Quebec French: 17 Common Expressions and What They Mean

Quebec French is the first language of about 7 million people in Quebec.

How Quebec French Changes France French

The first three rows are word swaps, and the last two show casual grammar.

Everyday Words

You'll hear these all over Quebec, at work and at home. Only char, the last one, is casual.

magasiner

To go shoppingFrance French: faire du shoppingIt has been the usual word for shopping since the early 1900s. It can also mean comparing prices before you buy.

dépanneur

Corner storeFrance French: supéretteEnglish speakers in Quebec say dépanneur too. In France, a dépanneur is someone who repairs machines or cars.

déjeuner

BreakfastFrance French: petit-déjeunerBelgium and Switzerland use the same meal names as Quebec.

dîner

LunchFrance French: déjeunerIn Canada, dîner means the evening meal mostly at formal events.

souper

Dinner, the evening mealFrance French: dînerIn France, souper usually means a light meal late at night.

fin de semaine

WeekendFrance French: week-endQuebec has used it since the 1920s. You will still hear week-end in Quebec too.

courriel

EmailFrance French: e-mailIt is short for courrier électronique. France's government adopted courriel in 2003 as well.

tuque

Knit winter hatFrance French: bonnetA tuque is traditionally made of wool, often with a pompom.

maringouin

MosquitoFrance French: moustiqueSe faire manger par les maringouins means getting eaten alive by mosquitoes.

char

CarFrance French: voitureIt is casual, and Quebec dictionaries call it non-standard. In France, a char is a tank.

Casual Expressions

Use these with people you know well, like friends and family.

jaser

To chatFrance French: bavarderOn a jasé toute la soirée means "We chatted all evening."

pantoute

Not at allFrance French: pas du toutIt comes from pas en tout. J'aime pas ça pantoute means "I don't like that at all."

c'est plate

It's boring, that's too badFrance French: c'est ennuyeuxSay the t at the end of plate.

niaiser

To tease, to pull someone's legFrance French: se moquer de quelqu'unAs-tu fini de me niaiser? means "Are you done teasing me?" France hardly uses it anymore.

chum

Buddy, or boyfriendFrance French: copainContext tells you which. Quebec dictionaries mark it as casual and frowned on, so write ami or copain instead.

bienvenue

You're welcomeFrance French: de rienSome people in Quebec answer merci with bienvenue, a copy of English "you're welcome." Quebec's language office advises against it and suggests de rien.

C'est-tu prêt?

Is it ready?France French: C'est prêt?In casual speech, tu after the verb asks a yes-or-no question. It works with any subject: Vous voulez-tu manger?

How Quebec French Sounds

The sound you will notice first is how t and d change before i and u. In Quebec, tu sounds close to "tsu" and dire sounds close to "dzire." Long vowels in the last syllable can also glide into two vowel sounds, as in fête and pâte.

Mauril, CBC/Radio-Canada's app for learning French, plays real Quebec French in clips from its own shows and podcasts.

Practice Quebec French in Lessons

Poppy, your AI tutor, writes your Bubblegum lessons in Quebec French at your level, so people in her stories eat souper and make plans for the fin de semaine.

Shows and dictionaries for Quebec French are in Best Ways to Learn Quebec French.

Common Questions