Gros mots - Today’s French

Les gros mots - Swearing in French

Part of 5 minutes of French a Day | French Lists

French Swearing. What are French swear words?

Edith Piaf did it, French President Sarkozy too. The French swear quite readily. The 2013 Palme d’Or Movie winner - La vie d’Adèle d’Abdellatif Kechiche - is full of swear words.

Because swearing is pretty common, I felt I needed to make up this worksheet. However, it’s not for everyone. Please use with caution, only when you need to curse. It happens, I know ?

The French you learn in the classroom is not the same as the French you’ll hear on the street or in the movies. Swearing is very much part of street French.

Here are common “gros mots”, swear words or expressions. These words are pretty common in the French language, even if the English translation seems offensive.

Common swear words and expressions used in French