crotte de nez
/kʁɔt də ne/feminine
The French word for booger is crotte de nez. Wiktionary also lists mucus.
Meaning: a piece of solid or semi-solid mucus (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| crotte de nez | /kʁɔt də ne/ | feminine |
| mucus | /my.kys/ | masculine |
A booger is a piece of solid or semi-solid mucus.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase crotte de nez literally translates to poop of nose.
Which one should you use?
crotte de nez is the common, colloquial term used in everyday conversation. In contrast, mucus is the formal, medical term used to describe nasal secretions.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
crotte de nez is an informal and slightly childish term. For a more formal or medical context, use mucus or the technical expression Excrément nasal. For a very informal way to say booger, you might use Morve.
How does it change in a sentence?
crotte de nez is a feminine noun. mucus is a masculine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/kʁɔt də ne/
Did you know?
- In French, the expression un morveux is a derogatory term for a spoiled, arrogant youth or a 'snot-nosed' brat.
- The word crotte used in this phrase originally referred to 'goat droppings' in the 12th century.
Examples in context
- Beurk, il a mis une crotte de nez dans sa bouche !He put a booger in his mouth, yuck!This sentence illustrates a reaction to someone putting a crotte de nez in their mouth.Tatoeba #12250212 by Rafik, translation #12257721 by Rafik
- Regarde cette crotte de nez!Look at that booger!
- Il y a une crotte de nez sur sa joue.There is a booger on his cheek.
- Elle a trouvé une crotte de nez dans son mouchoir.She found a booger in her tissue.
Example conversation
Two children are playing in a park.
- NathanRegarde, il a une crotte de nez !Look, he has a booger!
- EmmaOh non, c'est dégoûtant.Oh no, that's gross.
- NathanEst-ce qu'elle est grande, la crotte de nez ?Is the booger big?
- EmmaJe ne sais pas, je ne veux pas regarder.I don't know, I don't want to look.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “booger” translations and entries crotte de nez, mucus, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries crotte, de, mucus, nez, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
