80+ Common French Slang Words Every Learner Should Know

French Slang is a vital component of conversations in France. Textbooks help students learn proper grammar and vocabulary; however, natives tend to employ casual vocabulary that makes the conversation sound authentic. Having observed native French speakers in Paris, watched modern French movies, and surfed the Web, one may be sure that the language from the textbook gets a person just halfway through. True conversations in France are full of vivid and colourful vocabulary that grammar textbooks do not cover. From a simple conversation in a local café to some playful teasing among acquaintances, French language’s Slang is the key to real fluency.

If you are going to visit the beautiful country of France for vacation or study, or even if you simply want to dazzle your French-speaking friends, getting to know how the natives speak will increase your listening skills right away. This complete guide will provide you with a complete list of over 80 important terms. We will explain everything about the common expressions, the context of the words, and their exact definitions so that you will be able to deal with any situation with ease. With the help of these everyday terms in your vocabulary, you will effortlessly overcome your textbook dialogues.

What Is French Slang (Argot) and Verlan?

Argot is slang in the French language that is used when speaking informally. Some terms have existed for many years, while some became popular very quickly due to rap and the Internet.

Verlan is a funny way to reverse syllables in a word. For example:

• Femme → meuf
• Fou → ouf
• Louche → chelou
• Lourd → relou
• Mec → keum

A lot of verlan expressions are so widely used today that even those who do not speak “street French” can understand them.

Important thing about the level of language: All these words can be used among friends and in class, but not in job interviews and other formal occasions.

Why Should You Learn Slang in French?

There are many benefits to learning slang.

• Understanding native speakers
• Watching French films without getting lost
• Enjoying French music and podcasts
• Developing better relations with locals
• Being more credible and fluent
• Improving listening comprehension

While most language learners just concentrate on grammar, learning slang can help you sound more authentic in French. A French Language Course – A1 Level, by Eduwatts will help you learn French Language in a very effective way.

French Slang vs Formal French

The French language has different styles of communication. French, which is formal, can be applied in formal settings, such as at work, in an academic environment, in documents and when communicating with people that you are not familiar with. However, common slang words in french​ can be used while conversing with friends, classmates, family members and colleagues in informal settings.

Formal French	French Slang Words for Friend​	Meaning (English)	When to Use
Bonjour	Salut	Hello	Friends and casual greetings
Au revoir	À plus / Tchao	Goodbye	Informal farewells
Comment allez-vous ?	Ça roule?	How are you?	Friends and peers
Oui	Ouais	Yes	Casual conversations
Je ne sais pas	Chais pas	I don’t know	Informal speech
Manger	Bouffer	To eat	Casual conversations
Travailler	Bosser / Taffer	To work	Among friends or coworkers
Argent	Fric / Oseille	Money	Informal discussions
Ami	Pote / Poto	Friend	Everyday conversations
Homme	Mec	Guy / Dude	Casual speech
Femme	Meuf	Girl / Woman	Informal speech
Très bien	Nickel	Perfect / Great	Casual compliments
Fatigué	Claqué / Crevé	Tired	Everyday conversations

What are Common French Slang Words with Meaning and Examples?

Below is the complete list with meaning and example sentences.

Slang in French Language	Meaning	French Slang Words Examples
Salut	Hi	Salut, ça va ?
Mec	Guy, dude	C’est un mec sympa.
Meuf	Girl	Cette meuf est drôle.
Frangin	Brother, bro	Salut frangin!
Frangine	Sister	Ma frangine arrive.
Pote	Friend	C’est mon pote.
Poto	Best friend	Merci poto !
Bouffer	To eat	On va bouffer?
Bagnole	Car	Belle bagnole!
Bosser	To work	Je dois bosser demain.
Kiffer	To love, enjoy	Je kiffe cette chanson.
Ouf	Crazy	C’est ouf !
Dingue	Insane	C’est dingue !
Flipper	To panic	Je flippe avant l’examen.
Choper	To catch, get	J’ai chopé un rhume.
Galérer	To struggle	Je galère aujourd’hui.
Crevé	Exhausted	Je suis crevé.
Nickel	Perfect	Tout est nickel.
Bof	So-so	Bof, pas vraiment.
Grave	Totally	Grave !
Carrément	Absolutely	Carrément !
Taffer	To work	Je dois taffer.
Baraque	House	Belle baraque.
Flic	Police officer	Les flics arrivent.
Fric	Money	Je n’ai plus de fric.
Piaule	Room	Va dans ta piaule.
Gosse	Kid	Ce gosse est adorable.
Gamin	Child	Le gamin joue dehors.
Truc	Thing	Passe-moi ce truc.
Machin	Thingamajig	Donne-moi ce machin.
Bidule	Object	Où est ce bidule ?
Relou	Annoying	Il est relou.
Chelou	Weird	C’est chelou.
Lourd	Embarrassing	Cette blague est lourde.
Vénère	Angry	Je suis vénère.
Claqué	Broke or exhausted	Je suis claqué.
Cramer	To burn	Le toast a cramé.
Dég	Disappointed	Je suis dég.
Daron	Dad	Mon daron travaille.
Daronne	Mom	Ma daronne cuisine.
Gaffe	Be careful	Fais gaffe !
Blague	Joke	Bonne blague !
Chouette	Cool	C’est chouette.
Canon	Gorgeous	Elle est canon.
Moche	Ugly	Ce pull est moche.
Bouquin	Book	J’adore ce bouquin.
Rencard	Date	J’ai un rencard.
Plan	Arrangement	Bon plan !
Boum	Party	On va à une boum.
Apéro	Drinks before dinner	On prend un apéro ?
Clope	Cigarette	Une clope ?
Boulot	Job	Je vais au boulot.

