French Slang: The Argot You Will Hear in French Shows
Updated July 2, 2026
Common French slang includes mec for guy, meuf for woman, and kiffer for to love or really like. Here are the argot words and casual expressions you hear constantly in French shows.
| French | English |
|---|---|
| mec | guy, dude (casual)mon mec can mean my boyfriend |
| meuf | woman, girl (very casual)verlan of femme |
| truc | thing, thingy (casual) |
| ouf | crazy, insane (very casual)verlan of fou |
| kiffer | to love, to really like (casual) |
| bouffer | to eat (casual)la bouffe means food, grub |
| le boulot | job, work (casual) |
| les fringues | clothes (casual) |
| ça marche | that works, ok, dealliterally that walks |
| grave | totally, seriously (as an intensifier) |
| un pote | a buddy, a mate (casual) |
| c'est ouf | that is crazy, that is insane (very casual) |
Want these to stick? Hear them in real context: LingoBinge surfaces words like these while you watch French shows on Netflix, and saves them for spaced review.
Hear them in: The Hook Up Plan, Notre-Dame.
Frequently asked questions
- What does kiffer mean in French?
- Kiffer is casual French for to love or to really like, so je kiffe ça means I love that. It is very common in shows and everyday speech, especially among younger people.
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