Quebec French essentials
A reference guide to the vocabulary, expressions, and linguistic features that make Quebec French distinct.
Vocabulary differences
Quebec French has hundreds of words that differ from standard European French. Many are older French words preserved in Quebec since the 17th century; others are anglicisms adapted into French phonology, or inventions by the Office québécois de la langue française.
| Quebec French | Standard French | English meaning | |
|---|---|---|---|
| fin de semaine | week-end | weekend | |
| magasinage | courses / shopping | shopping (activity) | |
| dépanneur | épicerie / supérette | corner store / convenience store | |
| stationnement | parking | parking lot / space | |
| char | voiture / auto | car | |
| courriel | email (official Quebec term) | ||
| chum | petit ami / copain | boyfriend (also: buddy) | |
| blonde | petite amie / copine | girlfriend | |
| chum d'enfance | ami d'enfance | childhood friend | |
| les boys | les gars / les amis | the guys / the crew | |
| la gang | le groupe / la bande | the group / the gang (neutral) | |
| être tanné(e) | en avoir assez / être fatigué(e) de | to be fed up / sick of something | |
| avoir de la misère | avoir du mal / avoir des difficultés | to have trouble / to struggle | |
| être game | être partant(e) / être prêt(e) | to be up for it / willing | |
| être écoeurant(e) | être dégoûtant(e) OR être incroyable | disgusting: OR (Quebec slang) awesome! | |
| jaser | bavarder / discuter | to chat / to talk | |
| placoter | potiner / jaser | to gossip / to chitchat | |
| pogner | attraper / réussir / plaire | to catch, to work, to be popular | |
| virer | tourner / devenir | to turn / to become | |
| lâcher | abandonner / relâcher | to let go / to quit / to give up | |
| tantôt | tout à l'heure | earlier OR later (context-dependent!) | |
| à matin | ce matin | this morning | |
| à soir | ce soir | this evening / tonight | |
| en quelque part | quelque part | somewhere | |
| polyvalente | lycée / collège | high school (secondary) | |
| cégep | (n/a in France) | Quebec college (pre-university or technical) | |
| baccalauréat (BAC) | licence (3 or 4 ans en France) | bachelor's degree: only 3 years in Quebec | |
| stage | stage / placement | internship / practicum | |
| ben | bien / très | very / really (casual intensifier) | |
| pas pire | pas mal / assez bien | pretty good (false friend: means good, not mediocre!) | |
| vraiment correct | parfaitement bien / très bien | totally fine / absolutely okay |
Quebec expressions
These expressions are used daily in Quebec and rarely appear in standard French textbooks. Learning them will help you understand spoken Quebec French and connect naturally with Québécois speakers.
| Expression | Meaning | Example | |
|---|---|---|---|
| C'est le boutte! | It's awesome! / It's the best! | C'est le boutte, cette émission-là! | |
| C'est de valeur. | That's a shame. / What a pity. | C'est de valeur que tu puisses pas venir. | |
| Wo! | Hold on! / Wait! / Whoa! | Wo, wo, wo: ralentis un peu! | |
| Ben là... | Well... / Come on... / Seriously? | Ben là, tu pouvais pas me le dire avant? | |
| Ça fait que... | So... / And so... / Therefore... | Ça fait que j'ai décidé de partir. | |
| T'as-tu vu? | Did you see? / Have you seen? | T'as-tu vu le dernier film de Villeneuve? | |
| Y'a pas de quoi. | You're welcome. / Don't mention it. | — Merci!: Y'a pas de quoi. | |
| Avoir de la misère | To have trouble / to struggle | J'ai de la misère avec les maths. | |
| Être dans le trouble | To be in trouble | Si tu dis ça, t'es dans le trouble. | |
| Lâche pas! | Don't give up! / Keep at it! | C'est dur, mais lâche pas! | |
| C'est correct. | It's fine. / Okay. / No problem. | T'inquiète, c'est correct. | |
| Faire du pouce | To hitchhike | On a fait du pouce jusqu'à Québec. | |
| Être game | To be up for it / willing | Es-tu game pour aller camper ce week-end? | |
| Passer au cash | To pay (at the register) | Je passe au cash et je te rejoins dehors. | |
| C'est parti mon kiki! | Here we go! / Let's do this! | C'est parti mon kiki: bonne chance à tous! | |
| Sur le bord de | On the verge of / about to | J'étais sur le bord de pleurer. | |
| Aller aux vues | To go to the movies | On va-tu aux vues ce soir? | |
| Être chaud / être soûl | To be drunk | Il était ben chaud hier soir. | |
| Crinquer | To wind up / to energize / to excite | Le café du matin me crinque! | |
| Magasiner | To go shopping | On va magasiner au centre commercial. | |
| En masse | Plenty / more than enough | T'inquiète, on a du temps en masse. | |
| Ostie / tabarnak / câlice | Oath-based swear words (sacres) | Sacres are culturally specific Quebec expletives: avoid in formal contexts. |
Grammar and pronunciation notes
Key spoken features of Quebec French
tu elision
"tu es" becomes "t'es" and "tu as" becomes "t'as" in everyday speech. This is extremely common: you will hear it constantly.
T'as faim? / T'es prêt?
The -tu question marker
An informal yes/no question particle unique to Quebec French. It is added after the verb and has nothing to do with the pronoun "tu."
T'as-tu faim? (Are you hungry?)
Affirmative "là"
Added at the end of a sentence for emphasis or to ground the listener in the present moment. Similar to "you know" or "right" in English.
C'est là que ça se passe.
On for nous
Using "on" instead of "nous" for "we" is universal in Quebec (and common in France too). It takes a third-person singular verb.
On y va! (Let's go!)
Pronunciation: what makes Quebec French sound different
Nasal vowel distinction
Quebec French preserves the phonemic distinction between "brun" (brown) and "brin" (strand), which has merged in most European French dialects. Quebec speakers maintain four distinct nasal vowels.
Affrication of t and d
Before the vowels /i/ and /u/, the consonants t and d are affricated: they gain a "ts" or "dz" quality. So "tu" sounds like "tsu," and "di" sounds like "dzi." This is one of the most immediately recognizable features of Quebec French.
Vowel lengthening
Long vowels in stressed syllables are held longer in Quebec French than in European French. This gives Quebec speech a distinct rhythm and musicality.
The Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF)
Founded in 1961 and significantly strengthened by the Charter of the French Language (Bill 101 / Loi 101) in 1977, the Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF) is Quebec's official language authority. Its mandate is to define, promote, and enforce the use of French as the common public language of Quebec: in government, commerce, education, and the workplace.
One of the OQLF's most visible roles is coining and promoting French-language alternatives to English technical terms. Examples you will encounter everywhere in Quebec:
| OQLF term | English | Note |
|---|---|---|
| courriel | Now used across Canada in official contexts | |
| clavardage | online chat | From clavier (keyboard) + bavardage (chatter) |
| téléchargement | download / upload | Context determines direction |
| logiciel | software | Now standard across the French-speaking world |
| pourriel | spam (email) | From poubelle (trash) + courriel |
| clavarder | to chat online | Verb form of clavardage |
Bill 101 (Loi sur la langue française) requires that French be the language of instruction in most Quebec schools, the language of the workplace for businesses with 50 or more employees, and the language of commercial signage. The OQLF investigates complaints and issues compliance orders. Understanding this context helps explain why Quebec French has evolved so distinctly: it has an institutional protector that actively shapes its vocabulary.
Ready to practise Quebec French in context?
The Canadian Life unit covers Quebec vocabulary, culture, and real-world listening in an interactive lesson format.
Go to course →