15 French Expressions to Sound Like a Native Speaker

Feb 15 / Eléonore Martin
Learning French is one thing, but sounding like a native? That’s a whole different game! If you want to blend in seamlessly with native speakers, using the right expressions is key. 

Here are 15 essential French phrases that will instantly make you sound more natural and fluent.

1. Ça roule ?

How's it going?
Literally, ça roule means “it rolls”, like a wheel smoothly moving forward. It’s a casual way to ask someone if everything is going well—think of it as the French equivalent of “Everything running smoothly?” or “All good?”
  • Ça roule ? — Oui, tranquille !
  • How’s it going? – Yeah, all good!
Want to sound even cooler? Try answering with “Ça roule ma poule ?” (literally, “It rolls, my hen?”), a playful old-school response that’s totally unnecessary but gets a chuckle.

2. C'est pas grave !

No big deal!
A relaxed way to say “It’s fine” or “No worries”—a go-to phrase for reassuring someone.
 “Pas grave” literally means “not serious”, and it’s used in casual conversations to brush things off.
  • Désolé, je suis en retard. — C’est pas grave !
  • Sorry, I’m late. – No big deal!

3. J'ai la flemme !

I don't feel like it!
Pronounced /flem/. Perfect for those lazy moments when you just can’t be bothered. A very French way to justify procrastination!
  • Tu viens courir avec moi ? — Ah non, j’ai la flemme…
  • Are you coming for a run?— No, I really don’t feel like it…

4. C’est ouf !

That’s crazy!
“Ouf” is “fou” (crazy) in verlan, a type of French slang where syllables are inverted. It’s the go-to word when something is mind-blowing!
  • T’as vu le match hier ? — C’était ouf !
  • Did you see the game yesterday? — It was insane!

5. Ça me soûle !

That's so annoying!
A super common way to express frustration when something really gets on your nerves. It’s the equivalent of saying “Ugh, I can’t stand this!” or “This sucks!”
 Originally, “soûler” meant “to get drunk”, but over time, it evolved to mean “to be fed up”—probably because dealing with annoying things can feel just as exhausting as a bad hangover!
  • Il y a encore une grève de métro… — Pff, ça me soûle !
  • There’s another metro strike… — Ugh, that’s annoying!

6. Laisse tomber !

Forget it!
A super casual way to drop a subject when it’s not worth discussing further. It can be neutral or slightly dismissive, depending on tone.
 Literally means “let it fall”—implying you should just drop it and move on! It has been used informally in spoken French for decades.
  • Je voulais t’expliquer, mais… laisse tomber. — Ok, comme tu veux !
  • I wanted to explain, but… forget it. — Okay, as you wish.

7. Ça te dit ?

Sound good?
A friendly way to suggest plans or check if someone is interested in doing something. Similar to “How about it?”
 Literally, “Does that speak to you?”—a poetic way of asking if an idea appeals to someone.
  • On va boire un verre ce soir, ça te dit ? — Oui, avec plaisir !
  • We’re grabbing a drink tonight, you in? — Yes, I’d love to!

8. T'inquiète !

Don't worry!
Short for “Ne t’inquiète pas”, this phrase is a laid-back way to reassure someone. Equivalent to “No worries” in English.
  • J’espère que tout ira bien. — T’inquiète, ça va le faire !
  • I hope everything goes well. — Don’t worry, it’ll work out!

9. J'avoue

True, I agree
A modern way to agree with someone casually. It’s like saying “I admit it” or “You’re right”, but in a slangy, quick way.
 Avouer means “to confess”, so J’avoue originally meant “I admit it” before evolving into a casual agreement phrase.
  • Ce film était trop bien. — J’avoue !
  • That movie was so good. — True!

10. Il fait un froid de canard !

It’s freezing cold!
A fun, dramatic way to say it’s super cold outside. Equivalent to “It’s freezing!”
 Literally, “duck’s cold”—originating from hunting slang, where cold weather made ducks easier to catch.
  • Mets une écharpe, il fait un froid de canard dehors !
  • Wear a scarf, it’s freezing outside!

11. Avoir un coup de foudre

Love at first sight
Literally “to have a lightning strike”, this phrase is used for instant, intense love—the rom-com kind!
  • Quand je l’ai vu, j’ai eu un coup de foudre.
  • When I saw him, it was love at first sight.”

12. Faire la grasse matinée

To sleep in
Used to describe a lazy morning where you stay in bed longer than usual.
 Literally “to do the fat morning”—probably referring to the luxury of resting and indulging in extra sleep.
  • Demain, je fais la grasse matinée ! — Profite bien !
  • Tomorrow, I’m sleeping in! — Enjoy it!
Want to sound even cooler? Shorten “matinée” to “mat’” and say “faire la grasse mat’”! It’s what native speakers do!

13. Avoir le cafard

To feel down
A poetic way to say you’re feeling blue or sad.
 Literally “to have the cockroach”—coined by poet Charles Baudelaire in the 19th century. The image of a bug crawling in your mind symbolizes lingering sadness.
  • Depuis qu’elle est partie, j’ai le cafard… — Oh non, courage !
  • Since she left, I’ve been feeling down… — Oh no, hang in there!

14. Être au taquet

To be at full speed
Means being fully motivated, working at 100% effort—like “firing on all cylinders” in English.
 “Taquet” originally referred to a wooden block that kept horses from moving—so being “au taquet” meant ready to bolt forward at any moment!
  • Je suis au taquet pour mon examen demain ! — Allez, tu vas cartonner !
  • I’m super ready for my exam tomorrow! — Go for it, you’re going to crush it!

15. Avoir la pêche

To have lots of energy
Used to say you’re feeling great and full of energy—like “I’m pumped” or “I’m feeling on top of the world” in English.
 Why a peach (pêche)? No one knows for sure, but it could be because a juicy, ripe peach is full of life—just like you when you’re feeling great! There’s also avoir la patate (literally, “to have the potato”) which means the same thing, because… potatoes are full of energy?

Ready to Speak Like a Native?

Mastering these 15 expressions is just the beginning! The best way to truly absorb French slang is through immersive learning—hearing and using it in context.

At 6pm in Paris, we make language learning more than just memorization.
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