L'intrus
Odd one out: French slang or standard?
Voiture, véhicule, automobile… bagnole? Find the familiar word hiding among neutral or formal ones in eight rows, and know when you can use it.
- B1
- 8 rows
- Find the odd one out
- Learn this in the B1 notebook →
In short
Everyday French has a familiar layer: la bagnole (car), le boulot (job), bouffer (to eat), le fric (money), un pote (mate), un bouquin (book), un flic (cop), les godasses (shoes). Use them with friends, never in a cover letter.
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Tap the word that doesn't belong in each row.
Une bagnole is familiar. Voiture is neutral; véhicule and automobile are more formal.
Le boulot is familiar for work or a job. Very common, but not for formal writing.
Bouffer is familiar, even a bit rough. La bouffe is food in slang.
Le fric is slang for money. Le pognon and la thune are other familiar options.
Un pote is a mate. It's friendly and widespread among all ages.
Un bouquin is a familiar word for a book. Bouquiner means to read for pleasure.
Un flic is familiar and can sound disrespectful to an officer's face. Say Monsieur l'agent.
Les godasses is familiar. Souliers is a bit old-fashioned, chaussures neutral.
How do you tell French slang from standard words?
Familiar French (le registre familier) isn't vulgar: you'll hear boulot and pote on the radio. Vulgar words (le registre vulgaire) are another level. When in doubt, use the neutral word: nobody will find voiture strange.
| Familiar | Neutral | Formal |
|---|---|---|
| la bagnole | la voiture | le véhicule |
| le boulot | le travail | l'emploi |
| bouffer | manger | se restaurer |
- Dans ma lettre de motivation : « J'adore mon boulot. »« Mon poste actuel me passionne. »
Formal writing needs neutral or formal words.
- Bonjour Monsieur le flic.Bonjour Monsieur l'agent.
Flic to an officer's face is rude.