Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| ivre | /ivʁ/ | |
| soûl | /su/ | alternative form |
| bourré | /bu.ʁe/ | informal |
| saoul | /su/ | |
| schlass | /ʃlas/ /ʃlɑs/ |
colloquial |
| paqueté | /pak.te/ | Quebec, informal |
The terms used describe someone who is intoxicated after drinking too much alcohol. For a formal way to say 'to be in a state of drunkenness', you can use être en état d'ébriété, which is typically used in legal or medical contexts. The noun forms for the state of drunkenness are ébriété and ivresse, while ivrogne, buveur or buveuse are used to describe a habitual drinker.
Which one should you use?
ivre is the most neutral and standard term, making it suitable for most contexts including medical or formal ones. The term bourré is an informal way to say someone is drunk, similar to the English 'hammered' or 'wasted'. The spelling saoul is an older or alternative spelling of the variants saoul or soûl.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
ivre is a straightforward and commonly used expression in formal settings. In France, être bourré(e) is a popular and versatile slang term. For a more colloquial or older slang feel, you may use schlass.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Quebec, the informal term paqueté is used.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
/ivʁ/
Did you know?
- The term bourré literally means 'stuffed' or 'filled' as if you were a turkey or a pillow. It describes the sensation of being so full of alcohol that there is no room for anything else.
- In French, the word ivresse can also be used metaphorically to describe an intense, non-alcoholic emotion, such as the 'ivresse de la victoire' or the 'intoxication of victory'.
- The word ivre shares a common ancestor with the English word 'ebriety', which refers to the state of being drunk.
Examples in context
- Tu es saoul !You are drunk!This sentence shows how to use saoul to tell someone they are drunk.Tatoeba #589990 by qdii, translation #64332 by CK
- Tu es trop ivre.You're too drunk.This sentence uses ivre to say someone is too drunk.Tatoeba #2551549 by Amastan, translation #2218446 by CK
- Il est trop ivre.He's too drunk.This sentence uses ivre to say he is too drunk.Tatoeba #2524461 by Aiji, translation #1994500 by Spamster
- Tu es ivre ce soir?Are you drunk tonight?
- Non, juste un peu saoule.No, just a little drunk.
- 292 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Chloé and Gabriel are at a party.
- ChloéGabriel, je pense que tu es ivre.Gabriel, I think you are drunk.
- GabrielCe n'est pas vrai, je vais bien.That's not true, I'm fine.
- ChloéTu n'arrives même pas à marcher droit.You can't even walk straight.
- GabrielD'accord, je vais boire de l'eau.Okay, I'm going to drink some water.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “drunk” translations and entries ivre, soûl, bourré, saoul, schlass, paqueté, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ivre, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
