pot-de-vin
/po.d(ə).vɛ̃/masculine
The English phrase 'bribe' is translated into French as pot-de-vin.
The noun pot-de-vin refers to an inducement given to someone to break the rules. To express the act of giving a bribe, you can use the phrase verser un pot-de-vin, the verb soudoyer or the verb corrompre.
Meaning: inducement to a breaking of the rules (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, pot-de-vin translates to 'pot of wine'.
Which one should you use?
While verser un pot-de-vin is the standard way to say 'to pay a bribe', the verb soudoyer is more specific to the act of bribing or subverting someone, such as an official or a witness, to act in your favor. The verb corrompre is a broader and more formal term that can refer to both the specific act of bribery and the general state of corrupting a person's morals.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
pot-de-vin is a masculine noun, which is why it is used with the indefinite article un in the phrase un pot-de-vin.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of pot-de-vin is /po.d(ə).vɛ̃/. It has three syllables.
Did you know?
- The term graisser la patte, meaning 'to grease the paw', is a common idiomatic alternative to soudoyer when describing a bribe.
- Although corrompre is the formal term for bribery, it is also used to describe the physical decay of organic matter or the degradation of a digital file.
- The verb soudoyer is derived from the word solde, which refers to a soldier's pay. It originally implied paying someone a wage to ensure their loyalty or cooperation.
Examples in context
- N'accepte jamais un pot-de-vin !Never take a bribe!This sentence is useful for a command regarding the form pot-de-vin.Tatoeba #1198664 by sacredceltic, translation #10501994 by AlanF_US
- Il nie avoir accepté un pot-de-vin.He denied that he had accepted the bribe.This sentence is useful for describing a denial involving the form pot-de-vin.Tatoeba #5313918 by parisian01, translation #304861 by CK
- Le policier a accepté un pot-de-vin.The police officer accepted a bribe.This sentence is useful for describing an action taken by a police officer involving the form pot-de-vin.Tatoeba #10960761 by lbdx, translation #2628467 by Hybrid
- Le pot-de-vin est considéré comme un délit grave en France.Bribery is considered a serious offense in France.
- L'accusé est poursuivi pour corruption active.The defendant is being charged with active bribery.
- Il a réussi à faire passer son dossier en donnant un petit pot-de-vin.He managed to push his file through by giving a small bribe.
- Il a dû graisser la patte du vigile pour entrer sans faire la queue.He had to bribe the security guard to skip the line.
- 12 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Lucas are discussing a corruption scandal in the news.
- EmmaLe maire a reçu un pot-de-vin.The mayor received a bribe.
- LucasC'est vraiment scandaleux pour la ville.It is truly scandalous for the city.
- EmmaOn dit que le pot-de-vin était énorme.They say the bribe was huge.
- LucasIl va sûrement aller en prison.He will surely go to prison.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bribe” translations and entries pot-de-vin, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
