Modern French Slang: 40+ Common French Slang Words to Make You Sound Like a Local

If you've been learning French for a while, you've probably noticed that textbook French sounds pretty different from what actual French people say in everyday conversations. Real French speakers use tons of slang, especially younger people texting, chatting on social media, or just hanging out with friends. This guide covers modern French slang words and expressions you'll actually hear in 2026, from verlan inversions to Gen Z phrases to texting shortcuts. Let's jump in.

What is French slang and why should you learn it

French slang refers to informal vocabulary and expressions used in casual conversations, texting, and social media. Think of it as the difference between saying "hello" versus "hey" or "what's up" in English. When you learn French in a classroom, you're getting standard, formal language. But when you watch French YouTube videos, scroll through French TikTok, or listen to French friends talking, you'll hear completely different words.

The slang you'll encounter depends heavily on who's speaking. A 50-year-old professor in Lyon uses different expressions than an 18-year-old student in Paris. Regional variations exist too. French slang in Quebec differs from Parisian slang, and French-speaking African countries have their own unique expressions.

Understanding verlan in French learning: French backwards slang

Verlan is a specific type of French slang where you invert syllables in a word. The word "verlan" itself comes from inverting "l'envers" (Backwards). Pretty meta, right? This slang technique has been around since the mid-1900s but exploded in popularity through French hip-hop culture and continues to dominate youth vocabulary today.

For example, "femme" (Woman) becomes "meuf." The word "fou" (Crazy) turns into "ouf." A "mec" (Guy) becomes "keum." Confusing? Maybe at first, but once you get the pattern, it clicks pretty fast.

Common verlan words you need to know: Chelou, ouf, and more

Meuf is probably the most common verlan word you'll hear. It means "woman" or "girl" and gets used constantly. Someone might say "C'est qui cette meuf?" (Who's that girl?) or use it to address someone directly: "Hey, meuf, tu fais quoi?" (Hey, girl, what are you doing?). Guys use it, girls use it, everyone uses it.

Ouf is another super popular verlan slang word. It means "crazy" or "insane" and expresses surprise or amazement. You'll hear "C'est ouf!" (That's crazy!) all the time. Someone might say "C'était un truc de ouf!" after experiencing something wild like an earthquake or an amazing concert. The word shows up in texting, spoken conversations, everywhere.

Keum is the verlan version of "mec" (Guy/Dude). Less common than meuf or ouf, but you'll still encounter it, especially in urban areas. "Y'a un keum qui m'a parlé" means "Some guy talked to me."

Chelou comes from inverting "louche" (Sketchy/Weird). When something feels off or suspicious, it's chelou. "Ce type est chelou" means "That guy is sketchy."

Relou inverts "lourd" (Heavy) and means annoying or tiresome. "Il est relou" translates to "He's annoying." This one gets used constantly to describe people or situations that bug you.

Gen Z French slang words taking over in 2026

Younger French speakers, especially Gen Z, have developed their own vocabulary that spreads like wildfire through TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat. Some of these terms come from verlan, others from Arabic influences in French urban culture, and some just appear out of nowhere and catch on.

Cheum is verlan for "moche" (Ugly). When something looks bad or unappealing, it's cheum. Fashion, people, situations, whatever. "Cette veste est cheum" means "That jacket is ugly."

Sah comes from Arabic "sahha" and works like "seriously" or "for real." You'll hear it as a question: "Sah?" (Seriously?) or as emphasis: "Sah, c'était incroyable!" (For real, it was incredible!). This slang term shows how Arabic has influenced modern French vocabulary, especially in urban areas.

BG is an abbreviation for "beau gosse " (Good-looking guy/Handsome). Girls use it to talk about attractive guys: "Il est BG" (He's hot). Sometimes you'll see it written out in texts or used in conversation.

Wesh is a greeting borrowed from Arabic, similar to "hey" or "yo." Super casual, used among friends. "Wesh, ça va?" means "Yo, what's up?"

Grave means "seriously" or "totally" when used as slang. In formal French, "grave" means serious or severe, but in slang contexts, it works as emphasis. "C'est grave bien!" means "That's seriously good!" You can also use it alone as agreement: someone says something, you respond "Grave!" (Totally!).

Learn French texting abbreviations like a local

French texting culture has its own set of abbreviations that show up constantly in messages, social media comments, and casual online communication. If you want to learn French as it's actually used digitally, you need these.

MDR stands for "mort de rire " (Dying of laughter). It's the French equivalent of "lol." When something's funny in a text, you respond with "mdr." You'll see this slang abbreviation everywhere on French social media.

PTDR means "pété de rire " (Exploded with laughter). It's like "lmao" in English, a step up from mdr. When something's really hilarious, ptdr is your go-to response.

Slt is short for "salut " (Hi/Bye). Quick, easy, casual. Perfect for texting friends.

Jsp means "je ne sais pas " (I don't know). Instead of typing out the full phrase, just write jsp. Saves time, looks natural.

Pk or pq abbreviates "pourquoi " (Why). "Pk tu dis ça?" means "Why are you saying that?"

Cv or sa va shortens "ça va " (How's it going/It's going well). Sometimes you'll see it as a question "cv?" or as a response "cv" (I'm good).

