pourri
What does pourri mean? pourri is a French moderate that translates to “rotten, corrupt, shitty” in English.
Literal Translation
rotten
Meaning & Usage
"rotten, corrupt, shitty"
Literally 'rotten,' used figuratively for anything corrupt, broken, or of terrible quality. A 'flic pourri' is a corrupt cop. A 'quartier pourri' is a rough neighborhood. 'Gâté pourri' (rotten spoiled) describes an overindulged child. The rottenness metaphor gives it moral weight that purely vulgar words lack.
Examples in the Wild
'Ce système est pourri' — this system is rotten. 'Pourri gâté' — spoiled rotten (about a child). 'Un temps pourri' — rotten weather.
When to Use It
Context
- Casual conversations with friends
- Informal settings where profanity is accepted
- Direct confrontation (use with caution)
Avoid
- Professional or formal settings
- Job interviews, meetings, or customer-facing situations
Cultural Context
French has a thing for decay metaphors. 'Pourri' carries implications of moral corruption alongside physical degradation. When applied to institutions ('système pourri'), it resonates with French cynicism about authority. It's harsh but not profane — you could use it in a newspaper editorial.
More in French 🇫🇷
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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.