Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| mec | /mɛk/ | masculine |
| gars | /ɡa/ /ɡɑ/ |
masculine |
| type | /tip/ | masculine |
These terms are used to refer to a male or a man. While mec and gars are common informal terms for guy, the word Homme translates to man in English and can be used to refer to a guy in a formal or general sense.
Which one should you use?
mec is more informal and slangy than gars or type. The word type is slightly more detached or can be used with a hint of disdain compared to the more neutral gars.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
mec is an informal slang term, while type is colloquial. gars is an informal term that can be used interchangeably with mec. For a more formal or general way to say man, use Homme.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Both mec and gars are widespread throughout the French-speaking world.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The word gars is invariable in the plural. les gars means 'the guys'.
How do you pronounce it?
/mɛk/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Note that the capitalized name Guy is a common French male first name and is pronounced differently than the noun 'guy' in English.
Did you know?
- The popular slang term mec actually has a colorful origin as a shortening of maquereau, which means 'pimp'.
- While an English speaker might use 'guy' to refer to a group of any gender, using gars or mec in French will always specify that the group is male.
- In very informal settings, mec functions similarly to 'dude' in English and is used more for social bonding than just identifying a male.
Examples in context
- Qui est ce mec ?Who's this guy?This sentence is useful for asking who a specific mec is.Tatoeba #1997562 by sacredceltic, translation #1886551 by CK
- Je hais ce type.I hate this guy.This sentence is useful for expressing hatred toward a specific type.Tatoeba #6401147 by Blabla, translation #9773031 by traeton
- Qui est ce type ?Who is this guy?This sentence is useful for asking who a specific type is.Tatoeba #1111938 by sacredceltic, translation #1110971 by Scott
- Salut les mecs, comment ça va ?Hey guys, how's it going?
- Ce gars-là est vraiment génial.That guy is really great.
- 318 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Léa and Nathan are talking about a new colleague at work.
- LéaTu connais le nouveau mec ?Do you know the new guy?
- NathanNon, je ne connais pas ce mec.No, I don't know that guy.
- LéaIl a l'air très gentil, ce mec.That guy looks very kind.
- NathanD'accord, on verra bien.Okay, we'll see.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “guy” translations and entries mec, gars, type, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries gars, mec, type, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
