engueuler
What does engueuler mean? engueuler is a French moderate that translates to “to yell at, to chew out” in English.
Literal Translation
to mouth off at (from gueule — animal mouth)
Meaning & Usage
"to yell at, to chew out"
To scold someone loudly and aggressively. Built from 'gueule' (animal's mouth), the word literally means to use your mouth like an animal at someone. 'S'engueuler' (reflexive) means to have a shouting match. It's crude but widely accepted — even news anchors use it.
Examples in the Wild
'Ma mère m'a engueulé' — my mom chewed me out. 'Ils s'engueulent tout le temps' — they fight all the time. Used about couples, coworkers, parents.
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
One of those French vulgarisms that's been fully mainstreamed. 'Ils se sont engueulés' (they had a fight) is standard French, used in newspapers and by politicians. The word fills a gap — French doesn't have a clean equivalent for 'to yell at someone angrily,' so this vulgar option became the default.
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