# genre (argotique)



## julage

Hi everyone.  My French boyfriend was recently teasing me about supposedly spending a lot of time in front of the mirror getting ready.  And, I said that I didn't spent too much time - that I actually was this cute. ;-) LOL  And, he said to me "genre".  I asked what he meant and he just said "genre quoi".  He won't tell me what he meant, and I have to know so I can tease him back! lol Is this some kind of slang saying? I hope someone can help me!

NOTE DE LA MODÉRATION : Ce fil comprend plusieurs discussions existantes sur le même thème.
MODERATOR NOTE: This thread includes several existing discussions on the same topic.
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## Iznogoud

"Genre" can be used exactly like the word "like" in English when used as a non-word: "He was, like, big, like, you know." = "Il était, genre, grand..." (could be unique to Canada).


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## carolineR

_genre_ on its own doesn't mean anything  are you sure that's what he said ?
and I must say I am not convinced by Iznogoud's explanation


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## Iznogoud

carolineR said:


> _genre_ on its own doesn't mean anything


 
That's right: _genre_ can be used as a non-word, just like "like" in English. It's entirely possible that this construct is an anglicism that is unique to Canada.


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## frodon

"Genre!" is a very informal word.

You would reply "genre" to someone who is (in a nice way) making fun of you or someone you won't believe

e.g: - "J'ai trouvé un billet de 50 eur dans la rue. "
and the other personn would say - " Genre!" a synomym would be " c'est ca!..."

(very bad example ...I know)


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## julage

That makes sense frodon... he would have been saying to me "sure you don't stay in front of the mirror..." like he didn't believe me... and to make fun of me.  that makes sense.  Thanks!


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## frodon

your welcome! 

don't use "Genre!" too often!

it's not a nice word in French. Only "young " people would use it between themselves . 

it is a very familiar expression


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## metronum

"distille" complétement d'accord avec toi 

En gros c'est : 
genre = tu te la raconte.


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## Nicomon

metronum said:


> "distille" complétement d'accord avec toi
> 
> En gros c'est :
> genre = tu te la raconte.


 
I can confirm that in Québec, teenagers use "genre" to mean "comme" (like)... and they use it a lot. 
I'm curious about "tu te la racontes"; is it a more "up to date" way of saying "À d'autres" ?


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## metronum

ex :
_J'étais avec une meuf de dingue hier.
_Genre ! Tu te la raconte enfaite.

Its a way to say you are lying about sm.
You also can use it to say "like me" (genre moi)

But as "julage" asked it seem to mean more like I said.
"She said she didn't spend time front of the mirror"
But obviously she did then he replied 
-"*genre" *_tu passes pas pas ton temps devant le miroir"_


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## RuK

Genre, when used as a one-word sentence, means "As if."


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## JamesM

frodon said:


> You would reply "genre" to someone who is (in a nice way) making fun of you or someone you won't believe
> 
> e.g: - "J'ai trouvé un billet de 50 eur dans la rue. "
> and the other personn would say - " Genre!" a synomym would be " c'est ca!..."


This description sounds like "genre" is used in the same way that "as if!" is used by (some) teenagers in California. 

An older, more common phrase would "I'm sure!" (meaning I'm sure that's *not* true.)


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## geve

RuK said:


> Genre, when used as a one-word sentence, means "As if."





JamesM said:


> This description sounds like "genre" is used in the same way that "as if!" is used by (some) teenagers in California.


That's what I thought when I read the original post: "As if!", and maybe "Yeah, right", what do you think?

The good thing with "Genre!" is that you can lenghten the nasalized "en" and insist on the R - the sound of it conveys sarcasm too...


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## equilingual

Iznogoud said:


> "Genre" can be used exactly like the word "like" in English when used as a non-word: "He was, like, big, like, you know." = "Il était, genre, grand..." (could be unique to Canada).


 
I beg to differ, CarolineR.
Tout à fait d'accord avec Iznogoud. « Genre » se traduit exactement par « Like » en langage jeune (or teen slang). S'utilise beaucoup en France, notamment.


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## CoverG

Genre = yeah right!


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## equilingual

Yes, these expressions (as if; yeah, right!) are used by many young people in North America. 
"Like" is used as a "punctuation mark" in loose speech, e.g.: "I was, like, totally stoked!"


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## equilingual

equilingual said:


> Yes, these expressions (as if; yeah, right!) are used by many young people in North America.
> "Like" is used as a "punctuation mark" in loose speech, e.g.: "I was, like, totally stoked!"


 
Juste pour ajouter qu'au Canada (en tout cas en Acadie), on entend « comme » chez les jeunes Francophones; p. ex. : « Il était, comme, assez grand ».


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## fweym

Not sure if people will still look at this thread but I can confirm that people my age (teenagers) at the lycée francais de londres use genre like Iznogoud says, like "like" in English
par exemple 
"Y avait du monde?"
"Ouai genre 300 personnes!"

mais je reconnais que c'est tres familier et peut-etre que ca ne se dit pas en France, ché pas koi


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## Agnès. H

I would say "Yeah Right!".


