dégueulasse
What does dégueulasse mean? dégueulasse is a French moderate that translates to “disgusting, gross, nasty” in English.
Literal Translation
vomit-inducing (from 'gueuler' — to yell/vomit)
Meaning & Usage
"disgusting, gross, nasty"
The go-to French word for expressing physical or moral disgust. It covers everything from a filthy bathroom to a politician's corruption scandal. Shortened to 'dégueu' in casual speech, which somehow sounds even more disgusted despite being shorter.
Examples in the Wild
Said while recoiling from something gross: spoiled food, a dirty metro seat, a cheating scandal. 'C'est dégueulasse ce qu'il lui a fait' — what he did to her is disgusting.
When to Use It
Context
- Casual conversations with friends
- Informal settings where profanity is accepted
- As a spontaneous exclamation
- Direct confrontation (use with caution)
Avoid
- Professional or formal settings
- Job interviews, meetings, or customer-facing situations
Cultural Context
Perfectly acceptable in most social situations despite technically being vulgar. A French grandmother might call a dirty kitchen 'dégueulasse' without anyone batting an eye. It's one of those words that crossed from crude to mainstream through sheer usefulness.
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“bitch / slut”
Female dog; used as insult toward women.
se barrer
“to get out, to bolt, to take off”
Another crude way to say 'to leave,' slightly less aggressive than 'se casser.' 'Barre-toi' is 'get out of here.' 'Je me barre' is 'I'm leaving.' The word implies leaving quickly, sometimes covertly — sneaking out of a boring party or fleeing a bad situation.
con / conne
“stupid / idiot / asshole (fem: bitch)”
Originally vulgar slang for female genitalia (cunt), now primarily means 'stupid' or 'idiot' in France. The feminine 'conne' is more offensive than 'con'.
crade
“gross, filthy, nasty”
Slang contraction of 'crasseux' (filthy) that became its own word. It describes anything disgustingly dirty — a room, a person, a habit. Less intense than 'dégueulasse' but covers the same territory. The extended form 'cradingue' adds emphasis through its playful suffix.
raclure
“scum, lowlife, bottom-feeder”
What you scrape off the bottom of a pot — the residue, the dregs. Applied to a person, it means they're the lowest of the low, the scum of society. It's a creative insult that paints a vivid picture of worthlessness.
nique
“fuck”
The raw verb form of 'niquer,' used on its own as a crude exclamation or command. Unlike 'baiser,' which has a polite meaning (to kiss) that was slowly corrupted, 'niquer' has always been purely vulgar — borrowed from Arabic and arriving in French already loaded.
chier
“to shit / to annoy”
To defecate; also used in expressions meaning 'to annoy' or 'bore'.
merde
“shit / crap”
Standard exclamation for frustration, disappointment, or surprise. Literally excrement.