Some innocent-looking French phrases and expressions don’t mean what you think they do. They could actually be French sex phrases, curse words or French dirty talk: some are vulgar to the French ear while others are flirty and harmless.
French Expressions Lost In Translation: Sexy French Dirty Talk
You know what you want to say in English, and you think you know how to translate it into French.
That’s Great!
Unfortunately, exact word for word translations don’t always match up in French with their English counterparts.
One small slip up, and you could accidentally tell your French Friends they’re “good lovers” rather than “good cooks.”
I’ve put together a list of French phrases and expressions that look innocent enough to English speakers if you translate them word for word.
However, idiomatically these innocent looking phrases are actually French curse words or phrases with sexual connotations.
Related: Worlds Best Lovers By Country: Are French Men The Hottest Lovers?
For each of these dirty French phrases, curse words and sex expressions, I’ve given you the literal translation and what they really mean in French.
1- (I Am Horny) = Je Suis Chaud(e)
You think it means ≠ I Am Hot
Scenario:
Imagine you’re at a crowded bar in Paris. You sit down at the bar, smile at the person sitting next to you and casually start a conversion.
The bar is sweltering hot and you casually say “Je suis chaud(e) thinking you’ve told that person that you’re hot (temperature-wise), but you actually just said “you’re horny.”
LOST IN TRANSLATION:
“Je suis chaud” for a man and “je suis chaude” for a woman are both literal translations from English to French of the phrase “I am hot.”
The problem is in French; if you want to say “I feel hot”, you don’t use the verb “To Be” (I am, you are, he is, etc.).
Doing so turns this benign phrase into a French expression with a sexual connotation that can get you into some pretty embarrassing situations. Saying “Je suis chaud” is a little like saying “I’m hot for you”.
How to say “I am hot” in a non-sexual way
To say “I am hot” or “I feel hot” In French, you have to use the verb “AVOIR” (TO HAVE: I have, you have, he/she has).
- “J’ai chaud” if you’re a man or woman (pronounced zhay Show). Chaud is a noun so it does not have to agree with the gender.
J’ai chaud literally translates to English as “I HAVE HOT,” which is why this phrase confuses English speakers.
2- (She was Good In Bed) = Elle était bonne.
You think it means ≠ she was good or she was doing well.
Scenario: You’re with a French friend and start talking about a female friend who happened to come to your place for dinner the night before. Your friend, asks about the female friend because he hasn’t seen her for a long time. You want to say in French ” she was good” as in she was in good spirits so you smile and say (Elle était bonne).
Your guy friend slaps you on the back as if to congratulate you. You just said that your female friend was a good lay or good in bed.
LOST IN TRANSLATION:
“Elle était bonne”– literally translates as “she was good,” but idiomatically, it’s a vulgar, macho and pejorative thing to say in French to a woman, and it could get you slapped.
This only applies when talking about a woman. For a man, if you say “il est bon” it doesn’t have the same sexual connotation.
Il est bon = he is good.
elle est bonne = she is good in bed.
elle était bonne = she was good in bed, she was hot in bed, etc.
The issue is with the French word for good(“Bonne” -pronounced BUN) when talkig about a woman.
Using the word “bonne” alone in a phrase to say that a woman is or was good at something turns this complimentary statement into a sexually charged Dirty French phrase.
How to say “she is good” at something in a non-sexual way:
To remove any ambiguity and sexual meaning from French phrases using “Bonne,” add the object of the thing she is good at.
Elle est bonne [+ object]
- She is a good cook= Elle est une bonne cuisinière .
- You are good at drawing, or you draw well—T’es bonne en dessin.
Other common ways to say a woman is good at something.
- Elle est douée = She’s talented or good at something
- Elle est forte = Literally means she is strong but idiomatically means she is good at something.
- Elle cuisine bien. = she cooks well.
3- (Make Love Again) = Remettre le couvert
You think it means ≠ Put Back The cutlery.
Scenario: You’re washing the dishes and ask your French boyfriend to put away the cutlery with your friend Chantal.
“Est ce que vous pouvez remettre le couvert avec Chantal?”
They both stop and stare at you in disbelief because you just asked them, “If they could sleep together again.”
