roubignoles
What does roubignoles mean? roubignoles is a French moderate that translates to “family jewels, nuts, bollocks” in English.
Literal Translation
testicles (playful/old-fashioned)
Meaning & Usage
"family jewels, nuts, bollocks"
An old-fashioned, almost playful word for testicles. Where 'couilles' is standard-vulgar and 'burnes' is rough, 'roubignoles' has a comical quality — the word is just too long and funny-sounding to be truly offensive. It's the 'family jewels' of French.
Examples in the Wild
'Il s'est pris un coup dans les roubignoles' — he got hit in the family jewels. Used more for comedy than for insults.
Regional Variations
Originates from this region, used with particular affection
When to Use It
Context
- Casual conversations with friends
- Informal settings where profanity is accepted
Avoid
- Professional or formal settings
- Job interviews, meetings, or customer-facing situations
Cultural Context
Has a retro charm that makes it popular in French comedy. It sounds like a word from a Rabelais novel (though its actual origin is Provençal). Using 'roubignoles' instead of 'couilles' signals that you're being playful rather than crude. It's the word a grandfather might use while his grandchildren are barely out of earshot.
More in French 🇫🇷
View all →garce
“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'.
pute / putain
“whore / hooker”
Prostitute. 'Pute' is noun form, 'putain' is interjection or noun.
nom de Dieu
“for God's sake / goddamn”
Religious exclamation, mild blasphemy.
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.
merde
“shit / crap”
Standard exclamation for frustration, disappointment, or surprise. Literally excrement.