As in any language, French has a large and rich slang vocabulary which only makes things harder for us French learners. Mais it is what you hear in every day conversations en France, so sometimes you have to head to the Urban Dictionary and try to figure things out.
Here are five slang phrases I’ve heard a lot lately and finally sat down to decipher:
À la côte: On the rocks. (living on the edge, not a drink served on ice!)
J’ai envie de bouffer. I’m ready to eat.
C’est trop relou! That sucks!
Je kiffe ton frère. I like your brother. (romantically)
Oh mince! Oh, my gosh!
The lovely Geraldine of Comme une Française has also been thinking about French slang and foreigners lately. Here is her petite vidéo with five of her favorite slang phrases.
After my semi-successful attempt in January to interpret French body language, my favorite virtual French teacher, Géraldine, has come to my rescue again with her helpful new lesson: 12 Common French Gestures.
Finally a clear explanation of j’ai du nez:tapping the side of your nose = I have a good instinct/idea; I have flair; and she offers up a few new ones that I have seen a lot of lately but had not quite understood correctly:
Je m’ennuie (making a sort of shaving motion along your jaw line with your fingertips curled in) = I’m bored
Cassé! (a sideways karate chop) = Gotcha! or I win!
I go through extreme ups and extreme downs when it comes to learning French. Some weeks I feel very confident and have great ego-boosting moments when I faire les courses, give proper directions to lost French tourists, or can have a solid conversation with my gardienne. But there are a lot of weeks, when I feel like a toddler trapped in a grown woman’s body just trying to be understood.
Learning French has been one of my biggest stumbling blocks over the last 5 years. I’ve studied hard and taken many classes. I listen to French on my iPod everyday. I keep journals of new vocabulary. I do lots of grammar worksheets. I’m fine on paper when I read and write, and I’m fine on understanding spoken French. But often when I speak, I completely freeze. My mouth dries up, my tongue gets tied, and my brain seems to go on holiday. It is a pattern I can’t seem to break.
Spoken French is the monkey on my back.
source: cheeeseburger.com
I just wish he would climb off and head back to the tropics!
2014 has to be the year that I finally stick to my resolution to stop being afraid of making mistakes and learn to laugh at myself.
Having been trying to make that resolution my mantra for the last 2 weeks, it was quite fortuitous that this (from my new favorite online teacher, Géraldine of Comme une Française TV ) showed up today, just as I was beating myself up about a rough exchange with Air France over the telephone.
Géraldine is great at making me realize I am not alone in my foibles and always encourages her students to shrug it off, chuckle at yourself, and keep on trying.
Je te baise ≠ I give/send you a kiss; it does mean: I (want to) f*ck you. It’s much better to say: je t’embrasse.
Je suis excité(e) ≠ I’m excited for/to; it does mean: I am aroused. It’s better to say: J’ai hâte de… or je suis impatient al’idée de…(I’m looking forward to…)
Une amie m’a introduit ≠ a friend introduced me to; It does mean: A friend inserted themselves in me. Better to say: Une amie m’a parlé de …
Des préservatifs ≠ preservative; it does mean: condoms. Don’t ask your mother-in-law if there are préservatifs in her jam, better to say conservateurs.
Je suis chaud ≠ I’m hot (temperature-wise); it does mean: I’m horny/I’m hot (for you) or very motivated. Remember to use: J’ai chaud instead.
Comme une Française: Like a French (woman), as in speak like a French woman; also a brilliant website to learn very practical French taught by a thoughtful but silly française.
gardienne: caretaker, the person (often a Portuguese woman) who watches over your apartment building
As in any language, French has a large and rich slang vocabulary which only makes things harder for us French learners. Mais it is what you hear in every day conversations en France, so sometimes you have to head to the Urban Dictionary and try to figure things out.
365+ Things I Love About France 