French Word of the Day: Bordéliser
This French expression is not the kindest, but it will certainly get your point across.
Why do I need to know bordéliser?
Because when things feel chaotic, you might want to use this word.
What does it mean?
Bordéliser – roughly pronounced bore-del-ee-zay – comes from the swear word “bordel” which means brothel.
In popular usage, bordel is used to describe a mess or a chaotic environment, and bordéliser turns the bordel into a verb - meaning to make or create disorder, disaster or chaos.
During periods of unrest in France, you may hear people blame one group for causing the problem by using this expression. Keep in mind that bordéliser is not polite language - the English equivalent might be to “fuck (or screw) something up”.
One popular theory says that the root word bordel comes from medieval French - at the time, sex workers were explicitly not allowed to work near the ports, so they were relegated to wooden huts or small houses - or bordes, in French - away from the city.
You may also hear another French expression that uses the same root word: “c’est le bordel”.
This literally translates to “it’s a brothel” but it is used to describe a situation that's untidy, messy or chaotic, both literally and figuratively as in 'what a bloody mess!' or 'it's mayhem!' or 'what a disaster!'
Use it like this
Le militant accuse le gouvernement de bordéliser le pays avec sa réforme impopulaire. – The activist accuses the government of "fucking up" the country with its unpopular reform.
Tu as bordélisé l'appartement et notre dynamique de colocation en achetant le singe comme animal de compagnie. Qu'est-ce qui t'a pris ? – You have screwed up the apartment and our roommate dynamic by buying the monkey as a pet. What were you thinking?
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Why do I need to know bordéliser?
Because when things feel chaotic, you might want to use this word.
What does it mean?
Bordéliser – roughly pronounced bore-del-ee-zay – comes from the swear word “bordel” which means brothel.
In popular usage, bordel is used to describe a mess or a chaotic environment, and bordéliser turns the bordel into a verb - meaning to make or create disorder, disaster or chaos.
During periods of unrest in France, you may hear people blame one group for causing the problem by using this expression. Keep in mind that bordéliser is not polite language - the English equivalent might be to “fuck (or screw) something up”.
One popular theory says that the root word bordel comes from medieval French - at the time, sex workers were explicitly not allowed to work near the ports, so they were relegated to wooden huts or small houses - or bordes, in French - away from the city.
You may also hear another French expression that uses the same root word: “c’est le bordel”.
This literally translates to “it’s a brothel” but it is used to describe a situation that's untidy, messy or chaotic, both literally and figuratively as in 'what a bloody mess!' or 'it's mayhem!' or 'what a disaster!'
Use it like this
Le militant accuse le gouvernement de bordéliser le pays avec sa réforme impopulaire. – The activist accuses the government of "fucking up" the country with its unpopular reform.
Tu as bordélisé l'appartement et notre dynamique de colocation en achetant le singe comme animal de compagnie. Qu'est-ce qui t'a pris ? – You have screwed up the apartment and our roommate dynamic by buying the monkey as a pet. What were you thinking?
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