Learning how to say things in another language can be fun, especially when you want to know how to express yourself casually or express frustration. In French, like in English, there are words that you can use to show your emotions or reactions, and “shit” is one of them. While it’s often seen as a bad word, it’s useful in certain situations, especially when you’re talking with close friends or in more informal settings.
However, just like in English, it’s important to know when and where it’s appropriate to use this word. Understanding different ways to express frustration or surprise can help you sound more natural and confident when speaking French. In this article, we’ll explore how to say “shit” in French and other ways to express similar feelings in different contexts. You’ll also get a chance to practice using them!
Ways to say “shit” in French
In French, there are several ways to express the word “shit,” but it can vary depending on the situation and the level of formality. Some words are used more in casual conversations, while others might be a bit stronger. Here’s a list of different ways to say “shit” in French, along with their meanings and example sentences.
1. Merde (Pronunciation: mehrd)
Meaning: “Merde” is the most common and direct way to say “shit” in French. It’s used both to express frustration or surprise, but it can also mean something like “nonsense” or “rubbish” in some contexts.
In a Sentence:
- Ah, merde! J’ai oublié mon téléphone à la maison. (Ah, shit! I forgot my phone at home.)
- Cette situation est vraiment de la merde. (This situation is really shit.)
2. Putain (Pronunciation: poo-tan)
Meaning: “Putain” is a very strong word and is often used as an exclamation, similar to “damn” or “fuck” in English. It can be used to express frustration, surprise, or anger.
In a Sentence:
- Putain, pourquoi ça m’arrive toujours à moi? (Shit, why does this always happen to me?)
- Putain, il faut que je me dépêche! (Shit, I need to hurry!)
3. Crotte (Pronunciation: kroht)
Meaning: “Crotte” is a softer version of “merde” and literally means “poop” or “droppings.” It’s a more innocent way of saying “shit,” and it’s commonly used by kids or in situations where you want to avoid strong language.
In a Sentence:
- Oh non, j’ai marché dans une crotte! (Oh no, I stepped in some poop!)
- Ce film était une vraie crotte. (This movie was a real piece of crap.)
4. Chier (Pronunciation: shee-ay)
Meaning: “Chier” is the verb form of “merde” and translates to “to shit.” It’s often used to express annoyance or frustration, especially when something goes wrong.
In a Sentence:
- J’ai trop chié ce test! (I really fucked up that test!)
- Il faut que je chie, c’est urgent. (I need to shit, it’s urgent.)
5. Foutre (Pronunciation: footr)
Meaning: “Foutre” is another word that is considered a bit vulgar. It is often used with other words to form strong expressions like “foutre le camp” (get lost) or “foutre en l’air” (to mess something up). It can be used in place of “shit” in many cases.
In a Sentence:
- Tu te fous de moi, là ? (Are you shitting me?)
- J’ai foutu ma chance en l’air. (I messed up my chance.)
6. Fiche (Pronunciation: feesh)
Meaning: “Fiche” is a lighter way to say “shit” and is often used in expressions like “ficher le camp” (to leave). It’s less aggressive than other swear words but still carries a strong meaning in certain contexts.
In a Sentence:
- Fiche-moi la paix! (Shit, leave me alone!)
- Cette histoire est vraiment fichue. (This story is really messed up.)
7. Bordel (Pronunciation: bor-del)
Meaning: “Bordel” literally means “brothel,” but it’s often used as a strong exclamation, similar to “damn” or “shit” when things go wrong. It can also be used when you’re annoyed or frustrated with a messy situation.
In a Sentence:
- C’est le bordel ici! (It’s a damn mess here!)
- Qu’est-ce que c’est que ce bordel?! (What the hell is this shit?!)
8. Saloperie (Pronunciation: sa-loh-peh-ree)
Meaning: “Saloperie” refers to something that is dirty, nasty, or generally unpleasant. It’s a bit more formal but still a strong expression when you want to talk about something as bad or crap.
In a Sentence:
- Ce film est une saloperie. (This movie is crap.)
- Il a fait une vraie saloperie avec son projet. (He really messed up his project.)
9. Foutre le camp (Pronunciation: footr luh kahm)
Meaning: This expression is a more playful way of saying “get lost” or “go away” but can carry a sense of frustration or irritation. It’s not used as often as “merde” or “putain,” but it still expresses annoyance.
In a Sentence:
- On va foutre le camp d’ici! (Let’s get the hell out of here!)
- Tu ferais bien de foutre le camp. (You’d better get lost.)
