting

This is the shortening of the word for disgusting. Elles sont dégueu ces pâtes! This pasta is disgusting!

Miam miam! / beurk!

Yummy and yuck! These are kids’ words.

The Body

Le pif
Meaning: nose

This word equates to schnozz in Enlgish. Il a un gros pif, ce mec! That guy has a big schnozz!

Le bide, le bidon
Meaning: gut, big stomach

Il a gros bidon, ce mec! That guy has a big gut!

La tronche, la gueule
Meaning: face

You can use both of these word to describe somebody’s face. These words are considered vulgar. Il a une salle gueule, ce gars! That guy has an ugly face!

Les tifs
Meaning: hair

Je vais me faire couper les tifs. I’m going to get a haircut.

Les mirettes
Meaning: eyes

Ouvre tes mirettes et regarde ça! Open your eyes and look at that!

Social Status

Un richard
Meaning: rich jerk

Je n’aime pas ce richard! I don’t like that rich bastard!

Un aristo
Meaning: aristocrat

Seulement les aristos frequentent ce restaruant. Only aristocrats go to that restaurant.

BCBG = bon chic bon genre
Meaning: preppy, posh

Elle sort avec un mec BCBG depuis quelques mois. She’s been going out with a posh guy for a few months.

Un bourge
Meaning: rich person

Comes from the word bourgeois. Elle vient d’une famille bougeoiose. She’s from a middle-class family.

Un prolo
Meaning: working class person

This term comes from the word prolétariat. Les prolos habitent dans ce quartier. Middle-class people live in this neighborhood.

Un smicard
Meaning: minimum wage earner

The acronym SMIC (salaire minimum interprofessionnel de croissance) means minimum wage in French.

Un rmiste
Meaning: a person on welfare

Le RMI is the acronym for welfare in French.

Un clodo
Meaning: homeless person

This slang word is based on the word clochard, which means homeless person, bum or vagrant.

Professions

Un flic
Meaning: cop

Rather than saying la police, use this fun slang term. Appelle les flics! Call the cops!

Un keuf
Meaning: cop

This is another slang word for policeman. Keuf is the Verlan word for flic.

Un gratte-papier
Meaning: paper pusher

This is a slang word for somebody who has a menial office position. Ce n’est qu’un gratte-papier! He’s just a paper pusher!

Un mécano
Meaning: mechanic

The word mécano comes from un mécanicien, or a mechanic. Le mécano répare la bagnole. The mechanic is fixing the car.

Un proprio
Meaning: landlord

This word is a shortened version of propriétaire. Mon proprio frappe à la porte! My landlord is knocking on the door!

Un politicard
Meaning: politician

This is a very pejorative word. Les politicards de ce pays sont tous corrompu. All this country’s politicians are corrupt.

Slang Verbs

Bosser
Meaning: to work

Je bosse depuis 8h00 et je suis très fatigué! I’ve been working since 8am and I’m very tired.

Bouffer
Meaning: to eat

Tu bouffes trop vite! You’re eating too fast!

Louper
Meaning: to miss

This very is synonymous with rater. Nous sommes arrivés à la gare trop tard et nous avons loupe le train. We arrived at the train station too late and we missed the train.

Chopper
Meaning: to catch

This very is synonymous with attraper. Je ne sais pas ou j’ai choppé ce rhume. I don’t know where I caught this cold.

Piquer
Meaning: to steal

This very is synonymous with to steal. On m’a piqué le portable! My cell phone got stolen!

Mater
Meaning: to look at

This very is synonymous with regarder. Pourquoi est-ce que tu mates les filles comme ça? Why are you staring at the girls like that?

Balancer
Meaning: to throw out

Meaning: This verb equates to jeter. Je balance la laitue apres une semaine dans le frigo. I throw the lettuce out after one week in the fridge.

paumer
Meaning: to lose

Meaning: This verb equates to perdre. Zut! J’ai pommé mes clés. Shoot! I lost my keys!

Filer
Meaning: to lend

This very equates to prêter. File-moi ton portable, s’il te plaît. Lend me your cell phone, please.