This page provides a list of 60 French slang words. I made this list based on slang words that I heard on a daily basis while living in France. 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, buddy
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.
Related lessons
French vocabulary | Lessons by David Issokson
