faire caca
/fɛʁ ka.ka/
To poop is faire caca in French.
faire caca is used to describe the act of passing solid waste from the body. It is a straightforward, common way to express this need, particularly in informal or childish contexts.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the verb faire (to do/make) and the noun caca (poop).
Which one should you use?
While faire caca is used by children or in casual settings, the term déféquer is the formal, medical term for the same action.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
faire caca is an informal phrase and is the standard way children express the need to defecate. For a more sophisticated way to say 'to relieve oneself', you can use Se soulager.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun caca is invariable in this phrase and does not take a plural form even if referring to multiple instances.
How do you pronounce it?
/fɛʁ ka.ka/
Did you know?
- While faire caca is the common term for children, French slang often uses the verb chier to express the same action in a vulgar or frustrated manner, often used as an exclamation of annoyance.
- While faire caca is the standard child's term, the word caca is a direct descendant of the Latin verb cacāre, meaning 'to defecate'.
- While 'faire caca' is the standard childish term, many French adults use the euphemism faire ses besoins, which literally translates to 'to do one's needs'.
Examples in context
- Maman, je veux faire caca.Mom, I have to poop.This sentence is useful for expressing the need to use the toilet using faire caca.Tatoeba #10580508 by lbdx, translation #10569272 by felidad
- Excusez-moi, je dois me soulagerExcuse me, I need to relieve myself
- Attends-moi, je vais faire cacaWait for me, I'm going to poop
- Le petit garçon veut faire caca.The little boy wants to poop.
- Est-ce que tu dois faire caca ?Do you need to poop?
Example conversation
Nathan is helping Léa get ready for a walk.
- NathanOn y va ? Tu es prête ?Shall we go? Are you ready?
- LéaAttends, je dois faire caca d'abord !Wait, I have to poop first!
- NathanD'accord, fais vite alors.Okay, be quick then.
- LéaJ'arrive tout de suite !I'll be right there!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry faire caca, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries caca, faire, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
