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There are tons of boring words you've been using since day one of French, likeGUT(Very good),chosen(thing) andCorrect(Okay good).
Let's look at those insteadCool French WordsYou are not using enough.
You'll brush up on your communication skills and prevent you from getting stuck or burning out while speaking.Build your French vocabulary.
Contents
- What's So Useful About These Great French Words?
- Find more great words to add to your vocabulary
- 10 cool French words that will make you appreciate the language again
- Funny
- dirt
- stupidity
- Lawyer
- spike head
- the lie in the morning
- Stay
- Crumble
- boredom
- Male cat
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What's So Useful About These Great French Words?
We all know why vocabulary is so important: you need the right words to express yourself in French! Learning some fun and cool French words will not only increase your vocabulary but also benefit your language studies to a greater extent.
- You will revitalize your motivation to learn:Think of the first time you heard someone speak French. You may have felt a deep sense of wonder at how beautiful the language sounded.
There are many great French words, like the ones we'll discuss below, that can make you feel that way back, whether they sound great, have interesting definitions, or express something we don't have a word for in English.
- They give you a brain boost:Research shows that learning foreign vocabulary isgood for your brain. Taking the time to learn new and interesting French words will exercise your brain and keep you at your best in all areas of your language studies (and beyond!).
Cool French words will also make you sound... well, really cool! French speakers use cool words all the time. Sure, some of them are slang words that can't be used in formal contexts like work or school, but learning these French words will make you sound more like a native French speaker.
Find more great words to add to your vocabulary
The following words are just a start. If you would likecontinue to spice up your vocabularyUsing the most interesting words French has to offer, here are some ways to do it:
- If you are interestedWords that are not easy to translatefrom one language to another you canconsult the “Dictionary of the Untranslatable”.
- will not receivecooler als Jargon.look at thatOnline dictionary of colloquial French, which is full of explanations and examples.
- Get an authentic exposure with new French words.Immersion is a great way to constantly learn new and interesting words, and you can find great materials on the internet.FluentU language learningFor example, the platform offers a library of authentic media clips categorized by difficulty and area of interest so you can learn without wasting time searching.
- I need a reminder of thatThe French exist outside of their own bubble? look at theseWords in English borrowed from French.
10 cool French words that will make you appreciate the language again
These words were not chosen just because they are beautiful (although there are many of them), but for one or more of the following reasons:
- They are fancy or funny.
- they sound interesting
- They have no English equivalent.
Funny
A rough translation of this word would be "witty" or "clever", but there really isn't a true English equivalent. To understand the meaning of this word, let's imagine what someone isfunnyMight appear.
This person is capable of taking care of things on their own. When life gets tough, they can get through the difficulties without much help from others. That doesn't mean someone who isfunnyYou will not ask for help, you will do it when you need to get things done, but you do not depend on others to solve your problems for you.
How to use:
My mother used this word when I was a crybaby:stand up for yourself(Find out!)
But it can also be used to indicate a positive character trait:The boy is young but resourceful.(The boy is young but resourceful.)
dirt
This word may remind you of the French wordPig(pig), and it's actually not very far.
dirtit is used in a variety of situations, but the connotation is negative as it can mean "garbage" or "garbage". You can use this word to refer to junk food or something useless.
How to use:
If you want to refer to food, you can use this word in a sentence like:I ate too much crap on Halloween night.(I ate too much junk food on Halloween.)
In another setting, a teacher may warn his class to stop misbehavingStop nonsense!
stupidity
This world literally means "stupid," but it goes much further. This is another word that cannot be directly translated into English. It is used to describe a behavior or action that lacks basic intelligence, common sense, or judgment. However, it can also be used in a variety of other unexpected ways.
Note that another form of this word,the beasts, can refer to animals, and colloquially this word can be used to describe someone who has worked very hardlike an animal(like a dog).
How to use:
If a group of teenagers engage in what might be considered rebellious or risky behavior, such as coming home after curfew, their parents might say:Teens do stupid things.(Kids are stupid).
Lawyer
As strange as it may seemThis word can mean two completely different things. Depending on genre and context,Lawyercould be translated as "lawyer" or "avocado".
Although gender can help differentiate what you're talking about, it can be a bit confusing due to the masculine form ofLawyer(a lawyer) can mean lawyer or avocado. However, the female versionALawyer,means lawyer.
How to use:
This one is pretty self-explanatory, but as we've seen, you're going to depend on the context here because the genre can throw you off track at times. Suppose you have to assume that your audience isn'tTier(stupid) and you have the common sense to know whether you mean a lawyer or the main ingredient in a bowl of guacamole.
spike head
Maybe you know your way aroundtenderness in French, ifDarling(my sweet bun) ormy heart(My love).spike head? That's not exactly a term of affection. In fact it's the opposite.
You could say that to someone acting without reason or foresight. Maybe they were busyschnaubt(stupidity) theGarbage(Nonsense). Roughly translated, this term means "stupid".
How to use:
I leave it to your discretion under what circumstances you save this phrase, but it's not something I would use in a formal setting! A mother may refer to her neglected child as aspike headThe tenth time they spilled a glass of water on the table (not that I'm speaking from experience...).
the lie in the morning
They woke up quietly after the sun, with no alarm. You walk slowly through the kitchen and prepare a cup of coffee and some toast... and then you go back to bed. You can sit back while your coffee is brewing, maybe leaf through the newspaper or watch your favorite TV show. A lazy morning that sleeps late: that's whatSleep latereferred to, although literally translated it means "fat morning".
How to use:
Use it when you want to describe the best kind of morning: slow, relaxed, and nothing urgent on the agenda. If you liked sleeping this morning, you could mentionI slept until noon.(I slept until noon).
Stay
Translated as “bottling” in English, this word is used to describe slow or congested traffic. But really, isn't that term just a perfect description of that annoying and illogically slow traffic we all despise? I can't think of a better way to describe a traffic jam.
How to use:
You would use this word the same way you would use it in English. You could say,There was a traffic jam on the freeway this morning.(There was heavy traffic on the Autobahn this morning).
Crumble
A rough equivalent of this word would be "shoot" or "curse", although literally translated it means "thin". This is a slang word that can be used to express mild frustration or irritation.
How to use:
You can use this in most situations without worrying too much about society. Whether you stubbed your toe in a big meeting or loaded the wrong PowerPoint presentation, you would surely exclaim:crumble!
boredom
You may have seen this word in English before, and like other French words, it has been adapted for use outside the realm of the French language.
However, this is another French word that doesn't have the same connotation in English. A rough equivalent might be "boredom," but there's more to it than that.
How to use:
Depending on the configuration, this word can change its meaning. You could say,I am bored!(I'm bored!), but when it's plural (adding aS), the word refers to problems or annoyances:problems in the office(problems in the office).
Male cat
I saved my favorite for last.Male catliterally means "wooden neck/mouth". This is a form of slang that refers to a hangover.
This expression comes from the feeling one can have after a night of drinking that leaves the throat dry and dehydrated.
How to use:
Hopefully you won't experience this feeling of regret after a night out often, but the next time you do, you can say:My head hurts! I have a hangover.(My head hurts! I have a hangover.)
And there you have it! Next time your French is feeling a little boring, try incorporating some of these great French words and phrases. I personally challenge you to use both meanings ofLawyer(lawyer/avocado) in the same sentence.
Download:This blog post is available as a convenient, portable PDF that you can take anywhere.Click here for a copy. (Discharge)