Chier – Not Always To Poop

Often times when growing up in America, one is told to not have a potty mouth. We are discouraged from talking about all manner of bodily functions.

In France, there is no such thing as a potty mouth, and if there were, every French person would have one.

They take toilet related talk to the next level by using it nonchalantly in everyday speech.

Instead of saying, “this person or this object annoys me, ”

(Which could be said in accurate French as follows:
Cette personne ou cet objet m’embête)

They say, “ça me fait chier!”

Which literally translates into, “it makes me poop!”

Can you imagine saying this in English? “Jeez, I really can’t deal with so-and-so today. She makes me poop.”

And this isn’t the only situation where poop comes into play.

• Instead of saying, “I am so frustrated by this situation/object,”
  (Je suis frustré à cause de celle-ci, celle-là OR Celle-ci, celle-là m’ennerve)
  They say, “ça me fait chier!”
  “I can’t get the computer to work! It makes me poop!”


• Instead of saying, “that really sucks/that’s a disappointment/that’s a bummer/etc,”
  (Quel dommage!)
  They say, “oh, ça fait chier…”
  Which, as it's missing the me becomes a more general sentiment,
  "Oh, it makes poop that you got a parking ticket."


• Instead of saying, “this person is annoying,”
  (il/elle est embêtant/e)
  They say, “il/elle est chiant/e.”
  Which could translate to, “he/she makes me want to poop.”
  "God, Sandra makes me want to poop. She's always talking with her mouth full."


• Instead of saying, “darn/drat!”
  (zut OR mince!)
  They say, “fait chier!”
  Which is slightly different from ça me fait chier, and translates better as “make poop!”
  "Oh, make poop! I forgot my car keys."

And if you'd like to be a little stronger in your word choice, just add France's favorite: putain.

"Putain, fait chier! J'ai oublié mes clés de voiture."