How to Say “Gossip” in French

Ways to say it

The terms for gossip in French vary depending on whether you are talking about idle chitchat, malicious rumors or the fear of social judgment. While words like papotages can refer to lighthearted chitchat, the target terms generally describe the act of discussing people's private business.

Which one should you use?

The choice of word depends on your intended tone and the specific type of gossip. Commérage is the standard, neutral term for gossip. Ragot is more colloquial and carries a slightly more pejorative, negative connotation, often implying rumors. Cancan is an informal way to refer to gossip. Finally, qu'en-dira-t-on is a formal or literary term that specifically refers to the social pressure or the fear of what people might say about you.

Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?

For neutral situations, use commérage. If you want to be more colloquial or are speaking in a less formal setting, you can use ragot or cancan. For literary or highly formal contexts involving the concern of public opinion, use qu'en-dira-t-on.

Related words

To talk about someone else's private or personal business (verb): commérer.

To talk idly (verb): bavarder.

How does it change in a sentence?

To express the action of gossiping about someone's private business, you can use the verb commérer, which is the verbal counterpart to the noun commérage. If you simply mean to talk idly or chat without the malicious intent often associated with gossip, use the verb bavarder.

How do you pronounce it?

The word ragot is pronounced /ʁa.ɡo/ and has two syllables.