10. Pipi (Pronunciation: pee-pee)
Meaning: “Pipi” is a childish way to say “pee” in French, but it can be used humorously or casually to refer to “shit” in a very lighthearted way. It’s much more innocent than any of the other expressions.
In a Sentence:
- J’ai besoin de faire pipi. (I need to pee.)
- Il a encore fait pipi dans son pantalon! (He wet his pants again!)
11. Truc de merde (Pronunciation: trook duh mehrd)
Meaning: This phrase translates to “piece of shit” or “crappy thing.” It’s often used to describe something that is worthless or badly done.
In a Sentence:
- Ce téléphone est vraiment un truc de merde. (This phone is really a piece of shit.)
- Ce travail est un truc de merde. (This work is a pile of crap.)
12. Déchet (Pronunciation: day-sheh)
Meaning: “Déchet” literally means “waste” or “garbage,” but it can be used to describe something that is low-quality or unpleasant, similar to calling something “shit” in English.
In a Sentence:
- Ce film est un vrai déchet. (This movie is real garbage.)
- Il a gâché tout ce travail, quel déchet. (He ruined all that work, what a waste.)
13. Caca (Pronunciation: kah-kah)
Meaning: “Caca” is a playful, childish term for “poop” or “shit.” It’s often used by younger people or in situations where you want to be more lighthearted.
In a Sentence:
- Oh non, j’ai touché du caca! (Oh no, I touched some poop!)
- Ce film était aussi excitant qu’un caca. (This movie was as exciting as poop.)
14. Galère (Pronunciation: gah-lehr)
Meaning: “Galère” means “hardship” or “trouble,” but it can be used in situations where you want to say something is annoying or troublesome, similar to saying something is “shit” in English.
In a Sentence:
- Ce projet est une galère. (This project is a pain in the ass.)
- C’est vraiment galère d’apprendre une nouvelle langue. (It’s really a struggle to learn a new language.)
15. Avoir du merdier (Pronunciation: ah-vwar dew mehr-dee-ay)
Meaning: This expression means “to be in a mess” or “to be in trouble,” and it can be used similarly to “shit happens” when something goes wrong.
In a Sentence:
- Il a vraiment du merdier avec son travail. (He really has a mess with his work.)
- J’ai du merdier avec mes devoirs. (I have trouble with my homework.)
16. Se faire chier (Pronunciation: suh fair shee-ay)
Meaning: This phrase translates to “to be bored” or “to be annoyed,” and it’s often used when something is a big inconvenience or hassle. It’s a casual and vulgar way to express frustration.
In a Sentence:
- Je me fais chier à cette réunion. (I’m so bored at this meeting.)
- Je me fais vraiment chier avec cette tâche. (I’m really annoyed with this task.)
17. Chiant (Pronunciation: shee-ahn)
Meaning: “Chiant” comes from the verb “chier” and is used to describe something that is annoying or frustrating, similar to calling something “shit” in English.
In a Sentence:
- Cette situation est vraiment chiante. (This situation is really annoying.)
- C’est chiant d’attendre si longtemps. (It’s such a pain to wait so long.)
18. Se foutre en l’air (Pronunciation: suh footr ahn lehr)
Meaning: This expression means to “ruin something” or “mess something up.” It’s similar to saying “I fucked it up” in English.
In a Sentence:
- Il a foutu son projet en l’air. (He messed up his project.)
- Elle a foutu sa chance en l’air. (She blew her chance.)
19. Bousiller (Pronunciation: boo-zee-ay)
Meaning: “Bousiller” means to destroy, wreck, or mess something up. It’s often used in casual speech to describe how something was ruined or made worse.
In a Sentence:
- J’ai bousillé mon téléphone. (I ruined my phone.)
- Il a bousillé toutes mes affaires. (He messed up all my things.)
20. Tirer une tronche (Pronunciation: teer oon troh-nsh)
Meaning: This phrase translates to “to make a face,” but it’s often used to describe a situation where you’re unhappy, frustrated, or upset, similar to saying “shit” when something is bad.
In a Sentence:
- Il a tiré une tronche quand il a vu la facture. (He made a face when he saw the bill.)
- Arrête de tirer une tronche, ce n’est pas si grave. (Stop making that face, it’s not that bad.)
21. Foutre la merde (Pronunciation: footr lah mehrd)
Meaning: This phrase literally translates to “to make a mess” or “to cause trouble,” and it’s used to describe situations where things are going badly or when someone causes chaos.
In a Sentence:
- Elle a foutu la merde dans l’équipe. (She caused trouble in the team.)
- Il ne faut pas foutre la merde maintenant. (Don’t cause a mess now.)
