bon flic, mauvais flic
masculine
The English phrase "good cop bad cop" is translated into French as bon flic, mauvais flic. Wiktionary also lists méchant flic, gentil flic.
Meaning: psychological tactic (noun)
Ways to say it
| French | Note |
|---|---|
| bon flic, mauvais flic | masculine |
| méchant flic, gentil flic | masculine |
This phrase refers to the psychological tactic. It is a direct translation of the English idiom and is commonly used in colloquial speech.
Which one should you use?
While bon flic, mauvais flic is a direct equivalent of the English idiom, you can also use gentil flic, méchant flic. This alternative uses adjectives that specifically mean "nice cop, mean cop" instead of "good" and "bad".
How does it change in a sentence?
When you want to refer to the specific roles within the tactic, French speakers often add the definite articles to both nouns, forming le bon flic et le mauvais flic. To refer to the psychological tactic as a concept, it is common to use the phrase la technique du bon flic et du mauvais flic.
Did you know?
- The word flic used in the phrase is actually a slang term that likely originated from German criminal slang, 'Flick'.
Examples in context
- Le commissaire Dupont et le commissaire Leclerc ont utilisé la technique du bon flic, mauvais flic pour obtenir des informations.Inspector Dupont and Inspector Leclerc used the good cop bad cop technique to gather information.
- Les deux policiers ont employé la technique du gentil flic, méchant flic pour faire avouer le suspect.The two policemen used the good cop bad cop technique to make the suspect confess.
- Ils ont utilisé le jeu du bon flic, mauvais flic.They used the good cop, bad cop game.
- C'est une technique de bon flic, mauvais flic.It's a good cop, bad cop technique.
- Leur stratégie de bon flic, mauvais flic a fonctionné.Their good cop, bad cop strategy worked.
Example conversation
Hugo and Léa are discussing a crime drama they watched.
- HugoIls ont fait un bon flic, mauvais flic dans l'interrogatoire.They did a good cop, bad cop in the interrogation.
- LéaOui, c'est une tactique très classique.Yes, it's a very classic tactic.
- HugoL'inspecteur était vraiment le mauvais flic.The inspector was really the bad cop.
- LéaEt l'autre était le bon flic.And the other one was the good cop.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “good cop bad cop” translations and entries bon flic, mauvais flic, méchant flic, gentil flic, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bon, flic, gentil, mauvais, méchant, CC BY-SA 4.0.
