Growing up Anglophone in Montreal, I always had slight lingo envy. You see, French Canadians have the finest – if not the most blasphemous – expressions. If you’re heading down to the Belle Province, try out one of my top ten Montreal expressions and cuss like a local. You’ll be swigging Maudite and chanting “et glou” in no time.

 

“Tabarnak!!”

Meaning tabernacle, which is a fixed box on an altar containing the Eucharist in the Christian faith. The French Canadian version of *fvck*; i.e., “Y fait chaud en tabarnak” (It’s fvcking hot outside).

 

“Calisse”

Meaning fvck or fvcker. Can be employed as a noun or verb.

 

“En tout cas”

Meaning “anyway”.  I use it overhwhelmingly; i.e., “En tout cas, I’m not gonna waste my time overanalyzing texts from a softboy“.

 

“Esti”

Meaning host, as in the white wafer provided to you during a Catholic mass. Used as an expletive to replace fvck; i.e., “J’ai faim en chriss, mon esti” – I’m hungry as fvck, dammit”.

 

“Grouille!”

Meaning hurry the eff up; i.e., “Grouille, esti! Les Boys VI is starting in five minutes!”

 

“Voyons donc”

Meaning “oh, come on” or “give me a break”; i.e., “Wait wait wait…she took him back after he ghosted her TWICE this month alone!?  Ben, voyons donc!

 

“Ca n’a pas d’allure!”

Meaning “it doesn’t make any sense”; i.e., “Nightly 45 minute detour because the 15 is closed…AGAIN. Ca n’a pas d’allure!

 

“Mets-en!”

Meaning “pile it on”, or colloquially – “you bet”, “hellz yea” or “totes”; i.e., Person A: ” Omgz the new Nutella turnovers at Timmy Ho’s are amaze”.  Person B: “Mets-en!”

 

“On spete la face!”

Meaning “let’s get sh!tfaced”; i.e., “Ce soir, on spete la face!” (Tonight we’re getting sh**faced).

 

“Ta yeule!”

Meaning “shut your face” or “shut dafuq up”; i.e., Person A: ” Yo I heard they cancelled Orange is the New Black.” Person B: “Ta yeule!”

 

Other honourable mentions include ferme ta boite (shut up), tcheck ben ca (check it out), and tiguidou (all good / sounds good). 

 

What are some of your favourite local expressions? Share below!