said when you are pretending to be sorry for using a word that may be considered offensive: Pardon my French, but that's a damned shame!
Meaning: An apology when you swear or curse. Sometimes expressed as “Pardon my French.” Examples: Excuse my French, but these noodles taste like s&!
The phrase was originally used in England when someone used a French word, when speaking to someone who may not have had the social standing to understand French. Due to the vast history of conflict between the French and the English, “pardon my French” soon became a dig at the French!
"Pardon my French" or "Excuse my French" is a common English language phrase ostensibly disguising profanity as words from the French language.
The phrase evolved from a bonafide apology for using haughty language to a bonafide apology for using naughty language. In both cases, it is atonement for being, in some way, shape, or form, intolerable.
Don't ask people you've just met personal questions – the French are very private. This means no talking about age, income, marital status, or even what the person did last weekend – these topics are considered quite rude and should be avoided.
In France, it's considered rude not to say hello every time you enter a shop or when you first begin a conversation with a local. Brush up on these ten French words or phrases that'll get you beyond bonjour.
Pardon my French, or excuse my French, is an apology for the use of profanity; the expression dates from 1895. Pardon is derived from the old French pardoner meaning, “to grant, forgive.”
Mangez bien, riez souvent, aimez beaucoup.
Literal translation: “Eat well, laugh often, love a lot.” Actual meaning: “Live life to the fullest” or carpe diem (“seize the day”).
In addition to the interjection, “pardon”, you can also use the variant: “pardonnez-moi”, which is a bit more formal. You can also also use “pardonne-moi” when speaking to somebody you already know or a child. One more usage of “pardon” is to express the felling of begin annoyed or displeased.
excusez-moi ! ⧫ pardon ! Excuse me, can I squeeze past please? Excusez-moi, est-ce que je peux passer, s'il vous plaît ?
A Standard Sorry
The most direct translation of “sorry” in French is the verb être désolé, which means “to be sorry.” If you want to say “I'm sorry,” that would be Je suis désolé in the masculine form and Je suis désolée in the feminine.
Let's say someone told you “Pardon”, “Excuse-moi” or “Je suis désolé.” How can you react? What should you say? Well, the easiest answer is Ça ne fait rien (= that's nothing).
I'm sorry, I didn't mean it. Pardon, je ne le pensais pas. I didn't mean it, I love my family. Je ne le pensais pas.
Eye contact is not considered rude in France, however, the level of eye contact may vary depending on the situation. French people do make eye contact while speaking as it is a sign of attentiveness and interest.
This difference might seem a little trivial like the difference between saying “hello” and “hello again,” but it's considered rude to say bonjour instead of rebonjour if you've already seen them once that day. This is because when you say bonjour you're implying that this is the first time you've seen them that day.
You can either reply saying "Bonjour" back or you could say "salut" which also means hello but in an informal way. This is especially important in French because French-speakers tend to be much more formal about greetings.
Putain. The word "putain" is another popular French swear word, and it is equivalent to the English word "fuck". It is used to express anger, frustration, or even excitement, and can be very versatile.
Fart, as it turns out, is one of the oldest rude words we have in the language: Its first record pops up in roughly 1250, meaning that if you were to travel 800 years back in time just to let one rip, everyone would at least be able to agree upon what that should be called.
According to maths, the ultimate swearword is 'banger' – or 'ber' for short. The answer may be a little disappointing for those expecting something coarser. “I think neither is as satisfying as a 'f*ck' when you've stubbed your toe, or a 'sh*t' when you realise you've forgotten your parent's birthday.