France

French Slang for Food & Drink

3 French slang terms for food & drink, each with its meaning, how it is pronounced and an example of it in use.

Informal words for eating, drinking and the state of having done too much of either. Frequently borrowed across borders, and frequently mistranslated.

apéro

noun · Colloquial · ah-pay-ROH

Pre-dinner drinks with something to nibble. A social institution rather than a meal, and prendre l'apéro is an invitation in itself.

bouffer

verb · Informal

To eat — bluntly and without ceremony. La bouffe is the noun: grub, food.

picoler

verb · Informal

To drink alcohol, usually to excess. Implies a habit rather than an occasion.