French Vocabulary Not Learned In School: Slang Greetings
Learn the street language used by French people to interact and connect better with the native French community.
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A cool fact! French is one of the official languages of the United Nations and the second most commonly taught foreign language, after English.
When studying to be fluent in French, master these common slang expressions and greetings in French to improve your conversational skills. Your greeting in French can make or break your first impression. You will hear these expressions in informal French conversations. These slang expressions are so very French.
- ben (= bien)well
- la bise: faire la biseto greet someone with cheek kisses
- bofexpression meaning “not too well,” “so-so”
- avoir du bolto be in luck
- la bouffegrub/ nosh
- être à la bourreto be late
- un bout de tempsquite a while
- Ça va ?How are things? How are you doing?
- dis donctell me, say
- filer un rencardto make a date
- Ça marcheIt’s OK. It’s fine.
- pigerto understand
- que dallenothing at all (sod all)
- le rencarddate
- Salut!Hi!
- se faire une bouffeto have a meal together
- se ramenerto show up; to turn up
- se sauverto leave in a hurry
- avoir une sale troncheto look dreadful
- sympa (= sympathique)nice, cool
- une tachespot, blot, jerk, idiot (git, berk)
- tomber sur quelqu’unto bump into someone
- la troncheface
- être de tropto be a third wheel (to play gooseberry)
- tutoyerto say tu to somebody
- le tuyaupiece of advice
- mon vieuxmy old pal (my old mate)
- vouvoyerto say vous to somebody
Here is a guide on when and how to use vous and tu. You should check it out as well.
Make sure to practice your greetings in French!