80+ French Slang Words List every learner should know

1. Terms for Friends, Family, and Social Circles

Knowing how to address people in a friendly manner when interacting socially in France involves learning some of these words for “friend”. The following are some of the words for friend and family which you will hear all the time.

1. Un pote – A mate, pal or buddy. This one is used commonly daily.
2. Un mec – A dude, guy or man. Can be used by everyone at any age.
3. Une meuf — a girl, woman, or girlfriend (Verlan for femme).
4. Un frérot – Bro or little brother. Used between close friends.
5. Un reuf – Brother (Verlan for frère).
6. Une reus – Sister (Verlan for sœur).
7. La mifa – Family or close crew (Verlan for famille).
8. Un sang – A very close friend, a blood brother.
9. Un gamin / Une gamine – Kid or young person.
10. Un copain / Une copine – Boyfriend/girlfriend or close pal.

Using french language’s slang words for friend will make you seem friendly while hanging out with friends.

2. Food, Drinks, and Expenses

In France, socialising usually happens over meals, coffee, or drinks in the evening. Being able to understand and use French language’s Slang Words Examples about dining and costs is going to make life in such situations easier for you.

Money Words

1. La thune – Money or cash.
2. Le fric – Money, dough, or cash.
3. L’oseille – Money (the translation literally means “sorrel”, which is an herb).
4. Les sous – Coins or just money.
5. Une balle – One euro (for example, dix balles means 10 euros).
6. Rauquer – To pay for something, to shell out the money for it.

Words About Food and Drinks

1. La bouffe – Food or grub.
2. Bouffer – To eat, to eat up, or to gorge on.
3. La flotte – Water or hard rain.
4. Un canon – A glass of wine for sharing with friends.
5. Un demi – A draught beer (that is, a half-pint glass).
6. Avoir la dalle – To be hungry to death.
7. Se rincer la dalle – To take a drink of water.
8. Se prendre une cuite – To get drunk at a night out.

Learning French Slang Experssions with examples about the above-listed words is going to make dining and ordering food easier for you.

3. Expressing Feelings, Reactions, and Opinions

Expressing yourself accurately in terms of your reactions and emotions is essential to a lively conversation. French culture has expressive communication, and learning popular French language’s Slang Words is useful when you want to express excitement, frustration, or agreement.

1. Kiffer – Means to like, love, or enjoy something.
2. Un Kiff – Major pleasure, passion, or enjoyment.
3. Avoir le Seum – To be gutted, disappointed, annoyed, or bitter.
4. Avoir la Flemme – To feel too lazy to do something.
5. Grave – Totally, big time, or fully agree.
6. Trop – Super, extreme, or totally (e.g., C’est Trop Bien).
7. Ouf – Incredible, mind-blowing, or crazy (Verlan for Fou).
8. Chanmé – Great, wicked, or awesome (Verlan for Méchant).
9. Zarbi – Bizarre or weird (Verlan for Bizarre).
10. Chelou – Shady, sketchy, or strange (Verlan for Louche).
11. Relou – Annoying, tedious, or heavy (Verlan for Lourd).
12. Vachement – Really, extremely, or very much.
13. Péter un câble – To blow a fuse, lose temper, or snap.
14. C’est n’importe quoi – That is total nonsense or ridiculous.
15. C’est blindé – It is completely packed or crowded.
16. Sans déconner – For real, no joke, or seriously.

Authentic French language’s Slang Words will bring out your personality in your speaking.

4. Daily Routines, Work, and Lifestyle

No matter whether you talk about your routine job, your pastimes, or your travelling, these commonly used slang terms are highly utilised in daily life.

1. Le boulot – Work, job, or workplace.
2. Le taf – Work or labor.
3. Tafer – To do a lot of work.
4. Bousiller – To damage or to spoil something.
5. Glander – To relax idly.
6. Pioncer – To sleep.
7. Sécher – To cut a class or meeting.
8. Se casser – To get on the move or to leave.
9. Se barrer – To take off hurriedly or to bolt.
10. Foutre le camp – To scram or to bugger off.
11. Roupiller – To sleep lightly or to doze.
12. La caisse – car or automobile.
13. La bagnole – A car or ride.
14. Un bouquin – A book.
15. Bouquiner – To read a book.

Learning these common slang terms in french will help your description of everyday happenings become much smoother.

5. Comprehensive Slang Words List for Everyday Situations

Here follows the rest of our exhaustive list of French language’s Slang Words with useful nouns, adjectives, fillers, and casual interjections.

