Every year, following current trends, new words are added to French dictionaries. Whether they be adopted from another language or created from scratch, these expressions are now part of the French language.
At Lingvist, we focus on teaching the most common and relevant words in a language, so we have prepared a short compilation of these new “official” words, which have been added to dictionaries over the last few years, along with their meanings!
Source: Flickr Creative Commons
Bistronomie: (n.f)
This word can be considered a tribute to the French culture. It is a mix of the words “gastronomie” and “bistrot”. The meaning can therefore be deduced fairly easily: with this concept, you can eat some «Haute Cuisine» at a low price!
Boloss: (n.m)
This one has become a widespread insult among young people. The polite translation would be “idiot”. You have probably guessed the impolite translation already. Maybe not the best word to use on your next trip to France!
Café Gourmand: (n.m)
You may already know this expression, especially if you are a food lover: an espresso served with a selection of small desserts, such as crème brûlée, chocolate mousse or apple pie! This is definitely a great way to end a dinner in a French restaurant!
Capillotracté: (adj)
This word comes from a very common French expression – “Etre tiré par les cheveux” (literally: pull by the hairs), meaning that a story or an excuse is far-fetched.
Chelou: (adj)
You can use this adjective to qualify something weird, strange or odd. It comes from the word “louche” and illustrates perfectly the regular use of back slang in the French language.
Choupinet: (n.m / adj)
Cats, puppies, or children: if you think that something is really cute, you can now officially call it “choupinet”. Our advice: saying it in a very tender voice will give you more credibility.
Galoche: (n.f)
Previously known as the romantic French kiss, “galoche” is the new way to kiss someone in a passionate way. But it does not mean that the French romanticism is dead!
Taffer: (v)
In France, you do not work anymore: you “taffes” instead. Nevertheless, the result is the same; you still have to go to work every day!
Vapoter: (v)
The French language evolves, and therefore adapts to new technologies. “Vapoter” is a new-fashioned word referring to the use of an electronic cigarette.
Zénitude: (n.f)
Have you ever felt a moment of total serenity and calm, for example during your yoga session? Well, next time you could say that you’ve reached the ”zénitude”!
As you may see, French is certainly a language that evolves over time.
