What does it mean word for word?
The phrase je vais aux toilettes literally translates to "I go to the toilets" (plural).
Which one should you use?
Je vais faire pipi is a friendly way to express the need to go to the toilet informally, whereas Je vais pisser is a phrase used among friends and peers to say "I go to pee". For a much more colloquial or slang approach, one can say Je vais aux chiottes, where chiottes is a slang word for toilets.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
In formal social settings, it is more polite to say you must excuse yourself rather than explicitly mentioning the toilet, using the phrase Je dois m'absenter un instant (I must excuse myself for a moment). In contrast, Je vais pisser is used among friends and peers and Je vais faire pipi is a friendly way to express the need to go to the toilet informally.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Quebec, you may hear the phrase Je m'en vais aux toilettes to mean "I'm going to the toilet".
How does it change in a sentence?
The word toilettes is almost always used in the plural form when referring to the restroom.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using the singular form le toilette to mean the toilet, as English speakers often mistakenly use this instead of the standard plural les toilettes.
Did you know?
- The English word 'toilet' actually shares a distant ancestor with the French toilettes, as both relate to the concept of 'fabric' or 'cloth'. Historically, 'toilette' referred to the cloths used to spread across a dressing table.
- In France, you will often see signs for WC, which stands for 'Water Closet', and using this English abbreviation is a common way to locate the restroom.
- While les toilettes refers to the room, the actual toilet bowl is called le WC or la cuvette, meaning 'the basin'.
Examples in context
- Attends-moi, je vais pisser.Wait for me, I'm going to pee.
- Excusez-moi, je vais aux toilettes.Excuse me, I am going to the toilet.
- Attends-moi, je vais aux toilettes.Wait for me, I am going to the toilet.
- Je vais aux toilettes, je reviens tout de suite.I am going to the toilet, I will be right back.
Example conversation
At a restaurant during a meal.
- NathanManon, je vais aux toilettes.Manon, I am going to the toilet.
- ManonD'accord, je t'attends à table.Okay, I will wait for you at the table.
- NathanTu veux quelque chose avant que je parte ?Do you want anything before I go?
- ManonNon merci, à tout de suite.No thanks, see you in a bit.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries aux, je, vais, CC BY-SA 4.0.
