French Word of the Day: Balles
Context is very important for this word, especially if someone asks you if you have any of these.
Why do I need to know Balles ?
Because someone might ask you how many of these you spent on dinner.
What does it mean?
Balles – pronounced bahl – has two primary definitions. If you look up this word in a French dictionary you will see that it means ‘bullet’ - as in the metal projectile that is fired from a weapon. But, unless you are a hunter, your friends enjoy discussing firearms or you enjoy true crime stories, you will likely hear this word used in a very different context: as a substitute for Euro.
Similar to English terms like bucks, smackers or quid, balles (plural) means money.
It is a slang term, and is mostly used amongst young people or in informal settings. Originally, the term was interchangeable with a Franc (former French currency) and then transferred to Euro when France adopted the single currency in 1999.
Though a slang term, the word itself goes back quite a long ways. Une balle also refers to a ball that bounces or can be used in games; or generally a spherical ball. As the word first came into use in the 1600s, some linguists think that this definition is how the word came to signify money - as coins were spherical objects with faces on them. This would assume that its other meaning as a bullet has little to do with the financial side of the word.
Some linguists think that it comes from another word entirely - bale - which means bundle, and can be used to mean ‘package.’
Nevertheless, the word has been used for centuries to talk about the currency of the day. It has survived the old franc, the new franc, and the Euro.
Take the French translation of the 1975 film about the Great Depression “Brother, can you spare a dime” for example. It became “T'as pas 100 balles?” as 100 Francs at the time were about equivalent to a dime.
Balles is still commonly used, though a new slang term for Euro, Boule, is slowly creeping into popular use, while balles can also sometimes be used to reference drugs.
Use it like this
Le dîner était vraiment bon marché. Ça m'a coûté que cinq balles. – The dinner was really cheap. It only cost me five bucks.
T’as 15 balles? J’ai oublié mon portefeuille chez moi. – Do you have 15 quid? I forgot my wallet at home.
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See Also
Why do I need to know Balles ?
Because someone might ask you how many of these you spent on dinner.
What does it mean?
Balles – pronounced bahl – has two primary definitions. If you look up this word in a French dictionary you will see that it means ‘bullet’ - as in the metal projectile that is fired from a weapon. But, unless you are a hunter, your friends enjoy discussing firearms or you enjoy true crime stories, you will likely hear this word used in a very different context: as a substitute for Euro.
Similar to English terms like bucks, smackers or quid, balles (plural) means money.
It is a slang term, and is mostly used amongst young people or in informal settings. Originally, the term was interchangeable with a Franc (former French currency) and then transferred to Euro when France adopted the single currency in 1999.
Though a slang term, the word itself goes back quite a long ways. Une balle also refers to a ball that bounces or can be used in games; or generally a spherical ball. As the word first came into use in the 1600s, some linguists think that this definition is how the word came to signify money - as coins were spherical objects with faces on them. This would assume that its other meaning as a bullet has little to do with the financial side of the word.
Some linguists think that it comes from another word entirely - bale - which means bundle, and can be used to mean ‘package.’
Nevertheless, the word has been used for centuries to talk about the currency of the day. It has survived the old franc, the new franc, and the Euro.
Take the French translation of the 1975 film about the Great Depression “Brother, can you spare a dime” for example. It became “T'as pas 100 balles?” as 100 Francs at the time were about equivalent to a dime.
Balles is still commonly used, though a new slang term for Euro, Boule, is slowly creeping into popular use, while balles can also sometimes be used to reference drugs.
Use it like this
Le dîner était vraiment bon marché. Ça m'a coûté que cinq balles. – The dinner was really cheap. It only cost me five bucks.
T’as 15 balles? J’ai oublié mon portefeuille chez moi. – Do you have 15 quid? I forgot my wallet at home.
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