Olympic glossary: 100 French words and phrases to make you sound like a local during the Olympic Games

So you’re heading to Paris for the Olympic Games. Your suitcase is packed, your flag is hanging around your shoulders and you’re ready for the sporting event of a lifetime... but there’s just one problem: you don’t speak a word of French.

If this sounds like you, there’s no need to worry. Olympics.com has you covered with 100 French words and phrases that will make you sound like a local during your trip to the Olympic Games Paris 2024.

Disclaimer: some of these phrases may have no literal translation in English. But as the saying goes, when in Paris...

Typical French expressions related to sports

• Volleyball: Quéquette, when a spiker looks as if they are about to spike the ball but instead lobs it softly over the net
• Volleyball: Envoyer une pizza (literal translation: to send a pizza), when a volleyball player hits the ball in a straight line that seems as flat as a pizza
• Tennis: Baduf, for “bas du filet” (literal translation: bottom of the net), when a player hits a bad shot that ends up right at the bottom of the net
• Tennis: Prendre deux bulles/Prendre deux roues de vélo (literal translation: to receive two bubbles/to receive two bike wheels), when a player loses 6-0, 6-0, with each zero symbolised by a bubble
• Basketball: Mettre une bâche (literal translation: to lay down a tarpaulin), a counter, when a player stops a certain basket by hitting the ball away from the net
• Swimming: Longueur d’avance (literal translation: a length ahead), when one swimmer is a body’s length in front of another in a race
• Swimming: Prendre un bambou (literal translation: to take a bamboo stick), to go out super fast in a race and leave yourself with no energy for the finish
• Football: Avoir les pieds carrés (literal translation: to have a square foot), when a player shoots the ball so badly it is as if their foot is square
• Football: Coup du chapeau, hat-trick, when a player scores three goals in a row
• Football: Claquette (literal translation: clap), when the goalkeeper slaps the ball over their own net with one hand to stop a goal.
• Football: Coup du foulard (literal translation: the scarf trick), a rabona
• Handball: Roucoulette, a trick that consists of a player twisting their wrist to change the direction of a shot when it bounces in front of the goal
• Handball: Pastis (from the name of the alcoholic beverage), when a goalkeeper catches a shot with two hands instead of parrying it away
• Handball: Kung-fu, similar to an alley-oop in basketball, when one player throws the ball into the air and a teammate catches it while also in the air and shoots it straight towards the goal. Also known in English as 'flying handball goals'
• Cycling: Avoir la fringale (literal translation: to have the 'hungry horse disease'), when a rider is suddenly spent of all energy, usually because of a lack of sugar
• Cycling: Sucer la roue (literal translation: to suck the wheel), staying on the wheel of another rider so they take the brunt of the headwind
• Cycling: Se mettre en danseuse (literal translation: to become like a dancer), when a rider stands on their bike and pedals hard, swaying like a dancer
• Cycling: Être en chasse-patate (literal translation: to hunt a potato) when a rider is between the leading pack and the peloton and eventually falls behind the peloton
• Judo: Mettre une boîte (literal translation: to put a box), when a judoka is thrown and hits the ground hard
• Rugby: Prendre un caramel (literal translation: to receive a caramel) or Mettre un tampon (literal translation: to put a stamp on something), when a player is tackled and hits the ground hard
• Rugby: une chistera (literal translation: a tool used to throw the ball in the sport of basque pelota), when a rugby player performs a behind-the-back pass
• Rugby: Faire les bordures / Prendre le périf’ (literal translation: to take the flanks/to take the ring road), when a rugby player takes a detour to avoid defenders, often running down the flanks instead of through the middle of the pitch
• Athletics: Se faire coiffer sur la ligne (literal translation: to get your hair cut on the line), when an athlete is winning a race but is caught and overtaken on the finish line
• All sports: Mouiller le maillot (literal translation: to wet your jersey), when a player or athlete has given everything they can
• All sports: Jouer avec le frein à main (literal translation: to play with the handbrakes on), when an athlete or team is not competing to the best of their ability
• All sports: Prendre une valise (literal translation: to take a suitcase), when you or your team lose heavily