1. Un truc – A thing, object, or stuff.
2. Un machin – A thingamajig or what-cha-call-it.
3. Un bidule – A gizmo or gadget.
4. Un boloss – A fool, loser, or naive person.
5. Stylé – Classy, cool, or fashionable.
6. Naze – Lame, broken, or useless.
7. Ringard – Dated, corny, or uncool.
8. Un flic – A cop or police officer.
9. Un poulet – A police officer (slang).
10. Un mytho – A liar or storyteller (short for mythomane).
11. Kiffer la vibe – To like the mood.
12. C’est nickel – It’s clean or perfect.
13. C’est top – That’s great or awesome.
14. Un p’tit déj – Short for petit-déjeuner (breakfast).
15. L’apéro – Aperitif (drinks and appetisers before a meal).
16. Un bobo – A little boo-boo or a bourgeois bohemian hipster.
17. Faire la fête – Partying and celebrating.
18. Faire la teuf – Partying (from Verlan).
19. Faire dodo – Go to sleep (infantile expression).
20. Chouette – Nice, neat, or pleasant.
21. Piger – Understand and catch on.
22. Capter – To understand and catch on (for example: je n’ai rien capté).
23. Laisse tomber – Forget about it.
24. Genre – Kind of like, like as if.
25. Du coup – So, thus.
26. Carrément – Absolutely.
27. Gros – Dude (literally “big” used as an address).
28. La classe – Stylish and classy.
29. Broyer du noir – Feel depressed.
30. Avoir un coup de foudre – Love at first sight.

Having this complete list of French language’s Slang Words always by hand will help you to have an easy reference point while you’re training in listening and speaking. Enrol in a Post Graduate Diploma in French Language and become an expert in French.

When Should I Use French Slang (and When Should I Avoid It)?

Slang in French Language is to be employed in informal contexts where the environment is laid-back and cosy. Slang can be used while you talk with your friends, classmates, colleagues who you know well, or while having casual chats on social networks or on messengers. Besides, Slang in French Language will help you to better comprehend French films, TV series, music and conversations with French native speakers. Learning and applying some basic slang phrases will give your French a much more authentic flavour.

Nevertheless, one should not use slang in formal contexts such as job interviews, business meetings, scientific reports, emails and conversations with professors, elders, and strangers. Moreover, sometimes slang may be regional, obsolete or inappropriate. 

Therefore, you have to know the context first in order to use it. When you are not sure whether to use slang in a particular context, then go for the formal French.

Practical Advice on Memorising Slang in French Language with Meanings

Learning Slang in French Language becomes easier with the practical application of techniques rather than mere memorisation of extensive vocabulary lists. Given the conversational nature of slang, the most effective way of learning it is through seeing it being used in a context. Here are some useful tips that will allow you to learn Slang in French with meaning.

1. Learning Slang in a Context

Rather than memorising words one by one, make sure you understand the context of each slang word.

Example:

• Kiffer – To love or to really enjoy something
• Je kiffe cette chanson. (I love this song.)

Contextualising helps you remember the meanings and usage of slang words easily.

2. Classification of Words

Classify your slang words according to categories such as greetings, food, emotions, work, travel, friends, etc. It becomes easy to recall these words as your mind links the concepts together.

For example:

• Greetings – Salut, À plus, Tchao
• Friends – Pote, Poto, Mec
• Work – Bosser, Taffer
• Money – Fric, Oseille

3. Make Flash Cards

Write the slang word in French on one side and the definition and an example sentence of it in English on the other. Study them every day with the method of spaced repetition.

4. Watch French Films and TV Shows

The movies, web series, and YouTube videos are great sources for exposure to real conversations where native French speakers use slang expressions naturally.

5. Listen to French Songs and Podcasts

Modern slang is quite common in the songs and podcasts of France. They help you to learn proper pronunciation and rhythm as well as enrich vocabulary.

6. Practice Speaking Every Day

Try to use some new slang words in your daily communication or practice with another person who speaks the same language.

7. Use Language Learning Applications

Language learning applications come with quizzes, pronunciation training, and vocabulary reviews, which will aid in learning the meaning of slang words in French. Combine language applications with actual practice in speaking the language.

8. Practice Conversations with French Native Speakers

The best way to learn slang words is by listening to them in natural conversation. Joining language discussion forums online and practising with native speakers will assist in learning how different slang is used.

Learn French Language and Slang with Eduwatts

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The courses teach everything, starting from basic grammar and pronunciation, listening, reading, writing and speaking, up to real-life French conversations, which include Slang in French Language and other modern conversational phrases.

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Final Thoughts

Building up your vocabulary so that it includes the slang language is the most exhilarating experience that you can have while learning the language. By breaking away from the constraints of the textbooks and diving into Slang in French Language, you will be able to connect culturally and communicatively with the French language even better. Having an intuitive knowledge of Slang in French Language will enable you to interact with the French culture with more authenticity. Lastly, using Slang in French Language will make you right at home in any French-speaking environment!

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