Why do I need to know bla-bla? 

Because we all know someone who loves to waffle on. 

What does it mean? 

Bla-bla, sometimes written blabla and always pronounced blah-blah, has a number of definitions. 

The first is the similar to that used in English. Bla-bla can be used to mean an incoherent rambling of words that don’t really lead anywhere or carry any weight. 

Ce n’est que du bla-bla – It is just nonsense/gibberish 

In a similar vein, the term can be used to talk about lies, deceit or misleading language. 

Préviens-moi quand tu auras fini ton bla-bla – Let me know when you have finished with your bullshit 

Le discours du président n’est rien que du bla-bla – The President’s speech was nothing but lies 

Another use of the term bla-bla, which we don’t really use in English, is to mean chitchat or friendly conversation. 

A number of French supermarkets have introduced blabla caisses, or chitchat checkouts, where shoppers who want to take their time and have a chat with supermarket staff while paying for their goods are free to do so. 

READ MORE French supermarkets open ‘chitchat checkouts’ to counter loneliness

La blabla caisse ralentit la cadence – The chitchat checkout slows down the pace

Ces blabla caisses autorisent les clients à prendre leur temps et faire un brin de causette – These chit chat checkouts allow clients to take their time and have a little conversation 

There is a ride-sharing company in France known as Blablacar. On their profile, drivers describe how chatty they are, with bla meaning not very chatty, bla bla meaning sometimes chatty and blablabla meaning very chatty. 

Synonyms

Bagou – Guff/glibness 

Baratin – Bullshit/claptrap/waffle 

Bavardage – Prattle 

Battage – Hype

Causer – To chat 

Verbiage – Waffle