LOST IN TRANSLATION:
- “Remettre” is a French verb that can mean anything from “put back”, “put away” to “remit” or “return.” It can also mean to «re-do» something or «put back on» as in «remettre tes vêtements» (put your clothes back on).
- “Couvert” is the French word for silverware and cutlery, but it can also mean a table “place setting.”
When these two words are used together, “Remettre le couvert,” idiomatically it infers two people to go at it between the sheets again.
It’s an old expression that may have something to do with renewed sexual appetite.
Useful French expressions using the word «couvert.»
- Rangez les couverts = Put away the utensils.
- Mets les couverts = Set the table
- Je mets le couvert pour cinq= I’ll set the table for 5
4- (I Want An Orgasm) = Je veux Jouir
You think it means ≠ I Enjoy Doing Something
Je veux Jouir = I want an orgasm, I want to cum.
Je veux te faire jouir =I want to make you cum
Scenario: Your French friend just cooked the most delicious homemade meal for you and asked if you enjoyed your meal. In your best French accent, you proudly say, “oui j’ai joui.” Don’t be surprised if he spits up his water because you just said, “I had an orgasm.”
LOST IN TRANSLATION:
The definition of the French verb “Jouir” is “To Enjoy” or “To Benefit from.” However, if you leave the object out of the phrase, the meaning changes into a dirty French phrase you wouldn’t want to say in front of a bunch of school children.
Most French people wouldn’t use the verb Jouir because it’s a very formal way to say you enjoyed something. For example, if you say “je veux jouir de l’instant,” this means I want to enjoy the moment, but idiomatically it’s like saying Carpe diem.
How to say I want to enjoy something in a non-sexual way
- “Je veux profiter de ma vie” = I want to enjoy my life.
- “J’ai bien aimer” = I really liked it / I really enjoyed it.
Jouir [+ object] French people rarely use Jouir in everyday language, but here it is in case you want to use it.
-
- Je veux jouir de l’instant : Carpe Diem / I want to enjoy the moment.
- Je veux jouir de la vie = I want to enjoy life
- Il jouit lire = He enjoys reading.
JOUER looks like JOUIR
Jouer is the French verb to play.
One slip up, and you could say the wrong thing. One is pronounced [Zhoo-Ay], and the other is pronounced [Zhoo-Ear].
5- (I Want To Eat You Out) = Je veux te manger
You think it means ≠ I Want To Eat You Up
Scenario: You just started dating the sweetest, most adorable French woman. You turn to her and say in French, “I could eat you up.” Ahh so cute.
The problem is, “Je veux te manger” has a double meaning in French, which means “to eat you out” in a sexual way. Ooops.
LOST IN TRANSLATION:
One small slip up of a pronoun or an omission of a certain word turns this innocent phrase into French dirty talk.
How to say “I want to eat you up” in a non-sexual way
Add “tout cru” to the end of the sentence.
- Je vais te manger tout cru = I will eat you raw. This sounds sexual in English, but French Mothers often say this to children. It’s a cute way to say I could eat you alive.
- Je pourrais te dévorer tout cru. = I could devour you raw
- Je pourrais vous manger tout cru! = I could eat you raw
6- (I Want To F**K You) = Je veux te baiser
You think it means ≠ I Want To
Scenario: You want to impress your French grandmother, who you haven’t seen in years and ask if you can
LOST IN TRANSLATION:
The word “Baiser has two different meanings in French. If you use it as a verb, it’s a Dirty French phrase, but it’s a harmless
- VERB: “Baiser” = to fuck.
- NOUN: “un baiser” = a
kiss .
How to ask or say I want to kiss you in French
- Je peux to donner un baiser? (as a noun) Can I give you a
kiss - Je veux t’embrasser = I want to
kiss you. (more common) - On se fait la bise? = Shall we cheek
kiss Faire La Bise: Cheek Kiss: The Fine Art of Greeting A French Person
I wrote an entire article on the many ways to ask for a kiss in French here.
7- (The Boob in Paris) = Le Sein à Paris
You think it means ≠ The Seine river In Paris
Scenario: You’re on a guided tour in Paris and you say to the tour guide, “I can’t wait to see the “le Sein” in Paris.” But you mispronounce the word “Seine” and use “le” instead of “la.” Now you’ve changed the meaning altogether and just told your guide you want to see “one single booby in Paris.” LOL.
