48 Handy Slang Terms for A Night Out in France

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Last Updated: June 5, 2023

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Planning to go out and paint a French town red? Don’t get left in the gutter. Get down and dirty the French way! Here are some French slang words to help you describe people (the lovely French ladies and the ooh-la-la Frenchmen) and places in French.

describing slang people place

These colloquial expressions are guaranteed to make you sound like you are one of the locals already. Other equally important words like I’m drunk, let's go home are other phrases your brain needs to remember, too!

Remember two glasses of red wine a night will make you live longer so live it up while in France!

Save the PDF format of this list on your computer or mobile phone. 


French Slang to Describe People

*= offensive

aguichanteenticing, attractive
bien foutuewith a lovely body
les binoclesglasses, spectacles
bourge(ois)middle class
bourrédrunk
chiant*boring
chier*to shit
le coup de vachedirty trick
cradinguefilthy
cradofilthy
crasseuxfilthy
décontract(é)relaxed, chilled-out, mellow
foutiste: j'en-foutistedoesn't give a damn about anything
génialterrific, great (brill)
glauquesad place
la gueulefeatures, face
guindéstiff, starchy, uptight
marrantgood fun, a bit of a laugh
le mecguy (bloke)
mettre dans le coupto convince, to win over
le rigolard / rigolo / marrantjoker
taper: Il me tape sur les nerfs.He gets on my nerves.
Te prends plus la tête.Don't worry yourself (your head) anymore about it.

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French Slang to Describe A Place

une ambianceatmosphere
un appart(ement)apartment (flat)
le boucanracket, row
la bouffemeal, grub (nosh)
la chierie*something really tedious
chier: On s'est fait chier.*We were bored out of our minds.
cradefilthy
dégoterto find
dégueu(lasse)*disgusting
en chier*to bust a gut
fourréhanging out (holed up)
partanteready and willing, up for it
passer biento be well suited
rapidosquick
se concocterto concoct, to hatch (a plan)
se payer un coupto go for a drink
se ramenerget together
tape-à-l'oeiltacky
lourderto kick out
Cassos.Let's go.
s’empiffrerto stuff your face
tenter le coupto try your luck
hyper-bondépacked full
s’empiffrerto stuff your face
tenter le coupto try your luck

Conclusion

French slang terms are a fun way to bond with your French friends especially on a drunken (or not!) night out on town. But always remember, only use French slang if you're being cheeky and you know you can get away with it!

French slang terms are incredibly informal, so never attempt to whip out these words when you're in formal conversations or talking to strangers in a formal setting. 

For more French slang, you can check out the following related articles:

French Teen Slang: Speak French like a Cool Kid

61 French Text Slang and Instant Messaging Shortcuts

35 French Gay Slang Words You Need to Know

Slang French Words and Phrases for Dining and Drinking

Do you want more? Check out our French Vocabulary Mastery Course and learn 20,000++ French words and colloquial expressions!

Speak, Listen, and Write French like a Native with a Talk in French Membership

  • Learn French on your own terms with our comprehensive, self-paced beginner, intermediate, and advanced courses, each with a step-by-step plan tailored to your level. 
  • Master French pronunciation and sound like a native with our pronunciation course.
  • Receive personalized feedback and guidance from a dedicated French teacher.

About the author 

Frederic Bibard is the founder of Talk in French, a company that helps french learners to practice and improve their french. Macaron addict. Jacques Audiard fan. You can contact him on Instagram

  • Coucou,
    As a French American, je me permets une une petite correction: “mettre quelqu’un dans le coup” ne veut pas dire ” to convince, to win over” comme tu as mis, mais plutot ” to let someone in on something”. 🙂 Cheers!,

    Solenne

    • Actually it depends the context. “On va juste devoir le mettre dans le coup.”On peut traduire comme “le convaincre” ou bien “l’informer” tout dépend de l’intention du locuteur.

    • Not necessarily. Un coup vache sounds a bit old to me (personal opinion). Both are completely fine in my opinion. Exemple: “Un vrai coup de vache quoi”. There is also un coup en vache.

      • Well if “un coup vache” sounds old, “un coup en vache” sounds prehistoric.
        Google indeed brings more occurrences to “un coup de vache”, but that might be related to the fact that a movie is named that. I personally never heard “un coup de vache” in France. “Un coup de pute,” oui… Mais cette expression n’est pas forcément très fine.
        Also, “mettre quelqu’un dans le coup” does not mean “to convince” but as others already said, “to make someone part of something”, “to make someone aware of something.”

        • I think that’s the point of the discussion here. A language is constantly changing. I just give you a clarification based on your comment. A word or even an expression can have two meanings. I just added a clarification.
          I know that “mettre dans le coup” = to inform but the given translation is ok too. Context is important as well. It is not because you never heard of an expression that means it does not exist. I should give an alternative probably but it is endless then. Online dictionary will do a better job.

  • Bonjour, expat francaise depuis 20 ans en Irlande du Nord, de surcroit prof de francais, je suis d’accord avec Solenne: “mettre qqn dans le coup” ne porte pas la notion de convaincre. Informer, oui, convaincre non. D’autre part, “se ramener” ne porte pas la notion de se rassembler mais de venir/arriver sans la necessite de se regrouper. On pourrait dire: “je me suis ramenee a la banque a dix heures mais tout etait ferme”.

    • From word reference: Get-together = get together vi phrasal informal (people: socialize) se retrouver⇒, se voir⇒ v pron. Example: Let’s get together sometime and catch up on each other’s news.
      C’est le sens que je souhaitais partager. N’oubliez-pas que c’est de l’argot. On peut dire en français. “On s’ramène vers quelle heure?”. L’argot n’est pas forcément utilisé par toute la population.

      “Mettre quelqu’un dans le coup” peut avoir les 2 (DEUX) sens. “Mais il faut aussi se donner le temps et les moyens de réformer et de “mettre dans le coup” l’ensemble de la société.” Ici on parle d’impliquer la population dans les réformes et non informer la population.

  • Je ne connais pas “cassos” signifiant let’go. On dit “on se casse ” ou “cassons nous”. Le seul “cassos” que je connaisse est une abréviation de “cas sociaux”

    • Cassos veut aussi dire “cas sociaux” c’est vrai. Mais on peut l’utiliser aussi dans le sens de let’s go. “J’attends d’avoir un peu de fric et… cassos. As soon as I get a little cash… I’m outta here!”

  • thank-you very much for the emails & word lists .sorry I can not commit myself any more at present .
    even if I did order a book it would get stolen or lost in post to cape town .

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