French grammar
Le français des jeunes : le verlan (ouf), wesh, grave, abusé, un taf, gros
Understand everyday French youth slang and verlan, and know when not to use it.
From the scene Abusé ! (No way!)
In short
Youth slang: verlan flips syllables (fou becomes ouf). Wesh = hi, grave = really, abusé ! = no way!
- no way! / that's too much! abusé !
- hi! / what's up? wesh !
- amazing (fou in verlan) de ouf
- really, very (slang) grave
- another job, mate? encore un taf, gros ?
Your turn
Which one goes with hi! / what's up??
Options: abusé ! · de ouf · wesh !
Show answer
hi! / what's up? → wesh !
How it works
Verlan flips the syllables of a word (l'envers → verlan): fou → ouf, so une histoire de ouf is 'an amazing story'.
Good to know
Wesh ! is 'hi! / what's up?', grave before an adjective means 'really' (grave bien), abusé ! is 'no way! that's too much!' and un taf is 'a job'.
Good to know
Gros (or frère) is friendly between mates, but rude to anyone you call vous.
no way! / that's too much! abusé !
Tomás
Abusé ! Encore un taf, gros ? Encore un nouveau boulot ?
No way! Another gig, dude? Another job?
Your turn
What fills the gap?
(blank) ! Encore un taf, gros ? Encore un nouveau boulot ?
Options: Wesh · De ouf · Abusé
Show answer
Tomás
Abusé ! Encore un taf, gros ? Encore un nouveau boulot ?
No way! Another gig, dude? Another job?
hi! / what's up? wesh !
Tomás
Wesh, Javi ! Qu'est-ce que tu apportes là ?
What's up, Javi! What have you got there?
Your turn
What fills the gap?
(blank), Javi ! Qu'est-ce que tu apportes là ?
Options: De ouf · Wesh · Abusé
Show answer
Tomás
Wesh, Javi ! Qu'est-ce que tu apportes là ?
What's up, Javi! What have you got there?
amazing (fou in verlan) de ouf
really, very (slang) grave
Tomás
Bien ! « Ouf », c'est du verlan. Sérieux, elle est grave bien.
Good! "Ouf" is verlan. Seriously, it's really good.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
Bien ! « Ouf », c'est du verlan. Sérieux, elle est (blank) bien.
Options: wesh · grave · abusé
Show answer
Tomás
Bien ! « Ouf », c'est du verlan. Sérieux, elle est grave bien.
Good! "Ouf" is verlan. Seriously, it's really good.
another job, mate? encore un taf, gros ?
Elena
Encore un taf, Javi ? Abusé, gros !
Another gig, Javi? No way, dude!
Your turn
What fills the gap?
(blank), Javi ? Abusé, gros !
Options: Wesh · De ouf · Encore un taf
Show answer
Elena
Encore un taf, Javi ? Abusé, gros !
Another gig, Javi? No way, dude!
Practise it in the story
Meet this rule inside a short animated scene. Answer as it plays, then say the lines yourself.
Practise free in the appSee all forms
| no way! / that's too much! | abusé ! |
|---|---|
| hi! / what's up? | wesh ! |
| amazing (fou in verlan) | de ouf |
| really, very (slang) | grave |
| another job, mate? | encore un taf, gros ? |
More lines from the story
- JaviDes tacos ! Depuis hier, je les livre pour un restaurant mexicain.Tacos! Since yesterday I've delivered them for a Mexican restaurant.
- TomásEntre potes, non. Mais à vous, Madame Elena, je ne le dirais jamais.Between mates, no. But to you, Madame Elena, I would never say it.