toilettes bouchées
In French, 'clogged toilet' is translated as toilettes bouchées.
The phrase is used to describe a toilet that is blocked and unable to flush water away.
Which one should you use?
While toilettes bouchées is the standard way to refer to the plumbing fixture, you may encounter Chiottes bouchées in more casual settings.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun toilettes is almost always used in the plural in French, which requires the adjective to be in the feminine plural form as bouchées. A natural way to state that the toilet is clogged is to use the full sentence les toilettes sont bouchées.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use the singular toilette bouchée, but in French, the plural toilettes bouchées is the standard way to refer to the plumbing fixture or the room.
Did you know?
- In French, the word toilette in the singular refers to the act of washing oneself or the process of dressing, rather than the plumbing fixture. Referring to a 'clogged toilet' as une toilette bouchée sounds like you are describing a blocked bathing ritual.
- When a plumber clears a blockage, they use the verb déboucher, which literally means 'to uncork' a bottle.
- The casual term chiottes comes from the old word chioter, which meant 'to defecate'. Using this term for a 'clogged toilet' is very slangy and would be considered vulgar in a professional or formal setting.
Examples in context
- La toilette est bouchée, pouvez-vous m'aider s'il vous plaît?The toilet is clogged, can you please help me?
- J'ai un problème avec les WC, ils sont bouchés.I have a problem with the toilets, they are clogged.
- Il y a des toilettes bouchées dans l'hôtel.There are clogged toilets in the hotel.
- Le plombier doit venir réparer les toilettes bouchées.The plumber must come to fix the clogged toilet.
Example conversation
Lucas is visiting Chloé's apartment.
- ChloéLucas, ne tire pas la chasse d'eau.Lucas, don't flush the toilet.
- LucasPourquoi ? Qu'est-ce qui se passe ?Why? What's happening?
- ChloéJe crois que j'ai les toilettes bouchées.I think I have a clogged toilet.
- LucasEst-ce que tu as une ventouse ?Do you have a plunger?
