1. Merde!

(maird)
This translates quite literally as shit. You ll definitely hear merde used in France i
n as wide of a context as shit in English. Sometimes, for extra emphasis, you ll hea
r people say MAIR-duuuhhhh instead of the more accurate maird .
2. Putain!/Pute!(Poo-TAHN)/(poote)
This word packs a serious punch, so use it with caution (and maybe not in mixed
company). Putain literally translates as whore, but tends to be used more like the
word fuck in English. Not only can it be used as an emotional reaction to somethi
ng, like Fuck! in English, you can also direct it at someone in particular, a pute
hat whore). People joke that the word fuck can be used as every part of speech in
English, and in French, putain functions much the same way.
3. Chiant/a me fait chier(CHI-ant)/(sa meh fey CHIay)
This word is most commonly used in the context of a me fait chier,
as a more vulgar version of that pisses me off.

(t

which translates

4. Salope! (sal-OPE)
You ll most likely be directing this one at someone in particular, rather than as
an angry expletive shouted in response to something. It translates as bitch, and i
s used pretty much exactly the same way the word is used in English. Also, like
in English, you can incorporate this word into a a phrase like fils de salope (son
of a bitch).
*salop (pronounced sal-OH) is the masculine version
5. Foutre/ Je m en fou (FOO-truh)/(Juh men foo)
Again, although you may hear this dropped around a lot, use it with caution as fo
utre is the verb for to fuck. You ll most often hear this in the phrase je m en fou,
h essentially means I don t give a fuck. This also became one of my favorite phrases
while I was living in Pairs and it was another one that would make my grande ta
nte (great aunt) cringe when it slipped out at home.
6. Con/conasse/connard (cohn)/(con-ASS)/(con-ARD)
This is often used as ass in French, though it is also sometimes translated as a m
ilder idiot. There is a famous movie in French titled Le Dner des Cons, which is abou
t a group of Parisian businessmen who each bring a con, or an idiot, to dinner and
then the favorite con is chosen at the end (i.e. the guy who makes the biggest fo
ol of himself). If this sounds familiar, it s because it was remade in America as D
inner for Shmucks with Steve Carrell and Paul Rudd.
7. Nique ta mere! (neek tah mare)
Watch out for this curse, as it literally translates as fuck your mother. This phr
ase is not only extremely vulgar, but also very offensive and should be reserved
for situations when only the most extreme curse is needed.
8. Ta Gueule! (ta-GOOL)
This is just about the rudest way possible of telling someone to shut up. While
it does not really have an exact equivalent or translation in English, it s kind o
f like saying shut the fuck up, or shut your trap. You ll definitely hear this in bant
er among friends, but it can also be used in a really insulting way.
9. Casse-toi! (kass-twah)
This French curse became the center of a French controversy when President Sarko
zy was caught saying this to a French citizen who had refused to shake his hand
at an agricultural fair in France. This insult is kind of like a very rude way o
f saying bugger off, or maybe even fuck off. Combined with another expletive (like
n ), it can actually pack quite a powerful punch.
10. C est des conneries! (Say-day-KOHN-ree)
Clearly this curse is related to #6 on this list, and can be translated best as

co

his is bullshit. I particularly enjoy this phrase and find it very useful in my d
aily life. I also like to throw in extra words for emphasis like C est vraiment des
conneries! (That is REALLY bullshit).