French Filler Words: euh, bon, alors, du coup, quoi
By Michael McGettrickUpdated 21 October 2026
French speech is full of small words that carry no facts at all, like and . They buy time, change topic, soften, and check the listener is still with you. Textbooks skip them; every conversation uses them. Here is the set, sorted by what each one does.
Quick check
Three quick questions on what you have just read. The full practice is further down.
Pick the right one
0/3Pick the filler that fits the situation.
You start telling a friend about your weekend. Which word opens it?
A friend tells you something surprising. You say:
You have rambled on for a minute and want to cut to the end. You say:
The whole system on one screen
| Job | Fillers |
|---|---|
| Buying time | |
| Starting, moving on | |
| Correcting yourself | |
| Linking, summing up | |
| Checking they follow | |
| Reacting | ?, |
Almost all of them are spoken French. Most are not slang ( and are the casual end), and nobody will think you rude for using them with a friend, but apart from and they do not belong in an essay or a formal email.
- donc
- alors
- bon
- du coup
- ben
- genre
Buying time: euh, ben, bah
The commonest job of all is holding the floor while you think. English says um or well; French has a handful.
| French | English | When |
|---|---|---|
| er, um | while you look for the next word |
| well | starting an answer |
| well, oh well | an answer with a shrug in it |
| let's say | hedging a number or a word |
... .- Um... I don't know.!- Well, yes! (obviously), .- Oh well, it doesn't matter., , .- He's, let's say, forty.
is a long, rounded vowel, not the English um: swapping one for the other is a quick win. is a worn-down (as in ), and does the same job, a shade more offhand.
Starting and moving on: bon, alors, donc
These open a conversation, start a story, or close one topic and move to the next.
| French | English | When |
|---|---|---|
| right, then | closing a topic, deciding |
| so, well then | opening, asking for news |
| so | picking up a thread |
| look, listen | before something firm |
| come on, right then | urging, or leaving |
, ?- Right, shall we go?, ?- So, how are you?, ...- So, as I was saying..., .- Look, I haven't got time., !- Come on, let's go!
here has nothing to do with good: it is a full stop said out loud. is the classic way to wrap up and leave: , . - Right then, I'm off. A bare ? with a rising voice asks for news: so? how did it go?
Correcting and wrapping up: en fait, enfin, du coup, bref, voilà
These steer a story: correct a detail, give the result, cut to the end.
| French | English | When |
|---|---|---|
| actually, in fact | correcting what was assumed |
| I mean, well | correcting yourself |
| so, as a result | giving the result |
| basically, roughly | the short version |
| anyway, in any case | moving past a doubt |
| anyway, long story short | cutting to the end |
| that's it, there you go | closing an explanation |
, .- Actually, I'm not French., , -.- He's twenty, well, nineteen., .- It was raining, so we stayed in., .- Basically, it's over., !- Anyway, thanks!, .- Anyway, we missed the train., .- I'm ill, that's all.
is the filler of the decade: some speakers use it for every so, and some listeners find that grating. In writing, does the same job. said alone, with feeling, is at last! or oh, come on!: ! ! - At last! You're here!
Checking they follow: quoi, hein, tu vois
These usually go at the END of a sentence and ask, more or less, you with me? ( and can open one too.)
| French | English | When |
|---|---|---|
| you know, basically | rounding a sentence off |
| eh?, right? | asking for agreement |
| you see | checking they get the picture |
| you know | sharing something |
, .- It's expensive, basically., ?- It's good, isn't it?, .- It's a long way, you see., .- You know, he's very nice.
With someone you call , the tags are and . And (literally kind, sort) is the young speaker's like: . - It was like midnight. It is very casual: use it with friends of your own age or not at all.
Reacting: ah bon, d'accord, bof, quand même
The listener's half of the conversation: surprise, agreement, a shrug.
| French | English | When |
|---|---|---|
? | really?, oh? | surprise at news |
| , all right | agreeing |
| yeah | casual yes |
| meh, not really | a verbal shrug |
| still, all the same | conceding, or honestly! |
| here; well, well | handing over, or surprise |
| hang on | stopping someone |
| oh dear, wow | dismay or amazement |
. - ?- He's leaving tomorrow. - Really?? .- The film? Meh..- He's nice, all the same., .- Here, there's your coffee., !- Hang on, I'm coming!, !- Oh dear, it's late!
? is usually not doubt, just interest: it keeps the other person talking. ! on its own is a mild protest: honestly!, come on!
Mistakes English speakers make
| Wrong | Right | Why |
|---|---|---|
? | ? | to a stranger, hein is a blunt what? |
? | ? | alone is just as blunt |
, . | . | in writing, sounds chatty |
! (agreeing) | ! | ? is surprise, not agreement |
Fillers are seasoning. One or two in a sentence sound natural; five in a row sounds like a parody.
What to do next
- Swap um for
today, out loud. - Listen for
,andin any French video: you will hear them within a minute. - Read the French slang guide for the casual grammar these words sit in.