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## enJoanet

Hi!
I'd like to have your opinion regarding how _genre_ ought to be translated in the sentences below...In all these cases, "genre" isn't used as a synonym for "sex" nor does it refer to the artistic genres...

_-"Il s'est précipité sur les verres et en a cassé deux! Genre, il aurait pu faire attention..."_
_-"Genre dépêche-toi un peu: on est déjà en retard!"_
_-"Genre t'en penses quoi?"_


This very idiomatic use of _genre_ confuses me quite a lot...I could really use some help...!


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## dewsy

Hi there

I have noticed my 10 year old daughter using this ALL the time and it drives me mad. I think the closest you can get to it in English would be

"Yeah, like...." or even just "Like...."


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## enJoanet

Yep...
Young people  use it quite a lot...and it drives me crazy too that I can't find any proper translation...Interessingly enough, it would be really easy for me to translate it into Spanish, where people use a totally different word all the while expressing the exact same idea!!!
maddening, isn'it!!


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## wildan1

Yes, it's (very annoyingly) _Like,... _

Americans under 30 have adopted this word sometimes to the point of the ridiculous! It appears at the beginning as well as stuck into possibly every other word in conversation.

_So, like yesterday I was like waiting for the bus when she like came up to me and was like, "are you gonna like come with us to the party?"..._ etc...

Personally I would not suggest emulating this if you want to have any appearance of intelligence...


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## Chrysalila

Hi, 
c'est une expression chez les jeunes mais ça ne veut rien dire de spécial, c'est juste un mot "parasite". Je ne crois pas qu'il y ait d'équivalent anglais. Vos pouvez traduire les phrases comme si ce mot n'était pas là, dans ce type de phrase.


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## Jad

JamesM said:


> This description sounds like "genre" is used in the same way that "as if!" is used by (some) teenagers in California.


 
It's also used in the UK, except to me it almost sounds a bit dated (I'm 18!) like 1990's, but I could be wrong. There was a successful British teen series called _As_ _If_ that ran from 2001 - 2004, so we're well aware of what it means. On the other hand, an American version was made in 2002 but it was so unsuccessful that only 2 episodes went out. Anyway  

Maybe other possible translations of "genre" in this context (or what I'd use anyway) are.... *"whatever!"* or *"I bet!"*


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## Amaranta Remedios

I would definitely translate it as 'yeah right!'. I've heard people say it in France (not in a serious way though, just to imitate some teenage trends in a funny way). I think it just means 'I'm sure what you're saying is not true' and adds sarcasm.


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## wildan1

I think in AE the boyfriend would have said _Whatever...!_ (also a recent expression popular with younger people--but not limited to them in its use)


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## manska86

Can you say, _un truc du genre_?


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## delphine78

it actually can be translated by "yeah right!" or "as if"


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## gargantua's handkerchief

Genre: yeah right, whatever, yeah sure, whatever you say.


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## midlifecrisis

I'm finding 'social media French' a challenge - lots of elliptical phrases that defy word by word translation!  I've seen 'non mais genre' (as a standalone phrase) a few times; at least once it seemed to be in the context of a jokey denial, perhaps like 'as if' ?


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## Salvatos

C'est le genre de formulation qui ne veut pas dire grand-chose en soi, donc difficile à traduire sans contexte.


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## MarieChp

Basically we say it before explaining something but the meaning of this expression isn't really clear.


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## midlifecrisis

ah, thanks - so similar to 'Like, ..' or 'But like, ..' in informal English then.  these little 'filler' expressions are always the hardest!


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## Itisi

I think of it as 'kind of'...


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## littlepond

So, is there a good idiomatic English translation for "genre" (used when the other person doesn't believe you or finds it hard to believe something)?

For example, "Tu sais quoi, je rencontre Bill Gates ce soir." -"Genre !"

I don't think "Whatever!" really translates this kind of "Genre !".

Thanks in advance!


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## Uncle Bob

Often in BE one would use what may well be an americanism: "Sure thing".

More formally (and old fashioned) there is: "Of course, my Dear" (with an unconvinced tone of voice).


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## mag.g

In THIS context : You wish ! (exactly the "yeah, right" spirit which is not conveyed by "sure thing")


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## Uncle Bob

mag.g said:


> In THIS context : You wish ! (exactly the "yeah, right" spirit which is not conveyed by "sure thing")



You are forgetting the understatement/hypocrisy aspect of BE.


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## mag.g

You have to chose between enhancing the notion of confrontation or irony according to the context/speaker.
genre/du style/zarma challenge the other, make fun of him openly. Which is more the mediterranean way to bicker and banter. We rarely go with sweet derision (but that would be the BE humour, indeed) when we use this kind of language in everyday life. Some people, however will use it to make fun of the young suburban language at the same time that they make fun of the other (like using Yo! in english).


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