piasse
/pjas/Quebec, feminine
In French, the English phrase "buck" can be translated as piasse or balle depending on the region.
Meaning: informal: dollar (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| piasse | /pjas/ | Quebec, feminine |
| balle | /bal/ | feminine |
Both terms are informal nouns used to refer to a dollar.
Which one should you use?
While both piasse and balle serve as informal terms for a dollar, balle is more commonly used in France, whereas piasse is characteristic of Quebec.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Both words are colloquial or informal.
Is it said differently in some regions?
piasse is a colloquialism used specifically in Quebec.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural of the Quebec colloquialism piasse is piasses, and the plural of the informal term balle is balles. Both nouns are feminine.
How do you pronounce it?
/pjas/
Did you know?
- The Quebec term piasse is an old corruption of the word piastre, which was originally used for the Spanish dollar. It reflects the early influence of Spanish trade in North America.
- The term balle traces its linguistic roots back to the Gaulish language, an ancient Celtic tongue spoken in Europe.
- In some French slang, balle is used not just for dollars, but as a generic term for any unit of currency, such as euros.
Examples in context
- T'as pas quelques balles à me prêter ?Do you have a few bucks to lend me?
- J'ai besoin de pognon, tu peux m'en prêter ?I need some bucks, can you lend me some?
- Ça coûte juste dix piasses.It only costs ten bucks.
- J'ai trouvé une piasse par terre.I found a buck on the ground.
- Il me doit cinq piasses.He owes me five bucks.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about a snack at a convenience store.
- LéaTu veux une barre de chocolat ?Do you want a chocolate bar?
- HugoNon, je n'ai plus qu'une piasse sur moi.No, I only have one buck on me.
- LéaDommage, ça coûte deux piasses.Too bad, it costs two bucks.
- HugoTant pis, je vais attendre.Never mind, I'll wait.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “buck” translations and entries piasse, balle, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries balle, CC BY-SA 4.0.
