vomir
/vɔ.miʁ/
To puke in French is vomir. Wiktionary also lists gerber and dégueuler.
Meaning: to vomit (verb)
Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| vomir | /vɔ.miʁ/ | |
| gerber | /ʒɛʁ.be/ | |
| dégueuler | /de.ɡœ.le/ | |
| dégobiller | /de.ɡɔ.bi.je/ | |
| caller l'orignal | Quebec |
In formal contexts, one might use the more elaborate expression Évacuer le contenu de l'estomac. To emphasize the act of vomiting, the informal expression Vomir ses tripes (to vomit one's guts) can be used.
Which one should you use?
Vomir is the standard, neutral or medical term. In contrast, dégueuler is a vulgar or highly informal slang term used to mean 'to puke' or 'to spew'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Vomir is the standard neutral term. Dégobiller and gerber are also used to mean puke. Dégueuler is considered slang and is highly informal or vulgar.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Quebec, the colorful idiom caller l'orignal is used to describe the act of vomiting.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun used for the substance that has been vomited is vomi.
How do you pronounce it?
/vɔ.miʁ/
Did you know?
- In Quebec, the phrase caller l'orignal literally translates to 'calling the moose'.
- The slang term gerber actually comes from the word for a 'sheaf' of grain. It originally meant to throw or heap something together, like a bundle of wheat.
- The vulgar term dégueuler contains the word gueule, which refers to the mouth of an animal rather than a human. Using it for humans is quite crude.
Examples in context
- Je crois que je vais gerber.I think I'm going to puke.This sentence is useful for expressing the feeling that you are about to puke using gerber.Tatoeba #11803409 by lbdx, translation #4907368 by DarkHollow
- Ce chat me donne envie de gerber.This cat makes me want to puke.This sentence is useful for saying something makes you want to puke using gerber.Tatoeba #10495580 by pkill, translation #12537742 by Th0th
- Je me sens très malade. J'ai envie de vomir.I feel really sick. I want to puke.This sentence is useful for stating a desire to puke when feeling sick using vomir.Tatoeba #3451936 by Scorpionvenin14, translation #12487454 by menaud
- J'ai trop mangé, j'ai gerbé toute la nuit.I ate too much and puked all night.
- Ne regarde pas, je vais dégueuler.Don't look, I'm gonna puke.
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Léa and Gabriel are at a party after eating something strange.
- LéaGabriel, je pense que je vais vomir.Gabriel, I think I'm going to puke.
- GabrielOh non, va vite aux toilettes !Oh no, go to the bathroom quickly!
- LéaJe me sens vraiment mal.I feel really sick.
- GabrielC'est sûrement à cause du poisson.It's probably because of the fish.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “puke” translations and entries vomir, gerber, dégueuler, dégobiller, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries dégobiller, dégueuler, gerber, vomir, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
