un juron
In French, "a swear" is translated as un juron.
un juron refers to a single swear word or a specific exclamation of anger. French speakers use various expressions depending on the level of intensity: merde is the equivalent of "sh*t" for dissatisfaction or shock, while bordel is used to express frustration or anger similar to "damn" or "bloody hell". Putain is a very versatile expletive used to convey anger, frustration or surprise. For mild frustration, one might use Zut (darn or shoot), Mince (darn or rats) or the informal Zut alors (darn it or oh no). For surprise, Punaise is a mild option meaning "wow" or "gee". Other expressions include Bon sang (gosh or good grief) to denote annoyance, and the archaic Sapristi (darn it or goodness me).
Which one should you use?
While un juron refers to the specific word uttered, it is different from le langage grossier, which refers to the broader concept of coarse or vulgar language.
How does it change in a sentence?
un juron is a masculine noun used to refer to a single swear word. If you want to describe the action of using profanity, use the verb jurer (to swear).
Did you know?
- The verb jurer is a contronym, meaning it can describe both the act of using a vulgar juron and the act of making a formal, solemn oath.
- In French, many common jurons are modified versions of stronger words, such as punaise replacing putain and mince replacing merde.
- The word bordel is used as a juron to express frustration, but its literal dictionary meaning is 'brothel'.
Examples in context
- Il a lâché un juron de colère.He let out a swear of anger.
- C'est un juron très vulgaire.It is a very vulgar swear.
- Je n'ai pas envie d'apprendre un juron.I don't want to learn a swear.
Example conversation
Lucas and Manon are discussing a movie they just watched.
- LucasLe personnage principal utilise un juron à chaque phrase.The main character uses a swear word in every sentence.
- ManonC'est vrai, c'est presque trop.That's true, it's almost too much.
- LucasJe trouve que ce n'est pas nécessaire.I find that it is not necessary.
- ManonJe suis d'accord avec toi, Lucas.I agree with you, Lucas.