Olympic sports at Paris 2024

• Archery: Tir à l'arc
• Artistic gymnastic: Gymnastique artistique
• Artistic swimming: Natation artistique
• Athletics: Athlétisme
• Badminton: Badminton
• Basketball: Basketball (also called "basket")
• Basketball 3x3: Basketball 3x3 (also called "basket 3x3)
• Beach volleyball: Volleyball de plage (also called “beach volley”)
• Boxing: Boxe
• Breaking: Breaking
• Canoe slalom: Canoë slalom
• Canoe sprint: Canoë sprint
• Cycling BMX Freestyle: Cyclisme BMX Freestyle
• Cycling BMX Racing: Cyclisme BMX Racing
• Cycling Mountain Bike: Cyclisme VTT
• Cycling road: Cyclisme sur route
• Cycling track: Cyclisme sur piste
• Diving: Plongeon
• Equestrian: Sports équestres (also called "équitation")
• Fencing: Escrime
• Football: Football (also called "foot")
• Golf: Golf
• Handball: Handball (also called "hand")
• Hockey: Hockey
• Judo: Judo
• Marathon swimming: Natation marathon (also called "natation en eau libre")
• Modern pentathlon: Pentathlon moderne
• Rythmic gymnastics: Gymnastique rythmique
• Rowing: Aviron
• Rugby sevens: Rugby à 7
• Sailing: Voile
• Shooting: Tir sportif
• Skateboarding: Skateboard (also called "skate")
• Sport climbing: Escalade sportive
• Surfing: Surf
• Swimming: Natation
• Table tennis: Tennis de table
• Taekwondo: Taekwondo
• Tennis: Tennis
• Trampoline: Trampoline
• Triathlon: Triathlon
• Volleyball: Volleyball (also called "volley")
• Water polo: Water-polo
• Weightlifting: Haltérophilie
• Wrestling: Lutte

About the Olympics

• Olympic Torch Relay: Relais de la flamme olympique
• Olympic cauldron: La vasque olympique
• Flagbearer: Porte-drapeau
• Opening Ceremony: Cérémonie d’ouverture
• Closing Ceremony: Cérémonie de clôture
• Gold, silver, bronze medal: Médaille d’or, d’argent et de bronze
• Olympic record: Record olympique
• World record: Record du monde

All the basics (and a little bit more)

• Hello: Bonjour
• Goodbye: Au revoir
• See you later: À bientôt/À plus
• Thank you: Merci
• You're welcome: De rien
• Please: S'il vous plaît
• How do I get to the entrance/exit?: Où est l’entrée/la sortie ?
• How do I get to my seat?: Comment puis-je trouver ma place ?
• What's the quickest way to get to the Stade de France?: Quel est le meilleur moyen de rejoindre le Stade de France ?
• Wheelchair access: Accès pour les chaises roulantes
• Where can I find the food stand?: Où puis-je acheter à manger ?
• Where can I find the drinks stand?: Où est la buvette ?
• What’s the best bakery close to the stadium? / What’s the best French restaurant close to the stadium?: Quelle est la meilleure boulangerie aux environs du stade / Quel est le meilleur restaurant français aux environs du stade ?
• Can we swap pins?: On échange des pins ?
• Can you tell me where the toilets are?: Pouvez-vous m'indiquer les toilettes?
• Can you please call the emergency services?: Appelez les urgences s'il vous plaît!
• Can you call a doctor, please?: Appelez un docteur s'il vous plaît !
• Can I have a beer, please?: Une bière s'ils vous plait !
• Can I have a coffee, please?: Un café s'il vous plait !
• Can I get another round, please?: La même s'il vous plait !
• Where is XXX street?: Où est la rue XXX ?
• Can you tell me where the nearest metro station is?: Où est la station de metro la plus proche?