22. Une galette (Pronunciation: oon gah-let)
Meaning: “Une galette” can refer to something that’s bad or disappointing, similar to saying “shit” when something doesn’t go right.
In a Sentence:
- Cette décision est une galette. (This decision is a disaster.)
- Il a fait une galette avec son projet. (He made a mess of his project.)
23. Se foutre de la gueule de quelqu’un (Pronunciation: suh footr duh lah guhl duh kel-kun)
Meaning: This phrase means “to mock someone” or “to make fun of someone” in a very disrespectful way. It’s a vulgar expression that implies you’re treating someone badly, similar to saying someone is full of “shit.”
In a Sentence:
- Il se fout de ma gueule! (He’s mocking me!)
- Arrête de te foutre de ma gueule. (Stop making fun of me.)
24. Tirer à boulets rouges (Pronunciation: teer ah boo-lay roozh)
Meaning: This expression translates to “to fire with red bullets” and is used to describe a situation where someone is being extremely critical or harsh. It’s similar to saying “shit on someone” in English.
In a Sentence:
- Il a tiré à boulets rouges sur son collègue. (He really went after his colleague.)
- Elle a tiré à boulets rouges sur le projet. (She criticized the project harshly.)
25. Tout foutre en l’air (Pronunciation: too footr ahn lehr)
Meaning: This phrase means “to ruin everything” or “to mess everything up.” It’s often used when you’re talking about making a huge mistake or disaster.
In a Sentence:
- Il a tout foutu en l’air avec sa décision. (He ruined everything with his decision.)
- Elle a tout foutu en l’air en oubliant de préparer. (She messed everything up by forgetting to prepare.)
Other Ways to Say “Shit” in French
Below is a table with additional ways to express “shit” in French. These phrases vary in strength and context, so they can be useful depending on how you want to sound—whether casual, annoyed, or a little more playful.
| Other Ways to Say | Pronunciation | Meaning | Example Sentences |
| Merde alors | mehrd ah-lohr | “Shit then” or “Damn it” – expression of surprise or frustration. | Merde alors, j’ai encore perdu mes clés ! (Damn it, I lost my keys again!) |
| Foutre en l’air | footr ahn lehr | “Mess up” or “ruin something” – to make a mess of something. | Il a foutu en l’air toute la préparation. (He messed up all the preparation.) |
| Casser les couilles | kah-sey lay kwee-yuh | “Break someone’s balls” – used to describe an annoying situation. | Cette réunion me casse les couilles. (This meeting is really annoying.) |
| Bordel de merde | bor-del duh mehrd | “Shit mess” – used to describe a chaotic or frustrating situation. | C’est un bordel de merde ici ! (It’s a shitshow here!) |
| Avoir du plomb dans l’aile | ah-vwar doo plohm dahn layl | “To have lead in the wing” – similar to saying something is doomed or messed up. | Son projet a du plomb dans l’aile. (His project is doomed.) |
| Une saloperie | oon sah-loh-pree | “A nasty thing” – used to describe something bad or unpleasant. | Ce film est une saloperie. (This movie is crap.) |
| Se foutre dans la merde | suh footr dahn lah mehrd | “Get oneself into shit” – to get into trouble or a bad situation. | Il s’est foutu dans la merde en mentant. (He got himself into trouble by lying.) |
| Faire chier | fair shee-ay | “To piss off” – used to describe a situation that is irritating. | Ce travail me fait chier. (This work pisses me off.) |
| Chier dans son froc | shee-ay dahn sohn frohk | “Shit in one’s pants” – to be scared or terrified. | Il a chié dans son froc pendant l’examen. (He shit his pants during the exam.) |
| C’est de la merde | say duh lah mehrd | “It’s shit” – used to express that something is bad or disappointing. | Ce film, c’est de la merde. (This movie is crap.) |
| Petite merde | puh-teet mehrd | “Little shit” – a light insult, often used jokingly. | Arrête de faire la petite merde. (Stop acting like a little shit.) |
| Une merde sur le pied | oon mehrd soor luh pyeh | “A shit on the foot” – something bad or unlucky happening to you. | J’ai une merde sur le pied, c’est une mauvaise journée. (I’ve got a shit on my foot, it’s a bad day.) |
| Se foutre en rogne | suh footr ahn rawn-yuh | “Get angry” – to get really upset or frustrated. | Il s’est foutu en rogne après l’erreur. (He got really angry after the mistake.) |
| Faire une grosse merde | fair oon grohss mehrd | “Make a big shit” – to make a big mistake or mess. | Elle a fait une grosse merde en oubliant le rendez-vous. (She made a big mess by forgetting the meeting.) |
| Foutre de la merde | footr duh lah mehrd | “Cause trouble” – to cause issues or chaos. | Arrête de foutre de la merde dans la cuisine. (Stop causing trouble in the kitchen.) |
Response to “Shit” in French
When someone says “shit” in French, it’s common to respond with phrases that show sympathy, surprise, or agreement, depending on the situation. Here are some typical responses to “merde” or similar expressions in French, which will help you participate naturally in conversations when things go wrong or when you’re reacting to someone’s frustration.
