putain
Putain literally means 'whore', but nobody hears that any more. It works like 'fuck' or 'damn' in English: surprise, anger, relief, all of it. Oh putain ! is what slips out when you miss your turn or burn the toast. It's ruder than merde, so keep it for friends, not for job interviews.
Where you'll hear it
Matéo
T'as raison, c'est à couper le souffle. Mais dis donc, on devrait peut-être consulter la carte. J'ai peur qu'on se soit égarés.
You're right, it's breathtaking. But hey, maybe we should check the map. I'm afraid we might be lost.
Lisa
Attends, laisse-moi vérifier... Oh putain, on a raté le virage il y a deux kilomètres ! Il faut faire demi-tour.
Wait, let me check... Oh damn, we missed a turn two kilometers ago! We need to turn back.
Matéo
Pas question ! J'ai repéré un petit chemin de terre là-bas. Ça nous fera gagner du temps.
No way! I spotted a small dirt path over there. It'll save us time.
Lisa
Tu es sûr ? J'ai peur que ce soit une mauvaise idée.
Are you sure? I'm afraid it might be a bad idea.
Listen: putain
How it shows up
Putain, j'ai encore raté le métro !
Damn it, I missed the metro again!
Putain, c'est beau !
Wow, that's gorgeous!
Cette putain de pluie ne s'arrête jamais.
This bloody rain never stops.
Questions people ask
How rude is putain in French?
Ruder than merde, much milder than its literal meaning. Friends, colleagues at the bar and half of Paris say it all day. Don't say it to your boss, your teacher or your in-laws, and never write it in an email.
What does putain de mean?
Putain de + noun is the angry version: cette putain de voiture, 'this damn car'. It turns any noun into the thing you're cursing. Same rule as the word on its own: casual company only.
What can I say instead of putain?
Mince or zut if you want to stay polite, merde if you want something in between. Purée is the jokey cover-up, the French version of saying 'fudge'.