There’s a notable difference between spoken and written language in English and French.
We often shorten words in speech for convenience, like saying “Hang on a sec” instead of “a second” in English.
Similarly, in French, word abbreviations enhance spoken fluency when learned.
C’est parti!
Index:
1 – Four shortened words
2 – Everyday French abbreviations
3 – Guess the shortened version
4 – Real French conversation
5 – Quiz
1) Four shortened words
French people often cut the end of common words so we can speak faster.
English-speaking people do the same thing with words and expressions: “ads” (= advertisement), “pics” (= pictures), “macncheese” (= macaroni and cheese). Like in English, you need to get a feel for these abbreviations – so you don’t get caught off guard when they’re used in natural, fast-spoken conversation!
1 – Resto
Un resto (informal) = un restaurant (formal) = a restaurant.
2 – Petit-dèj
Un petit-dèj = un p’tit-dèj (informal) = un petit-déjeuner (formal) = a breakfast (or literally, “small lunch”).
We often cut the “uh” sound in a word, so “petit” often sounds like “p’tit”.
Click here to learn more:
– Essentials of Spoken French – Cutting the “e”
– Essentials of Spoken French – Cutting words
3 – Ordi
Un ordi (informal) = un ordinateur (formal) = a computer.
Le truc en plus: Don’t try to guess your translation for “computer” because “con” and “pute” are both insulting swear words, beware of embarrassing mistakes!
4 – Aprem
L’aprem (informal) = l’après-midi (formal) = the afternoon, literally.
Après-midi is one of the few French words that can have both genders: you can say un après-midi (un aprem) or une après-midi (une aprem). Both are correct.
So: resto, petit-dej, ordi, aprem. Did you know what each of these words stands for? Anyway, I won’t give you a simple list of dry examples. Let’s take a look now at some real everyday French sentences.
2) Everyday French abbreviations
Shortened words are often used in everyday spoken French, so you need to learn them – or at least to be able to guess what they mean in context.
For instance, what do these sentences mean? Try to guess if you don’t know.
- Ça te dit d’aller au ciné ce soir ? = Are you up for going to the ciné tonight?
- J’ai acheté une veste d’occas’ dans une friperie. = I bought a jacket d’occas’ in a thrift store.
- Romain fait une fête dans son nouvel appart. = Romain is throwing a party in his new appart.
- Ah, ça me rappelle quand j’étais ado ! = Oh, that reminds me of when I was ado.
Did you understand them all? So the shortened words here are:
- Le ciné = le cinéma = cinema, the movies.
- D’occas’ = d’occasion = [“s” sounds like “z”] = second-hand, we sometimes also say de seconde main.
- Un appart = un appartement = an apartment, a flat.
- Un(e) ado = un adolescent, une adolescente = an adolescent, a teenager.
Other important expressions and vocabulary:
- Ça te dit… ? = Are you up to…? Are you OK with that plan?
- Une friperie = a thrift store.
- Un bon appart’ = a good flat ≠ un Bonaparte, a relative of Napoleon’s.
So the sentences mean:
- Ça te dit d’aller au ciné ce soir ? = Are you up for going to the movies tonight? ( = au ciné)
- J’ai acheté une veste d’occas’ dans une friperie. = I bought a second-hand jacket in a thrift store. (= une veste d’occasion).
- Romain fait une fête dans son nouvel appart. = Romain is throwing a party in his new apartment. Romain fait une fête dans son nouvel appart. (= son nouvel appartement)
- Ah, ça me rappelle quand j’étais ado ! = Oh, that reminds me of when I was a teenager. (= adolescente)
3) Guess the shortened version
What is the shortened version of the following four words? Here are four common French words:
La télévision = television
L’actualité = the news
La musique = music
Le réfrigérateur = the fridge
Here’s the answer, it’s :
- La télé = la télévision = television.
- L’actu / les actus = l’actualité = the news, what’s happening these days.
- La zik = la musique → This is strange; we keep the word’s ending. It comes from le verlan, a type of French slang.
Click here to learn more:
French Phrases: Using and Understanding Verlan (You Didn’t Learn This In School)
- Le frigo = le réfrigérateur = the fridge. This one is also a surprising abbreviation.
Le frigo comes from the adjective frigorifié (= refrigerated). Later, the brand Frigidaire became so well-known that un frigidaire became another word for un réfrigérateur. However, frigo (and “fridge”) was also used before the brand was famous.
Click here to learn more:
frigo — Wiktionnaire, le dictionnaire libre
4) Real French conversation
Finally, let’s explore more examples with a longer context. Here’s a short presentation in French with transcription. What do you think the shortened words mean in that context? How many shortened words do you see? I’ll give you a complete rundown right after. C’est parti !
