The French you learn in books is not enough for everyday conversations. In this article, I list the most commonly used French slang words and I show you how to use them in a sentence. Don’t be shy, and try to use some slang next time you’re in a in casual setting.
une bagnole
meaning: a car
French regular word: une voiture
On prend ta bagnole ou la mienne?
Do we take your car or mine?
French slang synonyms: une caisse, une tire
balles
meaning: euros
French regular word: des euros
C’est trop cher 15 balles pour une place de ciné.
15 bucks is too much for a movie ticket.
French slang synonyms: boules
la barbaque
meaning: meat
French regular word: la viande
Il a décidé de manger moins de barbaque.
He decided he would eat less meat.
French slang synonyms: la bidoche
un barbeuc
meaning: a bbq
French regular word: un barbecue
On se fait un barbeuc samedi prochain?
Are you up for a bbq next Saturday?
au black
meaning: under the table
French regular word: non déclaré, illégal, au noir
Il y a toujours des risques à embaucher des gens au black.
Hiring and paying people under the table is always risky.
le bide
meaning: the belly
French regular word: le ventre
Il a souvent mal au bide depuis qu’il prend ce médicament.
His stomach often hurts since he started this treatment.
French slang synonyms: une bedaine (big belly)
le bol
meaning: luck
French regular word: la chance
Il gagne à tous les coups, il a vraiment du bol.
He wins every single time, he is really lucky.
French slang synonyms: la veine, le pot
le boucan
meaning: large noise, racket
French regular word: le vacarme
C’est bientôt fini ce boucan!
Are you about done with this racket!
French slang synonyms: le raffut, le ramdam, le barouf
bouffer (verb), la bouffe (noun)
meaning: to eat (verb), food (noun)
French regular word: manger (verb), la nourriture (noun)
Dépêchez-vous de vous asseoir, la bouffe va refroidir.
Sit down quickly, food is getting cold.
French slang synonyms: casser la croûte, bâfrer, becqueter, boulotter
bouquiner (verb), un bouquin (noun)
meaning: to read (verb), a book (noun)
French regular word: lire (verb), un livre (noun)
Hier, j’ai bouquiné toute la journée comme je ne travaillais pas.
I read all day yesterday since I had the day off.
le bordel
meaning: chaos, a mess
French regular word: le désordre, le bazar
C’est vraiment le bordel, tu dois ranger ta chambre maintenant!
Your bedroom is a mess, it’s time you clean it!
French slang synonyms: le boxon, le foutoir
se casser
meaning: to leave
French regular word: partir
On s’est cassé juste après minuit.
We took off just after midnight.
French slang synonyms: se barrer, se tirer
un clébard
meaning: a dog
French regular word: un chien
Le clébard de mes voisins aboie toute la journée.
My neighbor’s dog barks all day.
French slang synonyms: un clebs, un cabot
cloper (verb), une clope (noun)
meaning: to smoke (verb), a cigarette (noun)
French regular word: fumer (verb), une cigarette (noun)
T’aurais pas une clope?
Do you have a cigarette?
French slang synonyms: griller une cigarette, une tige
la dalle
meaning: hunger
French regular word: la faim
J’ai tellement la dalle que je pourrais manger deux burgers.
I am so hungry that I could have two burgers.
French slang synonyms: les crocs
un flic
meaning: a policeman
French regular word: un policier, un agent de police
Ils ont baissé la musique quand les flics sont arrivés.
They turned down the music when the police arrived.
French slang synonyms: un condé, un poulet
flinguer (verb), un flingue (noun)
meaning: to shoot someone (verb), a gun (noun)
French regular word: tuer par balles (verb), un pistolet (noun)
Les flics ont sorti leurs flingues et tout le monde s’est tiré.
The police pulled their guns and everybody scrammed.
French slang synonyms: un pétard, un gun, descendre quelqu’un
la flotte
meaning: water
French regular word: l’eau
Il a pris une douche et a laissé de la flotte partout.
He took a shower and left water everywhere.
le fric
meaning: money
French regular word: l’argent
Le 10 du mois il n’a plus de fric sur son compte.
On the 10th of each month he doesn’t have any money left in his account.
French slang synonyms: le blé, la tune, la moula, le flouze
se fringuer (verb), une fringue (noun)
meaning: to dress (verb), a piece of clothing (noun)
French regular word: s’habiller (verb), un vêtement (noun)
Ma voisine kiffe acheter des fringues sur Vinted.
My neighbor loves buying clothes on Vinted.
French slang synonyms: une sape (noun), se saper (verb)
le frometon
meaning: cheese
French regular word: le fromage
Qui veut du frometon?
Who wants cheese?
l’hosto
meaning: the hospital
French regular word: l’hôpital
Il est resté deux jours à l’hosto après son opération.
He stayed at the hospital for two days after his surgery.
kiffer
meaning: to like someone or something
French regular word: aimer, adorer
Je kiffe les vide-greniers.
I like garage sales.
un mec
meaning: a guy, a man
French regular word: un homme
Les mecs font le barbeuc pendant que les femmes discutent.
Men barbecue while women chat.
French slang synonyms: un gonz, un type, un gars, un keum (mec pronounced backwards)
une meuf
meaning: a woman, a wife, a girlfriend, a girl
French regular word: une femme, une fille
Ça fait six mois qu’il est avec cette meuf.
He’s had this girlfriend for the past six months.
French slang synonyms: une gonzesse, une nana, une nénette
une piaule
meaning: bedroom, small appartment
French regular word: une chambre
Elle loue une piaule d’étudiant près de la fac.
She’s renting a student’s bedroom near the University.
se pieuter (verb), le pieu (noun)
meaning: to go to bed (verb), a bed (noun)
French regular word: aller au lit (verb), un lit (noun)
Je vais me pieuter parce que je me lève tôt demain.
I am off to bed because I’m getting up early tomorrow.
French slang synonyms: un plumard
le pinard
meaning: (medium quality) wine
French regular word: le vin
Tu veux du pinard avec le frometon?
Do you want some wine with the cheese?
French slang synonyms: piquette (bad wine)
pioncer
meaning: to sleep
French regular word: dormir
Après ma journée de ski, j’ai pioncé douze heures d’affilée.
After skiing all day, I slept thelve hours straight.
French slang synonyms: roupiller, écraser (deep sleeping)
un rencard
meaning: an appointment
French regular word: un rendez-vous
On a rencard à 10h du mat devant la gare.
We meet tomorrow at 10am in front of the train station.
la schkoumoune ou la scoumoune
meaning: bad luck
French regular word: la malchance
Il me porte la schkoumoune, j’ai toujours des ennuis quand il est là.
He’s bad luck, I’m always in trouble when he’s around.
French slang synonyms: la poisse, la guigne
taffer (verb), le taf (noun)
meaning: to work (verb), a job
French regular word: travailler (verb), le travail (noun)
Je pars au taf à 7h le matin.
I’m leaving for work at 7am every morning.
French slang synonyms: le boulot (noun), bosser (verb), plancher sur quelque chose (verb)
Now that you’ve learned some slang, read French expressions to sound like a native and have some fun!
