French Slang: 40+ Words & Expressions to Sound Like a Local (With English Equivalents)
✍️ LFE Editorial Team | 📅 Last updated: September 2026 | ⏱ 11 min read
Photo: Markus Winkler / Unsplash
Textbook French will get you through a hotel check-in. It won’t get you through a conversation between two French friends catching up over coffee. That gap — between classroom French and the French people actually speak — is exactly what slang fills, and the fastest way to close it is to stop translating literally and start mapping each French slang word onto the English slang you already use every day.
That’s the approach here: every term below gets its formal French meaning and its closest English slang equivalent, side by side.
The Essentials: French Slang vs Formal French vs English Slang
| French Slang | Formal French | English Slang Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Mec | Un homme | “Dude” / “guy” |
| Pote | Un ami | “Buddy” / “mate” |
| Fric | De l’argent | “Cash” / “dough” |
| Bosser | Travailler | “To grind” / “to work” |
| Kiffer | Aimer beaucoup | “To be into (something)” |
| Ouf | Fou | “Wild” / “crazy” |
| C’est nul | C’est mauvais | “That sucks” |
| Ça roule? | Comment ça va? | “You good?” / “How’s it going?” |
Greetings & Everyday Expressions
| French Slang | Formal French | English Slang Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Salut | Bonjour / Au revoir | “Hey” / “Bye” |
| Wesh | Comment vas-tu? | “Yo” / “Sup” |
| Ça roule? | Comment ça va? | “You good?” |
| Quoi de neuf? | Quelles sont les nouvelles? | “What’s up?” |
| À plus | À bientôt | “Later” / “Catch ya” |
| Tchao | Au revoir | “Ciao” / “Bye” |
Words for People
| French Slang | Formal French | English Slang Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Mec | Un homme | “Dude” / “guy” |
| Meuf | Une femme | “Girl” / “chick” |
| Pote | Un ami | “Buddy” / “mate” |
| Frangin | Un frère | “Bro” |
| Les gars | Les hommes / le groupe | “You guys” / “fellas” |
| Une nana | Une fille | “Chick” / “girl” |
Verlan: French’s Own Secret-Code Slang
Verlan is a distinct slang system that gets its name from flipping the syllables of “l’envers” (backwards) into “verlan.” Originally used to mark group identity — sometimes to keep conversations opaque to outsiders — several verlan words have become completely mainstream. It’s the reason “fou” (crazy) turns into “ouf,” and “louche” (shady) becomes “chelou.”
| Verlan | Original Word (Meaning) | English Slang Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Ouf | Fou (crazy) | “Wild” / “crazy” |
| Relou | Lourd (heavy/annoying) | “Annoying” / “a pain” |
| Chelou | Louche (shady) | “Sketchy” / “shady” |
| Teuf | Fête (party) | “Rager” / “party” |
| Reum | Mère (mother) | “Mom” |
| Keuf | Flic (cop) | “Five-o” / “cop” |
Money Slang
| French Slang | Formal French | English Slang Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Fric | De l’argent | “Cash” / “dough” |
| Pognon | De l’argent | “Dough” / “moolah” |
| Thunes | De l’argent | “Bucks” |
| Blé | De l’argent | “Bread” |
| Être fauché | Ne pas avoir d’argent | “Broke” / “skint” |
Food & Drink Slang
| French Slang | Formal French | English Slang Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Bouffe | La nourriture | “Grub” / “food” |
| Bouffer | Manger | “To chow down” |
| Pinard | Du vin | “Vino” |
| Binouze | Une bière | “Brewski” / “beer” |
| Resto | Un restaurant | “Eatery” / “spot” |
Work & Study Slang
| French Slang | Formal French | English Slang Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Boulot | Le travail | “Gig” / “job” |
| Bosser | Travailler | “To grind” |
| Fac | La faculté (université) | “Uni” |
| Prof | Un professeur | “Prof” |
| Stage | Un stage professionnel | “Internship” |
Emotions & Reactions
Photo: Vitaly Gariev / Unsplash
| French Slang | Formal French | English Slang Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Ça déchire! | C’est excellent! | “That rocks!” |
| J’en ai marre | Je suis fatigué de cela | “I’m so done” |
| Je flippe | J’ai peur | “I’m freaking out” |
| C’est nul | C’est mauvais | “That sucks” |
| Mortel! | C’est fantastique! | “Sick!” / “Awesome!” |
| Grave! | Absolument! | “Totally!” / “For real!” |
| Kiffer | Aimer beaucoup | “To be into (it)” |
Texting & Internet Slang
| Abbreviation | Full French | English Slang Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| MDR | Mort de rire | “LOL” |
| PTDR | Pété de rire | “ROFL” |
| TKT | T’inquiète | “NP” (no problem/don’t worry) |
| STP | S’il te plaît | “Plz” |
| A+ | À plus tard | “Cya” |
When Not to Use Slang
The safest rule: match the register of the person you’re speaking with. If they’re casual with you, slang lands naturally. If they’re not, hold off until you know them better. For formal definitions and standard usage of any of these words outside their slang context, Larousse’s official French dictionary is a reliable reference.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to learn slang as a beginner?
Not immediately, but earlier than most learners expect. Once you’re comfortable with basic conversation, slang dramatically improves your ability to follow French movies, music, and casual conversation with native speakers.
Is verlan the same as slang?
Verlan is a specific type of slang — one built on flipping syllables — while French slang more broadly includes shortened words, borrowed terms, and casual expressions that aren’t necessarily verlan.
Will using slang help or hurt me in a DELF/DALF exam?
Neither, generally — examiners expect standard French for most exam sections. Where it can genuinely help is demonstrating strong register awareness at higher levels, if a speaking task calls for informal conversation specifically.
What’s the fastest way to actually remember these?
Pair each term with the English slang equivalent, not just the literal French meaning — your brain files new information faster next to something it already knows. Watching French shows and listening to French music with subtitles is also one of the fastest ways to see these words used in real context.
Ready to go beyond the textbook and actually sound like a local? Explore LFE’s live online French courses, or browse our full course catalogue — including our 100 French Connectors guide for the more formal side of sounding fluent.