1. Tant pis
Meaning: “Tant pis” is a response that means “too bad” or “oh well,” typically used when you want to acknowledge something went wrong but don’t feel it’s a big deal.
In a Sentence:
- Merde, je n’ai pas assez d’argent pour le ticket. (Shit, I don’t have enough money for the ticket.)
- Tant pis, on trouvera une solution. (Oh well, we’ll find a solution.)
2. Ça arrive
Meaning: “Ça arrive” translates to “it happens” and is a casual way to tell someone that mistakes or bad things are part of life.
In a Sentence:
- Merde, j’ai raté mon train! (Shit, I missed my train!)
- Ça arrive, ce n’est pas la fin du monde. (It happens, it’s not the end of the world.)
3. C’est pas grave
Meaning: “C’est pas grave” means “it’s not serious” or “it’s no big deal.” This is often said to calm someone down or help them feel less upset about a situation.
In a Sentence:
- Merde, j’ai encore oublié mes clés. (Shit, I forgot my keys again.)
- C’est pas grave, tu peux les retrouver. (It’s not serious, you can find them.)
4. Oh là là
Meaning: “Oh là là” is a French exclamation used to show surprise or disbelief, similar to “Oh my gosh” or “Wow” in English. It can be used in response to a frustrating or surprising situation.
In a Sentence:
- Merde, elle a encore cassé l’ordinateur! (Shit, she broke the computer again!)
- Oh là là, c’est vraiment pas de chance. (Wow, that’s really unlucky.)
5. Qu’est-ce qui se passe?
Meaning: “Qu’est-ce qui se passe?” translates to “What’s going on?” and is often used when you want to know what caused the frustration or bad situation.
In a Sentence:
- Merde, j’ai encore perdu mes documents. (Shit, I lost my documents again.)
- Qu’est-ce qui se passe? Pourquoi tu as l’air en colère? (What’s going on? Why do you look angry?)
6. C’est de la merde
Meaning: “C’est de la merde” literally means “it’s shit,” and it’s a way of agreeing with someone that the situation is indeed bad or messed up.
In a Sentence:
- Merde, ce travail est horrible. (Shit, this work is terrible.)
- C’est de la merde, je ne peux plus le supporter. (It’s crap, I can’t stand it anymore.)
7. Merde alors!
Meaning: “Merde alors!” is a stronger expression of surprise or frustration, similar to saying “Damn it!” in English.
In a Sentence:
- Merde alors, tu n’as pas réparé la voiture! (Shit, you didn’t fix the car!)
- Merde alors, pourquoi tout va mal aujourd’hui ? (Damn it, why is everything going wrong today?)
8. Ce n’est pas possible!
Meaning: “Ce n’est pas possible!” translates to “This is impossible!” and is used when something seems too bad or too difficult to accept.
In a Sentence:
- Merde, il m’a encore annulé notre rendez-vous! (Shit, he canceled our meeting again!)
- Ce n’est pas possible, il fait toujours ça! (This is impossible, he always does this!)
9. Pas de chance
Meaning: “Pas de chance” means “no luck” and is used when something unfortunate happens. It’s similar to saying “bad luck” in English.
In a Sentence:
- Merde, j’ai cassé mon téléphone. (Shit, I broke my phone.)
- Pas de chance, ça arrive à tout le monde. (Bad luck, it happens to everyone.)
10. Tant mieux
Meaning: “Tant mieux” translates to “good for you” or “that’s good” and is often used in a more positive response when someone else’s situation has improved, even if you are dealing with frustration.
In a Sentence:
- Merde, tu as trouvé une solution? (Shit, did you find a solution?)
- Tant mieux, tout va bien alors. (Good for you, everything is fine now.)
11. C’est dommage
Meaning: “C’est dommage” means “it’s a shame” and is used when something unfortunate or disappointing happens.
In a Sentence:
- Merde, le concert a été annulé. (Shit, the concert was canceled.)
- C’est dommage, j’étais tellement impatient. (It’s a shame, I was really looking forward to it.)
