Updated by Valentina Rampazzo on December 5, 2024
Untranslatable French words: Unique words you need to learn
Sometimes a word is so connected to a national concept or tradition it cannot be properly translated into another language. After all, no language can be separated from its culture. Such mots intraduisibles (untranslatable words) are also some of the most imaginative turns of phrases or most beautiful words in any language. When you learn French, you soon realize that this language is no exception and contains many words that need to be explained in context to be fully understood. To get you started, we have collected nine untranslatable French words that you need to know in order to sound like a proper local.
When we translate between two languages, we convert either written or spoken content from one language to the other. In doing so, we try to ensure that meaning, intent, and tone remain the same. Translation, then entails not only linguistic understanding but also cultural adaptation, contextual analysis and audience consideration.
Despite all that, some words (in any language) are still considered ‘untranslatable’. That is to say that a word’s meaning, context, or cultural nuance can’t be fully conveyed by a single equivalent word or phrase in another language. We’ll cover examples of these in the next chapter.
So, what are some of the French words that seemingly have no one-on-one translation into English?
One of the most common French words, voilà can be used in a large variety of situations, to draw attention to something that has just happened or that is now close by. It translates roughly to “there you go” or “there it is”. And you can use it on its own or with the object or person you’re referring to.
There you go, here’s the salt.
There is Paul finally arriving.
The translation is something like “complaining” but not quite the same. Again we have another word, râler, with no real English equivalent. It corresponds to the act of expressing your dissatisfaction with just about anything, no matter how small. In France, it’s often said to be a national pastime, as proven by this saying you may sometimes hear:
I’m not complaining, I’m expressing myself.
Could this explain why French people have a reputation for being rude?
If like the French, you feel the need to râler, chances are you’re suffering from le ras-le-bol. The phrase literally translates to “full to the brim of the bowl”. But put simply, it expresses the idea of being fed up or done with something; when you can’t take something anymore:
I’m fed up with the bad weather.
If you have an upper intermediate level of French, you may already know that un bouquin is an informal word that is synonymous with un livre (a book). From there, you might assume that bouquiner is a casual way to say lire (to read). And you’ll be nearly right, except that bouquiner brings the idea of being curled up with a good book or a nice French comic strip.
I spent the evening curled up in a book.
If you’re about to take a French DELF exam, your friends will probably wish you bon courage, as an alternative to bonne chance (good luck). The phrase translates directly to “good courage” but means something like “hang in there”. French speakers will use it to encourage others who are about to face difficult tasks. You may also hear it used in a more ironic tone, in relation to near-impossible enterprises:
Good luck with your exam!
If you dream of having the perfect Valentine’s Day in France, then you want to stay away from anything resembling this expression. Translated literally, un tue-l’amour is a “love-killer”: A good image to describe any physical feature, personality trait or behavior that turns you off romantically from a significant other or a new date:
This perfume is a real love killer.
The term comes from one of the most popular card games in France, called la belote. If you happen to have both the queen and king in the trump suit, one of the rules of the game requires you to say belote when you play one, then rebelote when you play the other. This gets you extra points. By extension, rebelote has come to express the idea of “all over again”. You can use it when an action or event repeats itself over time:
There you go again! He forgot his keys one more time.
If you’re someone who enjoys spending hours at the mall without intending to make a purchase, then le lèche-vitrine is for you. And even if you’re not fond of the activity, you may still appreciate the phrase, which literally means “window-licking”: a rather more imaginative expression than “shopping”, one of the many English words that have invaded the French language.
I went window shopping with my female friends for the whole afternoon.
We finish our list of untranslatable words in French with what is technically not a word with proper meaning, but rather an interjection. In a similar way as meh in English, bof is used to express indifference, indecisiveness or a lack of excitement toward something. It is often accompanied by a Gallic shrug and can be doubled as bof bof:
Meh, this film wasn’t very funny.
If you had to literally translate this word, you’d say “to cardboard”. What it means, in reality, is to be a hit or extremely successful at something. It’s a word often used in French slang but its origins refer to the act of gallery shooting at cardboard target in fun fairs.
Kendrick’s new album will be a hit.
Regardless of having no translation in English, retrouvailles expresses a feeling we can all relate to. Imagine finally meeting again with a dear friend or a loved one after a long time. That exact moment and the joyous feeling it envelopes is what this French word describes. It’s always used in its plural form as in:
They celebrated their reunion with a big dinner.
When you learn a language, you do much more than learn how to use words and put them in the right order to pass a message. You also expand your understanding of a culture, in this case, the French one. Cultural and contextual understanding help you, in contrast, to get the deeper meaning behind these French untranslatable words and to navigate new linguistic nuances.
Since they usually reflect a unique state, idea, or philosophy, these terms also allow you to dive deeper into the cultural perspective of a society, broadening your intellectual and emotional horizons.
Schools like Lingoda revolve around this knowledge and offer you online French classes conversation-oriented and led by native-level speakers who are based worldwide. This variety of origins, are great for you to learn and practice these French untranslatable words, but to possibly get to know more from other French-speaking countries.
A bonus untranslatable French word we didn’t list among the 11 above is dépaysement. While the term refers to a sense of disorientation and strangeness caused by being in a foreign environment, it doesn’t have a negative connotation. Rather, it wants to describe the thrilling feeling of discovering new places.
Among others, English uses the following words which all have French origin: bachelor, cuisine, ballet, expertise, flamboyant, debacle, diplomat, palette, collage, gastronomy.
Our list of nine untranslatable French words gives you an inkling of the specific aspects of French culture, with its unique customs, hobbies and objects of focus. They also help to show just how imaginative such expressions may be, which may be an extra reason why they’re so difficult to translate. Learning them will enrich your vocabulary and help you sound like a true French!
