Every language has its own nuances, from unusual or funny words to strange sayings, and they all help to enrich a language. These are the words that can either make you “sound like a local” when you slip them casually into conversation or, if you don’t know them, can leave you utterly bemused and wondering if you’ll ever get to grips with a language.
There are plenty of strange French words and ironically, once you’ve heard them once or twice, they are often the easiest to remember. So, with this in mind, here are 10 of our favourite strange French words which you may not have heard before, but we hope now, you will never forget.
| Bernard l’hermite / Bernard l’ermite | Hermit crab |
| Vachement (literally meaning cow-like) | Really |
| Barbe à papa | Candyfloss |
| Pantouflard (pantoufle means slipper) | A couch potato |
| Tohu-bohu | Hustle and bustle |
| Raplapla | Tired |
| Cerf-volant (literally a flying deer) | Kite |
| Frappadingue | Crazy or mad |
| Barbichette | A goatee beard |
Just for good measure, why not try out these quirky French phrases:
Avoir le cafard (to have the cockroach) – Feeling blue
Les doigts dans le nez (the fingers in the nose) – Something that’s easy to do
Avoir la pêche (to have the peach) – To be in a good mood
C’est très chouette (it’s very owl) – It’s super or great
Next time you speak French, have fun seeing if you can slip some of these words or expressions into the conversation. And if you have any of your own personal favourites when it comes to strange or funny French words, why not share them on our Facebook page.
