Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| guignon | /ɡi.ɲɔ̃/ | masculine |
| guigne | /ɡiɲ/ | feminine, informal |
| malchance | /mal.ʃɑ̃s/ | feminine |
| poisse | /pwas/ | feminine, informal |
| manque de bol | masculine | |
| pas de bol | masculine | |
| manque de cul | masculine, vulgar |
These terms all describe misfortune or a lack of luck. The term poisse is a slangy way to describe a streak of bad luck or a person who brings bad luck, often used in the phrase avoir la poisse to say someone is currently experiencing a run of bad luck. Guigne is also used to describe a jinx, specifically with the verb porter in the phrase porter la guigne to mean bringing bad luck. The phrase pas de bol is frequently used as an interjection to express frustration or sympathy toward a stroke of bad luck.
Which one should you use?
Malchance is the standard, neutral term for misfortune. In contrast, the other terms in this list are more colloquial or slangy. Manque de cul is a vulgar expression. Guigne and poisse specifically imply a jinx or a persistent streak of bad luck.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Malchance is a neutral term. Guignon, guigne, poisse, manque de bol and pas de bol are informal or colloquial. For a very formal context indicating a more significant amount of misfortune, you may use malheur.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Guigne is an expression more common in parts of France, particularly in Paris and refers to a string of bad luck or a jinx.
How do you pronounce it?
guignon is pronounced /ɡi.ɲɔ̃/.
Did you know?
- One meaning of guigne is actually a 'sour cherry'. This word's origin is rooted in Old High German and Frankish terms for the fruit.
- While 'luck' is often seen as abstract, the slang term poisse is derived from a word meaning 'sticky residue' or 'tar'. This implies that bad luck is something thick and messy that sticks to a person.
- If you want to say someone is very unlucky using a common idiom, you might use the slang manque de bol, where 'bol' literally translates to 'bowl'.
Examples in context
- Il a la poisse.He has very bad luck.This sentence shows how to use poisse to say someone has very bad luck.Tatoeba #3670134 by sacredceltic, translation #2266361 by _undertoad
- J'ai eu la poisse.I've had bad luck.This sentence demonstrates the use of poisse to describe having had bad luck.Tatoeba #13263812 by lbdx, translation #11195344 by CK
- Sami porte la poisse.Sami brings bad luck.This sentence shows how to use poisse to describe someone who brings bad luck.Tatoeba #6375524 by Scorpionvenin14, translation #6375515 by OsoHombre
- Je regrette sincèrement votre malchanceI sincerely regret your bad luck
- Désolé, pas de chance pour toiSorry, bad luck for you
- Quel mauvais coup, ça ne va pas être facile à surmonterWhat a bad blow, it won't be easy to overcome
- Il a vraiment la guigne en ce momentHe's really having a string of bad luck lately
- Je m'attriste profondément de ce malheur qui vous toucheI am deeply saddened by this misfortune that has befallen you
- 17 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Manon and Hugo are talking about a missed train.
- ManonOn a raté le train, quel guignon !We missed the train, what bad luck!
- HugoOui, c'est vraiment dommage.Yes, it's really a shame.
- ManonC'est un sacré guignon pour nous.It's some real bad luck for us.
- HugoOn peut prendre le suivant.We can take the next one.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bad luck” translations and entries guignon, guigne, malchance, poisse, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries guigne, guignon, malchance, poisse, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
