Informal French: Verlan, Everyday Slang and Québécois Expressions
Understand slang everywhere, but use it only with friends: at work and in the TEF or TCF, use standard French.
Verlan flips the syllables: louche → chelou, fou → ouf.
Getting Started
You’ve studied hard, you pass A2, and then you watch a French film or sit with Québécois colleagues at lunch and understand half of it. The reason is usually not grammar but register: informal words that textbooks skip.
This lesson is for understanding, not for using everywhere. It covers the three registers of French, verlan, the everyday slang you’ll hear in France, and the colourful expressions of Québec. For the core differences between Québec and France (char, fin de semaine, courriel…), start with Québécois vs European French.
1. Three registers
French speakers switch register the way Punjabi speakers switch between ਤੁਸੀਂ with elders and ਤੂੰ with friends, only more of the vocabulary changes.
| Standard (courant) | Familiar, France | Familiar, Québec | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| la voiture | la bagnole, la caisse | le char | car |
| le travail | le boulot, le taf | la job | work, job |
| l’argent | le fric, la thune | le cash, l’argent | money |
| un ami | un pote | un chum | friend |
| un homme | un mec, un gars | un gars | guy |
| manger | bouffer | manger | to eat |
| travailler | bosser | travailler | to work |
| fatigué | crevé | brûlé, fatigué | tired |
| c’est très bien | c’est top, c’est génial | c’est malade, c’est hot | it’s great |
| c’est ennuyeux | c’est nul, c’est chiant (vulgar) | c’est plate | it’s boring |
Formal (soutenu) is the third register, used in official letters and speeches: un véhicule for a car, se restaurer for eating, je vous prie de…. See Formal Letter and Email.
Note: in Québec, la job is feminine; in France, le job is masculine. And un gars is used on both sides.
2. Verlan
Verlan swaps the syllables of a word, and the name describes itself: l’envers (the reverse) → vers-l’en → verlan. It began in the Paris suburbs and is now common in the speech of young people across France, in rap and in films.
| Verlan | Standard | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ouf | fou | crazy, amazing |
| meuf | femme | woman, girlfriend |
| relou | lourd | annoying |
| chelou | louche | shady, weird |
| zarbi | bizarre | weird |
| vénère | énervé | angry |
| teuf | fête | party |
| céfran | français | French |
| reum / reup | mère / père | mom / dad |
| laisse béton | laisse tomber | forget it (old-fashioned now) |
In use:
- C’est ouf ! (That’s crazy / amazing!)
- Il est trop relou, ce mec. (That guy is so annoying.)
- On va à une teuf samedi. (We’re going to a party on Saturday.)
3. Everyday informal French (France)
These aren’t verlan, just very common familiar words:
- grave / trop = very: C’est grave bien. Il est trop sympa.
- kiffer = to love, to enjoy: Je kiffe cette chanson.
- avoir la flemme = to not be bothered: J’ai la flemme de cuisiner ce soir.
- se casser = to leave: Allez, on se casse !
- un truc, un machin = a thing, a whatsit: C’est quoi, ce truc ?
- ça roule ? / ça marche = how’s it going? / OK, deal
- nickel = perfect: C’est nickel !
- galérer = to struggle: J’ai galéré pour trouver un appartement.
4. Colourful Québécois expressions
| Expression | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| capoter | to freak out (with joy or panic) | J’ai capoté quand j’ai eu ma résidence ! |
| c’est malade ! / c’est hot ! | it’s awesome | Le spectacle était malade ! |
| être écœuré (de) | to be fed up (with) | Je suis écœuré de la neige. |
| avoir hâte (de) | to look forward to | J’ai hâte de te voir ! |
| placoter | to chit-chat | On a placoté toute la soirée. |
| lâche pas ! | don’t give up! | Tu vas réussir ton examen, lâche pas ! |
| tiguidou | great, all good | On se voit à 6 h ? Tiguidou ! |
| attache ta tuque ! | hold on tight! (something big is coming) | Attache ta tuque, ça va être intense ! |
| il pleut à boire debout | it’s pouring | Prends ton parapluie, il pleut à boire debout. |
| se sucrer le bec | to eat sweets | On s’est sucré le bec à la cabane à sucre. |
| ça coûte un bras | it costs an arm (and a leg) | Un loyer à Vancouver, ça coûte un bras ! |
| être dans la lune | to daydream, be distracted | Excuse-moi, j’étais dans la lune. |
| avoir de l’eau dans la cave | (of trousers) to be too short | Ton pantalon a de l’eau dans la cave ! |
A note on sacres. Québec’s strongest swear words (les sacres) come from Catholic church vocabulary, such as tabernacle, calice and hostie, bent into tabarnak, câlisse, ostie. You will hear them in films and on building sites. Recognise them, but don’t use them: they are much stronger than they sound to a newcomer, and completely out of place at work.
5. When to use what
| Situation | Register |
|---|---|
| TEF/TCF writing and speaking | standard or formal, no slang |
| Job interview, email to a manager, government office | standard or formal |
| Colleagues at lunch | standard, with a little familiar |
| Close friends | familiar is fine |
A good rule for a newcomer: understand everything, use a little. A well-placed J’ai hâte ! or C’est le fun ! in Montréal, or C’est nickel in Paris, makes you sound natural. Five slang words in one sentence makes you sound like you’re trying too hard.
Practice
A. Rewrite in standard French.
- J’ai la flemme d’aller au boulot.
- Mon pote a une nouvelle bagnole.
- C’est ouf, ce film !
- Je suis écœuré de l’hiver. (Québec)
B. Where would you hear it: France or Québec?
- Mon chum a acheté un char.
- On se fait une teuf chez ma meuf ?
- Lâche pas, tu vas y arriver !
Answers
1. Je n’ai pas envie d’aller au travail. · 2. Mon ami a une nouvelle voiture. · 3. Ce film est incroyable ! · 4. J’en ai assez de l’hiver.
5. Québec · 6. France (verlan) · 7. Québec
What’s Next
FAQ
What is verlan?
A kind of French slang where syllables are swapped: the word verlan itself comes from l'envers (the reverse), said backwards. Fou becomes ouf, femme becomes meuf, bizarre becomes zarbi. It started in the Paris suburbs and many words are now used by young people all over France.
Should I use slang in the TEF or TCF?
No. In speaking and writing, use standard French (le registre courant) or formal French (soutenu) as the task requires. Slang can lower your score for register. But recognising it helps in listening and in everyday life.
Is verlan used in Québec?
Very little. Québec has its own informal vocabulary (char, chum, capoter, c'est malade). A Montrealer will understand common verlan from French films, but won't use much of it.
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