French slang phrases for compliments and positive reactions

When you want to express enthusiasm or compliment something in casual French, these slang expressions will make you sound way more natural than textbook phrases.

Trop bien literally means "too good" but functions like "awesome" or "great" in slang. "C'était trop bien!" means "That was awesome!" You can use "trop" (Too much) before lots of adjectives for emphasis: "trop cool," "trop beau," "trop drôle" (Too funny).

Stylé means "stylish" or "cool." When something impresses you, it's stylé. "Ta nouvelle voiture est stylée!" (Your new car is cool!). This French slang word works for fashion, objects, situations, pretty much anything.

Mortel literally translates to "deadly" but means "awesome" or "killer" in slang. "Ce concert était mortel!" (That concert was killer!). Similar to how English speakers say "sick" or "deadly" positively.

Nickel means "perfect" or "spotless." When something's exactly right, it's nickel. "C'est nickel!" (It's perfect!). Can also mean "clean" in the literal sense.

Gérer means "to manage" formally, but in slang it means "to handle" or "to be awesome at something." "Tu gères!" is a compliment meaning "You're killing it!" or "You're handling this great!"

Insults and negative expressions in common French slang expressions

Let's be real, you need to understand negative slang too. You'll hear these expressions when people complain, insult each other playfully, or express frustration.

Relou , as mentioned earlier, means annoying. This might be the most common negative slang term you'll hear. People, situations, obligations, whatever bugs you is relou.

Chiant comes from a vulgar verb but essentially means "annoying" or "a pain." "C'est chiant" means "That's annoying." Slightly stronger than relou but used constantly in casual speech.

Nul means "lame" or "terrible." When something sucks, it's nul. "Ce film est nul" (This movie sucks). Simple, direct, very common.

Bouffon means "clown" or "idiot." Calling someone a bouffon is calling them foolish or stupid. Can be playful among friends or genuinely insulting depending on context and tone.

Casse-toi is a rude way to say "get lost" or "go away." Literally means "break yourself." Pretty aggressive, so use carefully.

Fait chier is vulgar (Literally about defecation) but means "pisses me off" or "annoys me." "Ça me fait chier" expresses serious frustration. Very casual, don't use this in polite company.

Slang words and phrases for friends and relationships

French has tons of slang words for referring to friends, romantic interests, and social relationships. These terms show up constantly in casual conversations.

Pote means "friend" or "buddy." Super common, gender-neutral. "C'est mon pote" (He's my friend). You'll hear this slang word way more often than the formal "ami."

Frérot literally means "little brother" but gets used between male friends like "bro" in English. "Salut frérot!" (Hey bro!). Shows closeness and camaraderie.

Ma gueule translates literally to "my face" but means "dude" or "man" when used between close friends. "Ça va, ma gueule?" (What's up, dude?). Sounds aggressive if you don't know the context, but it's actually friendly among buddies.

Mec means "guy" or "dude." Can refer to a boyfriend in context ("mon mec" = my boyfriend) or just any guy. "Ce mec est sympa" (That guy is nice).

Nana is informal for "girl" or "woman," similar to meuf but not verlan. "C'est une nana cool" (She's a cool girl). Also used for girlfriend: "ma nana."

Kiffer means "to love" or "to really like something." Comes from Arabic "kif." "Je kiffe cette chanson!" (I love this song!). Very popular slang verb, especially among younger speakers.

Variations of French slang words and phrases: Parisian slangs don't always apply

Absolutely not. French slang varies dramatically based on age, region, social background, and context. A teenager in Paris uses completely different expressions than their grandparents. Someone from Marseille might use regional slang that sounds foreign to someone from Lille. French speakers in Quebec, Belgium, Switzerland, and African countries all have their own unique slang vocabularies influenced by local languages and cultures.

Age makes a huge difference. Gen Z slang evolves constantly through social media. Words that were popular five years ago might sound outdated now, while new expressions appear and spread within months. Verlan has been around for decades but continues generating new words. Meanwhile, older French speakers might use traditional slang expressions that younger people rarely say anymore.

Social context matters too. The slang you use with close friends differs from what you'd say to coworkers, even in casual settings. Some slang words are playful among friends but offensive to strangers. Regional identity plays a role as well. Parisian slang dominates French media and social platforms, but local expressions thrive in different areas of France and French-speaking regions worldwide.

Tips for learning and using common French slang words naturally

If you want to practice using these slang terms while consuming real French content, Migaku's browser extension and app let you look up words instantly while watching videos or reading articles. Makes learning from native material way more practical. There's a 10-day free trial if you want to check it out.

FAQs

<accordion heading="What does "je ne sais quoi" mean literally?">Quick side note since this phrase comes up often: "je ne sais quoi" literally translates to "I don't know what." In English, people use it to describe an indefinable quality something has. "She has a certain je ne sais quoi." In French, it works the same way, describing that special something you can't quite put your finger on. While not exactly slang, it's a French phrase that's crossed into English and gets used in both languages.

French slang words and French language evolve with time

Remember that slang evolves constantly, just like the language itself. What's popular in 2026 might fade by 2027. Stay current by regularly engaging with French media and conversations. Language learning apps and textbooks often lag behind real-world usage, so immersion in authentic content matters.

Stay updated!