Registers: familier, courant, soutenu
bagnole / voiture / automobile
At C2, it isn't enough to be correct: you need to sound right for the situation. French distinguishes three main registers.
| familier | courant | soutenu |
|---|---|---|
| une bagnole | une voiture | une automobile |
| bosser | travailler | œuvrer |
| un mec | un homme | un individu, un monsieur |
| se casser | partir | s'en aller, prendre congé |
| piger | comprendre | saisir |
| c'est relou | c'est pénible | c'est fâcheux |
Signs of the familiar register
Dropping ne (je sais pas), on for nous, ça for cela, t'es for tu es, questions by intonation (tu viens ?), and slang.
- J'ai pas capté ce qu'il a dit.I didn't get what he said. (familier)
Verlan
Slang formed by reversing syllables: louche → chelou, lourd → relou, femme → meuf, fou → ouf, énervé → vénère.
- C'est ouf !It's crazy!
Signs of the formal register
Inversion in questions (Viendrez-vous ?), the full negation, nous rather than on, subjunctives, and formal vocabulary: demeurer, s'enquérir, nonobstant, en sus, afin que.
- Je vous saurais gré de bien vouloir me répondre.I would be grateful if you would reply. (very formal)
Mixing registers sounds odd: slang in a cover letter, or literary French with friends.
Related: Advanced idioms.
Practice
- Which is the familiar (slang) word for « voiture » ?Options: bagnole · véhicule · automobile
Show the answer
bagnole
- « Je me casse » in standard French:Options: Je pars · Je me blesse · Je me fâche
Show the answer
Je pars
- Verlan: « relou » =Options: lourd (annoying) · loup · roulé
Show the answer
lourd (annoying)
- « Ça me saoule » means…Options: It's getting on my nerves · I'm drunk · I'm full
Show the answer
It's getting on my nerves
In the app, this lesson is taught one idea at a time with the examples read aloud, followed by questions that explain the rule when you get one wrong. It then comes back for review on later days until you've mastered it.