Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| fauché | /fo.ʃe/ | |
| désargenté | /de.zaʁ.ʒɑ̃.te/ | formal |
| à sec | /a sɛk/ | invariable |
All these terms are used to describe being deprived of financial means or lacking money. You can say Être fauché(e) to informally express that you are broke, or use the expression être à sec to indicate you are out of resources.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase à sec literally means 'dry', used metaphorically to suggest that one's resources, like a well, have run dry.
Which one should you use?
Use fauché as a slang term for a casual way to say you have no money. In contrast, à sec is a slightly more standard informal expression often used to describe being completely out of a specific resource. For a more polite and formal way to describe someone lacking funds, use désargenté.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
fauché is considered slang, while à sec is informal. If you need to be formal and polite, use désargenté or the expression dépourvu de moyens financiers.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In France, the informal expression être sur la paille is used to describe being broke.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase à sec is an adverbial phrase and is invariable, meaning it does not change its form to agree with the gender or number of the subject.
How do you pronounce it?
/fo.ʃe/
Did you know?
- To emphasize being extremely broke, French speakers might say fauché comme un rat, which means 'broke as a rat'.
- The slang term fauché comes from the word for 'mowed', like grass cut by a scythe. It evokes the image of someone whose funds have been completely cut down.
- If you want to sound like a character in a historical novel, you might use être sur la paille. This literally translates to 'being on the straw', referring to the humble bedding of the poor.
Examples in context
- Tom n'était pas fauché.Tom wasn't broke.This sentence shows the negative form of the slang term fauché.Tatoeba #9794988 by Gib, translation #8935989 by CK
- J'étais fauché à l'époque.I was broke at the time.This sentence uses the slang term fauché to describe a past state.Tatoeba #9749198 by lbdx, translation #7733572 by CK
- Je suis complètement fauché.I'm dead broke.This sentence uses fauché to express being completely broke.Tatoeba #5549490 by sacredceltic, translation #2662469 by Hybrid
- J'ai dépensé tout mon argent, je suis complètement à sec !I spent all my money, I'm completely broke!
- 30 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hugo and Emma are deciding where to eat dinner.
- HugoOn va au restaurant ce soir ?Shall we go to a restaurant tonight?
- EmmaDésolée, je suis fauchée ce mois-ci.Sorry, I'm broke this month.
- HugoNe t'inquiète pas, je paye pour toi.Don't worry, I'll pay for you.
- EmmaC'est vraiment gentil, merci Hugo !That's really kind, thank you Hugo!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “broke” translations and entries fauché, désargenté, à sec, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
