Which one should you use?
While tu pues des pieds is a common way to express this, other forms exist depending on the level of politeness or the specific nuance desired. For instance, Tes pieds sentent mauvais is a common informal way to say 'Your feet smell bad', while T'as les pieds qui puent is an even more casual way to say 'You have smelly feet'. In more formal settings, one might use Vos pieds sentent mauvais or the even more indirect Vos pieds ont une odeur désagréable.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
If you are speaking to someone formally or to a group of people, you should use vous puez des pieds. Other formal options include Vos pieds sentent mauvais and Vos pieds ont une odeur désagréable. For casual conversation, you can use Tes pieds sentent mauvais or the descriptive construction tu as les pieds qui puent.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using the formal vous or addressing multiple people, the verb form changes from pues to puez (e.g., vous puez des pieds).
Did you know?
- The verb puer is frequently used as a slang synonym for something that is 'dodgy' or 'shady' in a criminal or dishonest sense.
- In very casual spoken French, the u in tu is often dropped and blended with the following word, turning tu pues into t'pues.
- The pronoun tu shares a common ancestor with the German word du and the Russian word ты, all tracing back to a Proto-Indo-European root.
Examples in context
- Excusez-moi, mais je pense que vos pieds sentent mauvais.Excuse me, but I think your feet smell bad.
- Je voulais vous informer que vos pieds ont une odeur désagréable.I wanted to inform you that your feet have an unpleasant smell.
- Hé, tu sais quoi ? Tes pieds sentent mauvais.Hey, you know what? Your feet smell bad.
- J'dois te dire, t'as les pieds qui puent aujourd'hui.I gotta tell you, you have smelly feet today.
- Franchement, tu pues des pieds.Honestly, your feet smell.
- Enlève tes chaussures, tu pues des pieds !Take off your shoes, your feet smell!
- Je ne peux pas rester, tu pues des pieds.I can't stay, your feet smell.
Example conversation
A teenager's bedroom where a brother is sitting near his sister.
- ManonNathan, sors de ma chambre.Nathan, get out of my room.
- NathanPourquoi tu es si énervée ?Why are you so annoyed?
- ManonParce que tu pues des pieds !Because your feet smell!
- NathanC'est pas vrai, Manon.That's not true, Manon.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries des, tu, CC BY-SA 4.0.