Ce matin, je suis allée voir une expo avec Ludo. Il m’a donné des infos pour ses prochains cours d’impro, qu’il va organiser à la fac. En rentrant, une manif avait bloqué le tram. Heureusement que j’étais à vélo ! L’aprem, je suis allée emprunter du matos à l’assoce écolo. Ils ont des outils impec pour mon potager bio. Et ce soir, je rejoins Alex ma pote véto, à l’heure de l’apéro!
Let’s see now what it all meant.
- Ce matin, je suis allée voir une expo avec Ludo. = This morning, I went to see une expo with Ludo.
Une expo = une exposition = an exhibition.
Une exhibition = flashing someone.
Click here to learn more:
Spoken French Vocabulary: French People Would Never Say These 5 Words
Ludo = Ludovic (first name)
- Il m’a donné des infos pour ses prochains cours d’impro, = He gave me some information for his upcoming improv classes,
Une info = une information = an information.
Les infos = les informations = les actualités = the news.
L’impro = l’improvisation
Le théâtre d’improvisation = improv theater.
Click here to learn more:
Les Quand Mêmes
- qu’il va organiser à la fac. = which he’s going to organize at the university.
La fac = la faculté (synonym of l’université = university or college). - En rentrant, une manif avait bloqué le tram. = On the way back, a demonstration had blocked the tram.
Une manif = une manifestation = a march, a demonstration.
Le tram = le tramway. - Heureusement que j’étais à vélo ! = Luckily, I was on my bike!
Le vélo (a shortened word of le vélocipède) = la bicyclette = a bicycle. - L’aprem, je suis allée emprunter du matos à l’assoce écolo. = In the afternoon, I went to borrow some equipment from the eco-friendly association.
- L’aprem = l’après-midi = the afternoon.
- Le matos = le matériel = equipment.
Une assoce = une association = a club, an association.
Écolo = écologique = eco-friendly or écologiste = environmentalist. - Ils ont des outils impec pour mon potager bio. = They have perfect tools for my organic garden.
Impec = impeccable = impeccable, flawless, perfect.
“Impec !” = “OK !”, “Great!”
Le potager bio = a small vegetable garden without artificial pesticides.
Bio = issu de l’agriculture biologique = organic food.
Click here to learn more:
La certification en agriculture biologique
- Et ce soir, je rejoins Alex ma pote véto, à l’heure de l’apéro. = And tonight, I’m meeting up with my friend Alex, who’s a vet, for some drinks!
Alex can be a name or a nickname for Alexandra or Alexandre.
Une véto = un(e) vétérinaire – a vet.
L’apéro = l’apéritif = the time for drinks and appetizers before dinner.
Extra mile:
- Le prof = le professeur = a teacher.
- La déco = la décoration = decoration.
- La photo = la photographie = a photograph, a picture.
- Un kiné = un kinésithérapeute = a physiotherapist.
- Un psy = un psychologue / un psychiatre / un psychothérapeute = a psychologist / a psychiatrist / a psychotherapist.
- Un amphi = un amphithéâtre = an auditorium, an amphitheater.
5) Quiz
Let’s make sure you remember some of this vocabulary when you need it when talking to French people and have a rapid quiz on what we’ve just seen.
For each of these common words, answer these questions:
1. What do they mean?
2. Find the shortened version if it’s a long, formal word.
3. If it’s a shortened informal word, find the long version of the word.
- La vétérinaire
- Le matos
- La musique
- L’ordi
Find your answers below or by watching this video again! Meanwhile, Congrats! I’m sure you did well!
- La vétérinaire: 1) a vet; 2) formal word; shortened, informal version: un véto.
- Le matos: 1) the equipment; 2) informal shortened word; formal version: le matériel.
- La musique: 1) music; 2) formal word; shortened, informal version: la zik.
- L’ordi: 1) computer; 2) informal, shortened word; formal version: l’ordinateur.
You can keep improving your everyday spoken French comprehension on your own now!
Or keep exploring modern, everyday French with me and the obstacles to understanding fast-spoken French!
Or you can keep learning about understanding fast-spoken French with me!
Click here to get your next lesson:
- Why You Can’t Understand Spoken French
- Speaking French vs. Reading French (Unlock Faster Fluency)
- My Top 5 Tips to Be Better Understood When Speaking French (from a Native Parisian)
- French Fluency: Tips for sounding more authentic when speaking French
- Spoken French Vocabulary: French People Would Never Say These 5 Words
À tout de suite.
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Merci ! This is a super lesson!