Reader TTS

1. CHOCOLATINE / PAIN AU CHOCOLAT Most French people (84%) use_ pain au chocolat_ while 16% use _chocolatine_, a recent poll of 1009 people by Ifop showed. The word chocolatine is widely

used in the south-west, notably in Aquitaine and Occitanie. The origin of the modern word is still unsure, as some claim it comes from English-speakers calling it ‘chocolate in bread’ from

which we get chocolat-ine. Others say it comes from the Gascon dialect in Aquitaine: in the 19th century they would say chocolatina, a diminutive meaning ‘good little chocolate’ to refer to

the well-known French pastry. 2: CRAYON À PAPIER / CRAYON DE PAPIER / CRAYON GRIS In Bourgogne-Franche-Comté and in the north-east, some like to say _crayon de papier _instead of _crayon à

papier_ which is the most used in France – though you can just say crayon if the context is obvious. Un _crayon à papier_ refers to an ordinary grey graphite pencil, as opposed to eg. un

_crayon de couleur_ (crayon) or an eyeliner. In the Hauts-de-France and Pays de La Loire, there is a tendency to say _crayon de bois_ (wood pencil) while _crayon gris_ (grey pencil) is most

used in the north-west, notably in the Morbihan, and in the south-east. 3: SERPILLÈRE / WASSINGUE / CINSE If you are looking for a mop in the north of France, use the word _wassingue_. This

comes from Picardy but was taken from the Flemish language and is now in the Larousse dictionary. In the west of France notably in Charente-Maritime, it is not surprising to hear _cinse _(it

can also be written since) instead of _serpillère_. In the historical region of Lorraine - now part of Grand-Est - it can also be referred to as a _torchon de plancher_. 4: DÉGUN / PERSONNE

In the south of France, you may hear someone say ‘_Il y a dégun ici_’ (meaning there is nobody here). The word – which means nobody – comes from the Provençal dialect and is used in

Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur and Corsica. 5: PÉGUER / COLLER Another word you can only hear in the south is _péguer_ which means to be sticky. It comes from the Occitan word pegar. For

example,_ j’ai les mains qui pèguent_ means my hands are sticky. 6: SAC / POCHE / POCHON / SACHET In the region of Toulouse it is not unusual to hear the word _poche_ (pocket) for a plastic

bag. But France is divided on this word. In the north-west, you can hear the word pochon while in the south-east and in the north you may hear _sachet_. And in the North East (Lorraine) you

may hear it called a _cornet_. However the most common word is still _sac (plastique) _all around France. 7: GORGÉE / SCHLUK Je bois juste un schluk, you might hear in Alsace. _Schluk_

(pronounced schlouk) comes from Germany and means ‘a sip’. In other regions, people usually say _une gorgée_. 8: FAIRE LA FÊTE / FAIRE LA CHOUILLE In the north, people like to say _chouille

_or _faire la chouille_ for party. The expression actually comes from Lorraine and generally means that there will be a lot of alcohol… 9: FATIGUÉ / ENSUQUÉ In the south-west, someone can be

_ensuqué_ (tired or in a daze). It comes from the Occitan verb ensucà which means to knock out. 10: DÉBAUCHER / FINIR LE TRAVAIL The word _débaucher_ is also used in the west but does not

have the same meaning as in the rest of France. Usually it means to deprave but in the west of France it means to finish work. Someone may ask you ‘_À quelle heure tu débauches?_’ to say ‘At

what time do you finish?’ 11: CLENCHER / FERMER LA PORTE In Normandy, Brittany and Lorraine, people often say clencher for _fermer la porte_ (to close the door). _Clenche_ originally means

handle and it has become a verb in these regions. 12. PASTIS / PASTAGA / RICARD Depending on where you are in France, the alcoholic drink pastis will be called a different name. In

Marseille, the beverage - an anise-flavoured spirit traditionally associated with the southern French city - is referred to as _un pastaga_. Elsewhere in France it will either be called un

_pastis _- the drink itself - or un _Ricard_ - a brand of _pastis_. 13. CARAFE / PICHET / BRODO _Carafe _is often used in the south to describe a jug of water or wine, however this is named

differently depending on where in France you are. In the north west, this is more likely to be called a _pichet_, whereas in the Ile de France region you may well ask for a _brodo_. 14. TRĖS

/ GRAVE / TARPIN / CHER In Marseille, tarpin is often used in place of _trės_, to mean very in English. In Lyon _cher _is used rather than the traditional _trės_. Grave is likely to be used

in Paris, while in Bretagne you might use _vlà _and in the north of France you could replace _trės_ with _fort_. DO YOU KNOW ANY OTHER EXAMPLES? If you have other examples of local phrases

or words in French, send them to [email protected]. READ ALSO GRANNY KNOWS BEST: FRENCH PHRASES FOR BEDTIME BORES UNDERSTAND FRENCH BETTER WITH THESE 14 SLANG PHRASES SEVEN

ALTERNATIVE FRENCH WORDS TO MAKE YOU SOUND MORE NATIVE