David Burke

John WUey q Sons, IDC.

New York • Chichester • Weinheim • Brisbane • Singapore • Toronto
Design and Production: David Burke
Copy Editors: Nicolas Caron and Pierre Ferulli
Front Cover Illustration: Ty Semaka
Inside Illustrations: Ty Semaka

Copyright © 1997 by David Burke

Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

All rights reserved. Published simultaneously in Canada.

Reproduction or translation of any part of this work beyond that pennitted

by section 107 or 108of the 1976 United States Copyright Act without the
pennission of the copyright owner is unlawful. Requests for permission or
further infonnation should be addressed to the Permissions Department,
John Wiley & Sons.
This book is dedicated to Lee Murphy:
This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative
Je t'adore du fond de mon battant!
infonnation in regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the
understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal,
accounting, or other professional services. If legal advice or other expert
assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person
should be sought.

ISBN 0-471-16806-8

Printed in the United States of America

10 9 87 6 5 432 1
 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
CONTENTS
My special thanks to Ty Semaka for consistently providing illustrations that
are distinctive, clever, and downright hilarious.

Introduction .. . . . . . . . . . . . ... vii

I consider myself so very fortunate to have been under the wing of so many
wonderful people during the creation of this book. A tremendous and warm Legend . . .. ... . . .... . . . .... ix

thanks goes to my pals at John Wiley & Sons: Geny Helferich, Chris Jackson,
Elaine O'Neal, AI Schwartz, and Benjamin Hamilton. They are without a
doubt the most friendly, supportive, encouraging, and infinitely talented
hrtl 1
group of people with whom I've had the pleasure to work.
STREET FRENCH DICTIONARY
(popular French Terms Including Slang, Idioms,
Colloquialisms, Vulgarities, Proverbs, Special
Notes, Synonyms, Antonyms, & Variations)

Part % 18,

POPt1lAJl FRENCH GBSTtTRBS

Part 3 197

BNGUSH WORDS USED IN FRENCH

Part 4 %05

STREET FRENCH THESAURUS

(General Slang Synonyms & Expressions)

Parts %99

STREET FHENCH THESAURUS

(Obscenities, Vulgarities, Insults,
Bodily Functions & Sounds, Sexual Slang,
•
Offensive Language, etc.)
 INTRODUCTION

Slang, idioms, and colloquialisms are all an active part of the living French
language. These nonstandard terms and expressions are used in movies,
television and radio shows, news broadcasts, books, newspapers, magazines,
business, etc., making it difficult for a nonnative speaker to feel like an "insider."

The STREET FRENCH SLANG DICTIONARY U THESAURUS will

lead the reader through many of the most popular and colorful terms and
expressions rarely, if ever, taught in school.

This unique book is divided into three primary parts:

• THE STREET FRENCH DICTIONARY (Part �)

This section presents the reader with more than 2,000 popular French terms
including slang, idioms, colloquialisms, vulgarities, proverbs, special notes,
synonyms, antonyms, variations, plus an array of hilarious illustrations. In
addition, usage examples are offered throughout this section to give the
reader a clear understanding of the weight of a given entry.

• POPULAR FRENCH GESTURES (Part �)

This entertaining section offers the reader a look at some of the most
popular gestures used throughout France.

• ENGLISH WORDS USED IN FRENCH (Part :))

Here the reader is presented with a surprising list of the many English
words commonly used in the French language.

• THE STREET FRENCH THESAURUS (Part 4)

Did you know there are 54 synonyms for partir ("to leave"), 59 synonyms
for iure ("drunk"), 95 synonyms for idiot ("idiot") and 41 synonyms for
manger ("to eat")? This section offers the reader an extensive list of French
slang terms and idioms for a particular English word or expression. Usage
examples are offered at the beginning of each category.
viii INTRODUCfION

Legend
• THE STREET FRENCH THESAURUS (pa" 5)
This unique portion of the thesaurus explores some of the most common
expletives and obscenities used in France. These pages (marked with aUer en eau de boudin expo
"danger" sign) allow the reader to look up a word in English and find an to fizzle out (said of something at
assortment of colorful, and often shocking, synonyms for each entry. does not tum out).
_-w:.w.;,&..&.::1:11 boudin m. blood sausage
useful information about (made usually of the coagulated
"Mg')juml Slang must be used with discretion because it is an extremely the preceding entry blood of a pig).
casual "language" that certainly should not be practiced with
..w"W':"l'�!'r.'II"" Hnir en eau de boudin
formal dignitaries or employers that you are trying to impress! a common variation of the
Most importantly, since a non-native speaker of French may main entry in boldface
tend to sound forced or artificial using slang, your first goal lD
..-.1
�eminine noun '--1 ,
andouiUe idiot, jerk, nerd.
�
should be to recognize and understand these types of words.
Once you feel that you have a firm grasp on the usage of the
ardoises f.pl. public bathroom
slang words and expressions presented in this book, try using
Oit.): slates.
some in your conversations for extra color!

Welcome to the expressive and "colorful" world of French slang! 8 tout casser adv. at the most, at
the outside. lit. : to reak everything.

badaboum IT6 a big fight.

I masculine plural noun 1 � bagos baggage.

1 adjective I...---------b-O-U-rre ( ) �
-�- -e--:
::l
adj . drunk.

a term or expression equivalent

in meaning to the main entry
in boldface
....r:ro:::
... �r"I':"::""'I'II nenette f.
mec m. guy, "dude."
a term or expression opposite
in meaning to the main entry
in boldface
on n'apprend pas 8 un vieux
singe 8 faire la grimace provo

paumer � to lose.

peine (8) col. hardly.

STREET FRENCH
DICTIONARY
Part �
(Popular French Terms Including Slang,
Idioms, Colloquialisms, Vulgarities,
Proverbs, Special Notes, Synonyms,
Antonyms, & Variations)