You’re tour guide will most likely get that you meant the Seine river and not a breast.
LOST IN TRANSLATION:
La Seine (Pronounced, La Senn) is the river that runs through Paris.
Les Sein(s )(female breasts)
S-E-I-N : The N sound is nasally from the back of your mouth. It’s a sound that doesn’t exist in English. Click below to hear it.
8- (Stroke My Pussy) = Caresser Ma Chatte
You think it means ≠ Pet My Cat
Scenario: You’re French friends come over, and your cat jumps on his lap. You say go ahead, “Caresse ma chatte” (pet my cat) using the feminine article because your cat is a female. Your friend starts to laugh uncontrollably, and you have no idea why.
You just said a dirty French phrase and told him to “Stroke my pussy”
Chances are, a French person will know what you really meant to say nevertheless, it will always get giggles.
DOUBLE MEANING:
In French, a male cat is “un chat,” and a female cat is “une chatte.” “Chatte” has the same double meaning in French as it does in English: pussy cat.
How to say pet my cat
Just stick with the masculine “caresser mon chat,” even if your cat is female. You’ll avoid accidentally saying something that sounds sexual.
9- (To Have Sex / Shag) = S‘envoyer en l’air
You think it means ≠ Throw Oneself In The Air
This French expression literally means to throw oneself in the air. It sounds cute enough, but it has a double meaning, but not in a vulgar way.
LOST IN TRANSLATION:
This slang expression metaphorically links the pleasure of sex and the ascent to heaven. It can be used to imply having sex, or it can mean something similar to enjoying something immensely and touching the sky. You’ll often see it used in a non-sexual way in articles about the sky and roller coasters like this one. S’envoyer en l’air à Seattle pour moins de 30 dollars
10-(She dresses like a slut) = Elle s’habille comme une cochonne
You think it means ≠ [ She dresses like a pig ]
T’est une cochonne =You’re a slut, you’re a whore
LOST IN TRANSLATION:
The French word for pig is Cochon (for a man) and Cochonne (for a female).
In English, telling someone, they dress like a pig isn’t very polite. However, if you translate it word for word to French, it means something even worse if you’re talking to a woman because the female pig “cochonne” has a double meaning in French “slut” or “whore”.
5 ways to tell someone they don’t dress well or they’re messy dressers.
- “Tu t’habilles comme un plouc” = You dress like a slob/hillbilly/redneck.
- “Tu t’habilles comme un routie” = you dress like a truck driver.
- “Tu t’habilles effroyablement” = you dress appallingly.
- “Tu t’habilles ainsi?” = That’s how you’re dressing?
- “Tu t’habilles mal” = You dress badly.
11- (Do You Want To Fool Around With Me?) = Tu Veux Faire Des Galipettes Avec Moi?
You think it means ≠ Do Some Somersault With Me
Je veux faire des galipettes tous les jour avec toi = I want to make love with you every day.
On peux faire des galipettes = Can we fool around?
LOST IN TRANSLATION:
Une galipette is the French word for a somersault, but when you use the plural form, it usually changes it from a fun exercise into naughty somersaults in the bedroom.
How to say “do a somersault”
- Faire une galipette = Do a Somersault
- Faire la roulade = do Somersault
- Faire une culbute = do a Somersault
12- (I Want To Make Love or Give Into Temptation) = Je Veux Croquer la pomme
You think it means ≠ Bite Into The Apple
LOST IN TRANSLATION:
Croquer la pomme literally means “bite into the apple.
Idiomatically it means to give in to the temptation. Its origins are biblical and refer to Eve in the Garden of Eden when she took a bite out of the forbidden fruit (apple).
You can use it in a non-sexual way, and give in to the temptation of chocolate for example:
13- (I’m wet for you) = Je suis très mouillée pour toi
You think it means ≠ I am very wet for you
This phrases mean exactly what you think they do.
Another naughty sex phrase is:
You make me wet = Tu me fais mouiller
Lost in translation:
In French, the verb Mouiller means wet. It can be used in a non-sexual way too.
- My hair is wet = Mes cheveux sont mouillés
- I’m cold and all wet = J’ai froid et je suis tout mouillé.
- I’m wet = Je suis mouillé (non sexual)
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