fesses
/fɛs/
The French word for buttocks is fesses.
The term refers to a pair of buttocks. Les fesses can be used informally in everyday conversations among friends or family.
Meaning: pair of buttocks (noun)
Which one should you use?
Le derrière is a more polite or euphemistic way to refer to the buttocks than les fesses. Le cul is a vulgar, slang term for the buttocks, whereas les fesses is more neutral/colloquial.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Fesses is a neutral/colloquial term. For a more polite or euphemistic way to refer to the buttocks, use le derrière. Le cul is a slang term for buttocks that can be considered vulgar.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word is almost always used in the plural form with a definite article.
How do you pronounce it?
/fɛs/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often use the singular fesse to mean the whole buttocks, but in French, une fesse refers to only one side of the pair.
Did you know?
- In French, the phrase avoir le cul entre deux chaises describes someone who cannot make a decision or is caught between two options.
- The vulgar term le cul is used in the common idiom se casser le cul, which means to work extremely hard or exhaust oneself.
- In French literature and older texts, you might encounter the term le séant to refer to the buttocks, which acts as a very formal, almost anatomical euphemism.
Examples in context
- La jeune femme gifla l'homme qui lui avait pincé les fesses.The young woman slapped the man who pinched her buttocks.This sentence shows the use of fesses in the context of a physical altercation.Tatoeba #13088355 by lbdx, translation #425585 by FeuDRenais
- Il n'avait jamais pardonné à Adélaïde de n'avoir pas de ces seins lourds, de ces fesses bien larges, qui honorent les familles.He had never forgiven Adélaïde for not having those heavy breasts, those wide buttocks that are a credit to families.This sentence illustrates a descriptive use of fesses when discussing physical attributes.Tatoeba #833196 by Scott, translation #927855 by bojnin
- Elle s'est assise sur les fessesShe sat on her buttocks
- Il a glissé et s'est retrouvé sur les fessesHe slipped and ended up on his buttocks
- Paul s'est assis sur les fesses, en évitant de toucher la blessure.Paul sat on his buttocks, avoiding touching the wound.
- Elle a mal aux fesses après avoir fait du vélo.She has sore buttocks after cycling.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucas and Emma are talking about a clumsy fall in the garden.
- LucasTu as vu comment je suis tombé ?Did you see how I fell?
- EmmaOui, tu as atterri pile sur les fesses !Yes, you landed right on your buttocks!
- LucasAïe, ça me fait encore un peu mal.Ouch, it still hurts a bit.
- EmmaC'est normal, c'était un choc violent.That's normal, it was a hard hit.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry fesses, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
