French Expression of the Day: C’est la galère

Why do I need to know c’est la galère?

Because this is an expression that is often used by the French when they've got something to complain about, which, if the cliché is to be believed, happens frequently.

What does it mean?

C'est la galère  – roughly pronounced say lah gal-air – is a French complaint that is frequently rolled out to lament long traffic jams, a never-ending search for a decent apartment, an endless cycle of French paperwork or chaotic school transport.

You will also likely see this phrase across the headlines of several French newspapers right before an especially disruptive strike: "c’est la galère!"

The French use C’est la galère typically in informal settings to describe any ongoing problems they are facing, so the English equivalent would be "It's hell," "it's a mess," or "it's a nightmare."

The word galère alone can be used to mean "hellish", "difficult" or to describe something as a "chore" or a "pain". 

It comes from the verb galérer which means "to struggle" or "to have a hard time/a lot of hassle".

It's slightly casual, but not profane or offensive - transport minister Clément Beaune used it to predict that a strike day would be "un jeudi de galère" (a hellish Thursday).

You may also hear the expression quelle galère!  which means "what a mess!" or "what a nightmare!".

The word "Galère" finds its origins in the old maritime word for "galley" -- the type of ship that uses oars and sails. 

Working on these ships was considered a terrible job because it entailed endless hours of rowing in awful conditions. "La peine des galères" was a punishment that condemned French criminals into forced labour on ships for years on end. 

It’s no wonder, then, that "la galère" has come to describe a feeling of endless struggle. If you are looking for an alternative, you could always say "c'est pénible" (it's gruelling, difficult), or a different expression, like "c'est la bagne" which is synonymous with "c'est le galère".

If you want to say "it's a nightmare" you could also just say "c'est un cauchemar". 

Keep in mind that you can always change the tense of the verb “être” if you want to talk about issues you’ve already struggled through -- "c’était la galère" ("it was hell") or difficult situation that are coming up -- "ça va être la galère" ("it will be a pain"). 

Use it like this

C'est la galère sur les routes du Val-d'Oise – It's hell on the Val d'Oise roads.

On a toujours un long chemin à faire. C’est la galère – We still have a long way to go. What a nightmare.

Tous les trains sont annulés. C'est la galère! – All the trains are cancelled. What a mess!