12. Rien de grave
Meaning: “Rien de grave” translates to “nothing serious” and is used to tell someone not to worry about something that has happened.
In a Sentence:
- Merde, je n’ai plus de batterie sur mon téléphone! (Shit, my phone’s battery is dead!)
- Rien de grave, tu peux toujours utiliser mon chargeur. (Nothing serious, you can still use my charger.)
13. Tu parles!
Meaning: “Tu parles!” literally means “you talk!” and is often used sarcastically when someone is complaining about something that seems trivial.
In a Sentence:
- Merde, je n’ai pas de place pour me garer! (Shit, there’s no parking space!)
- Tu parles! Moi, j’ai dû tourner pendant 20 minutes! (You talk! I had to drive around for 20 minutes!)
14. Ouais, c’est chiant
Meaning: “Ouais, c’est chiant” translates to “Yeah, that’s annoying” and is a casual way to show understanding or agreement when someone is frustrated.
In a Sentence:
- Merde, encore une réunion de dernière minute! (Shit, another last-minute meeting!)
- Ouais, c’est chiant, mais il faut y aller. (Yeah, it’s annoying, but we have to go.)
15. Tant pis pour toi
Meaning: “Tant pis pour toi” means “too bad for you” and is used when you’re expressing that the person deserves the consequences of their actions.
In a Sentence:
- Merde, j’ai perdu mon ticket de métro. (Shit, I lost my metro ticket.)
- Tant pis pour toi, tu aurais dû être plus prudent. (Too bad for you, you should have been more careful.)
Exercise to Practice “Shit” in French
Here are 12 fill-in-the-blank sentences for you to practice using the different ways to say “shit” in French. After each exercise, I’ve provided the answers with the meanings in English to help you understand the context better.
Fill-in-the-Blanks:
- __________ ! J’ai encore oublié mes clés à la maison.
(Shit! I forgot my keys at home again.) - __________ ! Je n’arrive jamais à finir mes devoirs à temps.
(Damn it! I never finish my homework on time.) - Il a fait une __________ avec son projet, tout est foutu.
(He made a mess of his project, everything is ruined.) - __________ ! Il a encore annulé notre rendez-vous à la dernière minute.
(Shit! He canceled our meeting again at the last minute.) - C’est __________, j’ai cassé mon téléphone dans la rue.
(It’s crap, I broke my phone on the street.) - __________ ! Je n’avais même pas vu ce mail important.
(Damn it! I didn’t even see that important email.) - Cette situation est une vraie __________, je ne sais pas comment on va s’en sortir.
(This situation is really crap, I don’t know how we’re going to get out of it.) - __________ ! Tu n’as pas vu ce film, il est horrible !
(Shit! You haven’t seen that movie, it’s horrible!) - __________ ! Mon café a encore renversé sur mon ordinateur.
(Shit! My coffee spilled again on my computer.) - Ce film était une __________, je ne recommande pas de le regarder.
(This movie was crap, I don’t recommend watching it.) - __________ ! Pourquoi tout va mal aujourd’hui ?
(Damn it! Why is everything going wrong today?) - Il a __________ son travail, tout est devenu un gros problème.
(He ruined his work, everything became a big problem.)
Answers and Meanings:
- Merde
(Shit! I forgot my keys at home again.) - Putain
(Damn it! I never finish my homework on time.) - Merde
(He made a mess of his project, everything is ruined.) - Putain
(Shit! He canceled our meeting again at the last minute.) - De la merde
(It’s crap, I broke my phone on the street.) - Merde
(Damn it! I didn’t even see that important email.) - Crotte
(This situation is really crap, I don’t know how we’re going to get out of it.) - Merde
(Shit! You haven’t seen that movie, it’s horrible!) - Merde
(Shit! My coffee spilled again on my computer.) - Saloperie
(This movie was crap, I don’t recommend watching it.) - Putain
(Damn it! Why is everything going wrong today?) - Foutre
(He ruined his work, everything became a big problem.)
Conclusion
Learning how to express frustration or surprise in French using words like “shit” can help you sound more natural and confident in everyday conversations. Whether you use the mild “crotte” or the stronger “putain,” each expression has its own place and can be used depending on the situation and your relationship with the people around you. It’s important to remember that these words can be considered rude or informal, so use them with caution in more formal settings or with people you don’t know well.
With the variety of ways to say “shit” in French, you now have the tools to express yourself more fully, whether you’re dealing with a minor inconvenience or a major problem. By practicing these phrases and responses, you can better navigate casual French conversations and connect with others in a more authentic way. Keep practicing, and soon you’ll be using these expressions as naturally as a native speaker!