Colloquial French: Master Everyday  Verbs, Nouns and Expressions

Learning French from textbooks often leaves a gap in understanding the colloquial French spoken by native speakers in casual conversations. This relaxed, spoken French—used among friends or in informal settings—is essential for sounding natural and connecting with others.

In this guide, we’ll explore 30 colloquial French verbs, nouns, and expressions that will help you navigate informal conversations with ease.

Colloquial French Verbs You Need to Know

French verbs take on new forms and meanings in casual conversations. Here are some of the most common colloquial French verbs and how to use them.

Popular Colloquial French Verbs

1. Choper (to catch)
   Example: Il a chopé un bon rhume. (He caught a bad cold.)

2. Planquer / Se planquer (to hide)
   Example: Elle s’est planquée dans sa voiture. (She hid in her car.)

3. Pioncer (to sleep)
   Example: Paul a pioncé tout le matin. (Paul slept all morning.)

4. Mater (to watch)
   Example: Léa a maté un bon film. (Léa watched a good movie.)

5. Se casser (to leave)
   Example: Je me casse dans deux jours. (I’m leaving in two days.)

6. Flipper (to be scared)
   Example: Elle flippait vraiment avant de sauter. (She was really scared before jumping.)

7. Bosser (to work)
   Example: Jean a bossé toute la nuit. (Jean worked all night.)

8. Gueuler (to yell)
   Example: Sa mère a gueulé. (His mother yelled.)

9. Picoler (to drink alcohol)
   Example: Il picole tous les soirs. (He drinks alcohol every night.)

10. Bouffer (to eat)
    Example: On bouffe bien dans ce restaurant. (We eat well in this restaurant.)

Colloquial French Nouns: Everyday Words for Informal Conversations

Nouns in colloquial French often differ from their formal counterparts, offering a fun and unique way to describe everyday objects or situations.

Common Colloquial French Nouns

1. La flotte (water)
   Example: La flotte est froide aujourd’hui. (The water is cold today.)

2. La thune (money)
   Example: Mon frère n’a plus une thune. (My brother has no money left.)

3. Une caisse (a car)
   Example: Ma cousine est venue en caisse. (My cousin came by car.)

4. Les pompes (shoes)
   Example: J’ai acheté de nouvelles pompes. (I bought new shoes.)

5. La tronche (face)
   Example: Il a une tronche bizarre. (He has a strange face.)

6. Un gosse (a child)
   Example: Ma sœur a trois gosses. (My sister has three kids.)

7. Un pote (a friend)
   Example: C’est mon pote depuis des années. (He’s been my friend for years.)

8. Un mec (a guy)
   Example: Ce mec est très serviable. (This guy is very helpful.)

9. Un boulot (a job)
   Example: Je viens de changer de boulot. (I just changed jobs.)

10. Un clébard (a dog)
    Example: Il sort son clébard chaque matin. (He takes his dog out every morning.)

Essential Colloquial French Expressions

French expressions often provide insight into culture and humor. Here are some popular colloquial phrases that bring personality to your French.

Must-Know Colloquial French Expressions

1. Se prendre une gamelle (to fall)
   Example: Pierre s’est pris une gamelle en faisant du vélo. (Pierre fell while cycling.)
2. C’est foutu (it’s over)
   Example: On a perdu le match, c’est foutu. (We lost the match; it’s over.)
3. Elle est tarée (she’s crazy)
   Example: Elle est tarée ! (She’s crazy!)
4. C’est naze (it’s bad)
   Example: Ce film était vraiment naze. (That movie was really bad.)
5. Ça vaut que dalle (it’s worthless)
   Example: Ce truc-là, ça vaut que dalle. (That thing is worthless.)
6. Ça déchire (it’s awesome)
   Example: Ce concert, ça déchirait ! (That concert was awesome!)
7. C’est fastoche (it’s easy)
   Example: Cet exercice, c’était fastoche. (This exercise was super easy.)
8. Faire la gueule (to sulk)
   Example: Elle m’a fait la gueule tout le week-end. (She sulked all weekend.)
9. Ça passe crème (it goes smoothly)
   Example: Vas-y, ça passe crème. (Go for it, it’ll be fine.)
10. Être à la ramasse (to be struggling)
    Example: Pendant le cours, j’étais à la ramasse. (During the class, I was struggling.)