gangster
/ɡɑ̃ɡ.stɛʁ/masculine
The English word gangster translates to French as gangster.
gangster refers to a member of a street gang.
Meaning: street gang member (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
The word has two syllables and is pronounced /ɡɑ̃ɡ.stɛʁ/.
Did you know?
- In French slang, un caïd is often used to describe the leader of a gang, a word borrowed from Arabic meaning 'leader' or 'governor'.
- The term milieu is used in French to refer to the underworld of organized crime, effectively acting as a collective noun for the world the gangster inhabits.
- While an English speaker might use 'gangster' to describe any criminal, a French person calling a modern street criminal a gangster would sound like they are quoting a Hollywood movie.
Examples in context
- Ton fils est un gangster.Your son is a gangster.This sentence demonstrates the use of gangster to identify someone.Tatoeba #6692745 by felix63, translation #6695340 by Eccles17
- Je ne suis pas un gangster.I'm not a gangster.This sentence shows how to use gangster in a negative statement.Tatoeba #9769387 by Rovo, translation #5851801 by CK
- J'aime les vieux films de gangsters d'avant-guerre.I love old prewar gangster movies.This sentence illustrates the use of the plural form of gangster in the context of cinema.Tatoeba #949915 by sacredceltic, translation #949918 by sacredceltic
- La police recherche un bandit qui a commis un vol à main armée.The police are looking for a bandit who committed an armed robbery.
- Le caïd contrôle le trafic de drogue dans ce quartier.The gangster controls drug trafficking in this neighborhood.
- Ce rappeur se prend pour un gangsta américain.This rapper acts like an American gangsta.
- Les voyous sont connus pour leurs actes de vandalisme.The thugs are known for their acts of vandalism.
- 6 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucas and Emma are watching a gritty crime movie.
- LucasLe personnage principal est un gangster dangereux.The main character is a dangerous gangster.
- EmmaOui, il fait peur avec son arme.Yes, he is scary with his weapon.
- LucasOn dirait un vrai gangster de New York.He looks like a real New York gangster.
- EmmaC'est vrai, le film est très réaliste.That's true, the movie is very realistic.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “gangster” translations and entries gangster, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
