All about modern French!

Slang (L'argot):

Slang, or l'argot, is informal language often used by specific groups to set themselves apart from the standard language. It has always existed in the French language, with historical examples like thieves' slang in the Middle Ages. Nowadays, slang is mostly associated with youth, suburbs, and certain professional environments.
 

L'argot is characterized by words and expressions not found in formal or standard registers.
 

• Des fringues = Clothes (vêtements)
• Un taf = A job (travail)
• Une baraque = A house (maison)
• Un boulot = A job (travail)
• Du fric = Money (argent)
• Une bagnole = A car (voiture)
• Du pognon = Money (argent)
• Se casser = To leave quickly (partir rapidement)
• Un gosse = A kid (enfant)

Verlan:

Verlan is a form of slang that consists of reversing the syllables of words. The term "verlan" itself is an inversion of the word "l'envers" (backwards), demonstrating this principle. Verlan is particularly popular among young people in France, especially in urban areas. It originated from the need to bypass authority or create a language unique to a social group. This phenomenon grew in the 1980s and 1990s with the rise of hip-hop culture in France.
 

Verlan can vary in complexity, with some words being completely transformed, while others retain part of their original structure.
 

Key verlan words:

• "Fou" becomes "ouf"
• "Énervé" becomes "vénère"
• "Louche" becomes "chelou"
• "Femme" becomes "meuf"
• "Bizarre" becomes "zarbi"
• "Fête" becomes "teuf"
• "Choper" becomes "pécho"
• "Bête" becomes "teubé"
• "Lourd" becomes "relou"
• "Laisse tomber" becomes "laisse béton"
• "Mère" becomes "reum"

Loanwords (Les emprunts linguistiques):

Modern French is heavily influenced by other languages, primarily English. This influence is due to the cultural and economic dominance of English-speaking countries. English loanwords are often found in technical vocabulary, new technologies, marketing, and media. These borrowings help fill lexical gaps or add new nuances to existing concepts.
 

Common English words used in French:

• Le weekend
• Un smartphone
• Un parking
• Du shopping
• Un business
• Un brainstorming
• Un feedback
• Un coach
• Un meeting
• Une start-up
• Un date
• Une deadline
• Une fake news
• Un manager
• Du marketing
• Streaming
• Un break
• Un email
• Safe
• Du fast-food
• Un job
• Booster

Neologisms (Les néologismes):

Each year, new words are added to French dictionaries. These words can come from slang, verlan, technical neologisms, or social evolutions. Their official inclusion in the dictionary marks their adoption by society and their recognition as part of the language.
 

• Le vapotage = The act of inhaling vapor produced by an electronic cigarette.
• La téléréalité = A television genre where real people are filmed in everyday situations, often scripted.
• L'infox = False information spread to deceive, equivalent to "fake news".
• L'ubérisation = The transformation of an economic sector through the introduction of services accessible via digital platforms.
• Le wokisme = A social attitude or movement aiming to raise awareness of social justice and equality issues.
• Un flexitarien = A person who primarily follows a vegetarian diet but occasionally eats meat or fish.