2023-07-07 11:01:10
Why do I need to know coup de gueule?
Because if you are feeling heated about a particular subject, you might be tempted to do this.
What does it mean?
Coup de gueule – roughly pronounced koop duh guhl – combines two words you will often hear in informal speech in French: coup, which means ‘blow, or hit’, and gueule, which is a vulgar way of saying ‘mouth’.
Together, coup de gueule technically translates to ‘hit of the mouth’, but in reality it has to do with delivering a metaphorical, rather than physical blow. It more or less means to express anger, or to have a dispute.
Most of the time, it is most comparable to the English terms ‘rant’ or ‘outburst’.
Coup de gueule is a phrase you will likely see on the internet and on social media.
You might see internet personalities described in French as the roi/reine des coups de gueule (king/queen of angry rants). Or, you may come across videos titled coup de gueule sur followed by a topic.
If you are looking for a more formal way to say ‘rant’ in French, you might use the word tirade instead.
The word coup is one of the most versatile in the French language and is part of dozens of phrases that range in meaning from a punch, a helping hand, falling in love, a one-night stand and many, many more.
Coup: The French word with multiple meanings
Use it like this
He is really passionate about animal rights, so his interview was more like a rant than a calm discussion. – He is very passionate about animal rights, so his interview was more of an angry outburst rather than a calm discussion.
The politician was blamed for his inappropriate rant. He was asked to stick to the facts in his speech. – The politician was censured for his inappropriate rant. He was told to stick to the facts in his speech.
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