Level A2 (Upper Beginner)
Today’s lesson explains a fun and useful slang term for “kid” or “child”—gamin (or gamine for feminine). This is a word you’d primarily hear in spoken French.
Meaning
Pronunciation with IPA
Example sentences for conversation
Meaning
The French term gamin (masculine) or gamine (feminine) is an informal, slang word meaning “kid” or “child.” It somewhat equates to “kid” in English versus the more formal “child” (enfant).
Pronunciation
Gamin, gamine /gam.ɛ̃/ and /gam.in/
Example sentences
This first sentence uses the adjective bruyant (noisy), which is related to le bruit (noise).
J’aime bien jouer avec les gamins mais ils sont un peu bruyants !
I like to play with the kids but they’re a bit noisy!
For this second sentence, sois (be!) is the imperative mood of être (to be).
Sois gentille avec Christine ! C’est une gamine !
Be nice to Christine ! She’s a child!
This final sentence uses un/une gosse, another slang term for child. Sale gosse, literally “dirty child”, means brat. Foutre le bordel, literally “to make the brothel” is a slang expression for “to make a mess”.
Marc est un sale gosse ! Il n’arrête pas de foutre le bordel dans cette maison !
Marc is a brat. He doesn’t stop making a mess in this house!
Related lessons
- Jouer – to play (Word of the Day)
- Enfant – kid, child
- Foutre (French slang verb)
References
- fr.wiktionary.org (gamin)
- WordReference (foutre le bordel)
