🚫🤬

How to Say ‘Don't swear!’ in French

Ne dis pas de gros mots !

nuh dee pah duh groh moh

[nuh dee pah duh groh moh]

💬 Usage Tip: After pas, des shrinks to de: J'ai des amis becomes Je n'ai pas d'amis.

🇫🇷 In France: This is the standard telling-off parents give children who swear.

Phrase Breakdown

Ne dis pas

nuh dee pah

Don't say

This is the negative command of 'dire' (to say), using 'ne… pas' around the verb. The 's' in 'dis' is silent: 'nuh dee PAH'.

Example

Ne dis pas ça à maman.

Don't say that to mom.

Words in this phrase

[nuh]

(negation) not

Negation particle used with another negative word (ne… rien). In speech, it can be dropped, but it’s standard in writing.

Example

Ne me raconte rien sur l’anime, je veux garder la surprise.

Don’t tell me anything about the anime, I want to keep the surprise.

dis

[dee]

tell

Imperative form of dire, used to ask someone to say something.

Example

Dis-moi si tu as une question.

Tell me if you have a question.

pas

[pah]

not (negation)

Second part of negation in “ne… pas.” Together: “Don’t worry.”

Example

Ne t’inquiète pas, je ne dis rien.

Don’t worry, I’m not saying anything.

de gros mots !

duh groh moh

swear words

'Gros mots' (literally 'big words') means swear words. After a negation, 'des' becomes 'de'. The 's' and 't' are silent: 'duh groh MOH'.

Example

Les enfants apprennent vite les gros mots.

Children learn swear words quickly.

Words in this phrase

[duh]

any (used after negation)

After a negation, 'des' becomes 'de' before a noun.

Example

Je n'ai pas de temps.

I don't have any time.

gros

[groh]

big / rude (in 'gros mots')

Means 'big' or 'fat'; in 'gros mots' it means rude or swear words.

Example

C'est un gros problème.

It's a big problem.

mots

[moh]

words

Plural of 'mot', a word; 'gros mots' are swear words.

Example

Il cherche ses mots.

He is searching for his words.

Guides for French learners

Ordering in French: Cafés, Bakeries and Restaurants (with Menu Vocabulary)How to order in French at a café, a bakery and a restaurant: the phrases, the questions staff ask, and the menu and food vocabulary to understand the answers.Hello in French: Greetings, Good Evening and How to Answer "How Are You?"How to say hello in French, when to switch to good evening, how to ask how are you and what to answer, with tu vs vous and native audio.

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