10 Popular French Slang Words for Everyday Life

Discover common French slang words to use in everyday French conversation.

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=== MORE ABOUT THIS LESSON ===

There are french slang for formal French language. There is the vulgar French language, with swear words etc.

Then there’s the middle ground–popular language, common slang, neither formal nor rude. And that's what we'll tackle today -- the French slang words we actually use the most for everyday life. Let's learn a few of these most common words!

Find the free EXTENDED LESSON and ask me questions about this French lesson on the Comme une Française blog. It includes a full written lesson, with all the French expressions, more specific vocabulary you can use, and extra resources.

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=== ABOUT GÉRALDINE ===

Bonjour ! I’m Géraldine Lepère, the founder of Comme une Française (= “Like a French woman”) and your new French best friend. :)

Each Tuesday, I share a fun, fresh and bite-sized lesson on French language and French culture–from how to avoid embarrassing mistakes to must-know pop-cultural references!

Since 2012, with more than 7 million views from students in more than 56 countries, I’ve been helping people just like you gain the confidence to really talk in French. I help you go way beyond your “textbook” French from high school, and learn to speak real, practical everyday French.

[krasnoiark]

being myself French, this is funny, learning not proper words is weird 😂
It is true that we use these words but it is weird to see a learning session about this

[peterhill]

Geraldine, I would like to sincerely thank you for your YouTube videos, they are helpful even for people fluent in French. We have recently moved to Paris from Montreal, Quebec (we now have a place in the 16eme...yay!), and although we speak French fluently (and my wife is in fact a Francophone / Quebecoise pur laine), your videos have helped us understand the differences in every day expressions and some of the cultural differences between our countries. You have also helped us understand some faux pas...lol...like we have learned we can't say je suis exciter...well...not in a typical public environment anyway lol. So, please keep doing what you're doing. Peter et France (my wife's name...yes, France, like the country...a bit confusing for Parisians...but we will live!)

[drmichaelelinski]

Le saut à l’élastique est mon truc ! Merci Géraldine.

[Loufi]

Bof and cannon are about the only two french slang I'd know... Le Truc was the only one already familiar to me.
Merci for another excellent episode, Geraldine :))

[sinabirkeland]

These videos are so useful! I am going to be an exchange student in France next year, and trough these videos I learn so much that we don't learn at school :)

[michaelaheitz]

Your videos are so helpful! I'm living and working in Brest right now and for the next two weeks. I learned my slang in the 1970s, so I sound like everyone's grandpa. Your videos have helped me speak a more current French. Merci!

[EileenSidell]

I try to watch a couple of your videos when i have a little spare time. It's good to hear thè way you add a bit of culture with the vocabulary. I liked especially just now 10 slang words and how they are employed. Merci.

[alohomara]

Something I heard a lot from my Parisian cousin: GRAVE !

[laurajoygriffith]

Merci pour votre vidéo! Je savais déjà le mot "truc, " mais les autres étaient nouveaux pour moi. Je vais utiliser "le mec." C'est très utile!

[charlesgribble]

I thank you very much you are a good teacher. I love your style of teaching especially to we the English speakers. God bless you in double fold.

[saidfarid]

Hello professor
Bonjour professeur
Thanks a lot for your your help and advice.
Merci beaucoup pour votre aide et vos conseils.
Je vous souhaite une longue vie pleine de bonheur et paix sous le ciel de prospérité.

[raymundofantastico]

Bonsoir Géraldine!!! Je pense que vos vidéos sont très précises, utiles et intéressantes. Je pense également à la recommandation de certaines de vos vidéos à mes lycéens/lycéennes en Jamaïque à l'avenir pour qu'ils/elles puissent mieux comprendre la grammaire et la culture française. La plupart d'entre eux sont des débutants.

[laurentmariko]

Vos vidéos son un trésor du point de vue de la didactique des langues !

[anapoljakklaric]

Bonjour, Géraldine! Je suis nouvelle membre de votre chaine et j'ai voulu vous dire que vos vidéo sont exactement ce dont j'avais besoin. Je m'en régale fort bien. Merci et bonne continuation! Ana

[gizzmoz]

I didn't know la thune, filer, saper, une baraque and a few other things. I've spoken French for a long time but using more of the registre familier I've always wanted to do. Thank you so much!

[edwardkenna]

J’aime bien le verbe Taffer. Un taf, etc. « On s’appelle. On fait une bouffe. » je n’avais pas connu ces mots/expression avant. Merci!

[camilamadur]

Very good video! I'm a Brazilian living in France and I hear some of the expressions... others not so much actually, but still good to know :D

[eaglenoimoto]

Funny, I already leant about half of these in my school French book (in Germany) almost 20 years ago :) I often feel our French classes were much closer to real spoken French to what people learnt in school in other countries.

[phmagnabosc]

C'est excellent cette vidéo ! Très bon choix du sujet, du contenu, du ton, des traductions... Il y a beaucoup à prendre et à apprendre. J'y dirigerai tous les anglophones qui me posent des questions ;-)

[kseniiakhorolskaia]

thank you!!! your videos are treasures!