foutre
What does foutre mean? foutre is a French strong that translates to “to fuck, damn” in English.
Literal Translation
to fuck / semen
Meaning & Usage
"to fuck, damn"
An ancient French vulgarism that functions as both a noun (semen) and a verb (to fuck, to do, to put). In modern usage, the sexual meaning has faded behind its role as an all-purpose intensifier. 'Qu'est-ce que tu fous?' means 'what the hell are you doing?' without anyone thinking about sex.
Examples in the Wild
'J'en ai rien à foutre' (I don't give a damn). 'Il fout rien' (he does nothing). 'C'est foutu' (it's done for, it's screwed).
When to Use It
Context
- Informal settings where profanity is accepted
- Expressing strong frustration or emphasis
- As a spontaneous exclamation
Avoid
- Professional or formal settings
- Around elders or authority figures
- Mixed company or unfamiliar social groups
- Job interviews, meetings, or customer-facing situations
Cultural Context
One of the oldest vulgar words in French, attested since the 13th century. It has spawned an entire family: 'foutu' (fucked/done for), 's'en foutre' (to not give a damn), 'foutoir' (a mess), 'foutaise' (bullshit). The word is so embedded in French that many speakers don't register its original vulgarity.
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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'.
dégueulasse
“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.