Useful French words and phrases

accord de non-divulgation— nondisclosure agreement.

appartement—a grand apartment.

absolument—absolutely.

atelier—studio.

allo—hello (used only for answering the telephone).

alors—so, then.

bal—ball.

bandante—hot (literally, “making something bend”).

bon—good.

ça va?—How’s it going?

carte couteau—a knife that folds inside a credit card, extremely sharp but short.

carte d’identification/d’indentité—the identification card all French residents carry.

Çe n’est rien, madame. Mon amie a mangé un mauvaise huître—It’s nothing, ma’am. My friend ate a bad oyster.

c’est bon—that’s good.

chef—chief, head of department.

chef modéliste—head pattern cutter.

chevalier—a knight or member of a French order such as the Legion of Honor.

clochard—homeless person.

Coke Light—the European equivalent of Diet Coke.

commérage—gossip.

commerçant—merchant.

compagnon—life partner.

compétence—area of responsibility (in this case, geographical area).

couturier—fashion designer.

croquis—fashion sketch.

culotté—bold.

d’acc—okay; short for d’accord.

d’accord—okay.

de rien—it’s nothing.

défilé de mode—fashion show; défilé for short.

désintoxification/désintox—rehab.

drogué—drug addict, druggie.

élégant—dashing.

emmerdeur—trouble-maker (literally, shit-stirrer).

et aussi—and also.

fils de pute—son of a whore.

flic—policeman.

flou—a fashion workshop in which light fabrics are sewn.

galant—charming.

garçon de table—waiter.

gérante—manager.

giton—slang for a freeloader supported by a more mature gay man.

grande investigatrice—great investigatrix.

guillemets—the pointed quotation marks used by the French: “ ».

hein—eh?

indemnité de licenciement—redundancy payment.

je vous en prie—you’re welcome.

juge d’instruction—examining magistrate, who determines whether there is a case worth prosecuting.

les detectives privés pour les nuls—private detection for dummies.

louche—sleazy, seedy.

maison—a fashion house.

maison particulier—a grand townhouse.

mannequin—model.

maquisard—resistance fighter (the plural is maquis).

maquillage—makeup.

marque—brand.

mise en scène—smokescreen.

morceau—piece.

ne touche pas—don’t touch.

partenaire sentimentale—romantic partner.

pathologiste—forensic pathologist.

pommes frites—French fries.

portable—cell phone.

poulet roti—roast chicken.

poussette—stroller, push chair.

pressing—dry cleaner.

recherche google—Google search.

remerciements—acknowledgments.

rusé—sly.

salope—bitch.

séjour—living room.

s’il vous plait—please.

toile—an early version of a finished garment that can still be altered and tweaked.

une moule serrée—literally means “a tight mussel.”

vraiment?—really?