poucave
To snitch in French is to poucave.
The term refers to the act of informing on someone. While poucave is used as a way to describe a snitch, you can also use other words depending on the context. Related nouns for someone who betrays their group include balance, délateur and informateur, while voleur or voleuse can be used if the person is specifically a thief.
Meaning: inform on (verb)
Which one should you use?
The choice of word depends heavily on the setting. Poucave is slang, whereas délateur is a formal or literary term for an informant or denouncer. If you want to use a word that is the closest everyday equivalent to the English "snitch", you might use the informal term mouchard(e) or even the informal cafard(e), which literally means "cockroach". In formal or legal contexts, dénonciateur(euse) is used to describe someone reporting wrongdoings.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Poucave is slang (argot) and is not appropriate for formal settings. For formal or legal contexts, use dénonciateur(euse) or délateur(euse). For everyday informal language, mouchard(e) or cafard(e) are common.
Related words
Did you know?
- The slang term poucave is actually a loanword from Romani, the language of the Roma people, rather than being of French origin.
- In French, the word mouchard for a snitch comes from mouche, which means 'fly', implying the person is a pest that follows others around.
- In French, the word délateur carries a heavy historical weight, often associated with political denunciations during wartime or regimes.
Examples in context
- Je ne suis pas une poucave.I'm not a snitch.This sentence is useful for denying that one is a poucave.Tatoeba #14038021 by Myrano_, translation #1989646 by Spamster
- Tu devrais en informer la direction. Ne sois pas un dénonciateur, fais simplement ce qui est juste.You should report it to management. Don't be a snitch, just do what's right.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about a mistake they made at school.
- GabrielLe prof a vu que le vase était cassé.The teacher saw that the vase was broken.
- ChloéS'il te plaît, ne me poucave pas, Gabriel.Please don't snitch on me, Gabriel.
- GabrielJe ne dirai rien, ne t'inquiète pas.I won't say anything, don't worry.
- ChloéMerci, Chloé apprécie ton silence.Thanks, Chloé appreciates your silence.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries poucave, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
