The French language contains a number of terms and sometimes insults that refer to an animal. Here are a few examples:
Un blaireau (n.m; masculine) / a badger
Un blaireau refers to someone who is insignificant or is a nothing or even ridiculous.
It is also used in the French Military to refer to a new recruit: a newbie if your prefer.
Quel blaireau ce gars !
That bloke is so ridiculous.
Un chien / a dog
un chat / a cat
S'entendre comme chien et chat.
literally: To get on like dog and cat
In English: To be at each other's throats permanently
un chacal / a jackal
Tu sens le chacal literally You smell like a jackal
Prend une douche, tu sens le chacal !
Get a shower, you stink!
Une punaise / a bug or a bed-bug
Punaise! Jeez! / Gosh!
Un requin / a shark
Refers to someone who is unscrupulous in business affairs and is out to win by any means.
Fais gaffe! C’est un requin celui-là !
Beware ! That guy is a shark
Un thon / a tunafish
Used to indicate that a girl is not particularly pretty (not a very nice expression, so beware!)
La vache / The cow
Used to express surprise.
La vache !
an interjection meaning Oh my goodness!
Terms of endearment
Animals are often used in terms of endearment. These are often the equivalent of saying, “love”, “chuck”, “darling”, “honey”, “honeybun”, “poppet”. Here are some examples:
Une biche / a doe
Comment ça va, ma biche? How’s it going, babe?
Une caille / a quail
Salut ma caille! Hi, my quail !
un lapin / a rabbit
Salut mon lapin ! Hi, my rabbit!
La poule / the hen
Salut ma poule ! Hi, chicken ! or Darling! (Not meant to be sexist)
La puce / the flea
Viens là, ma puce ! Come here, my flea ! (or ‘little one’ if you prefer)
Often used for children
