French · Insults (Aimed at a Person)
Branleur !
brahn-LUHR · /bʁɑ̃.lœʁ/
Wanker / lazy waster / slacker
3/5 Watch your audience
genuinely rude; friends only, never at work
Literally
"One who masturbates (from 'branler')"
Word-for-word — which is rarely what it means.
How to use it
Like British "wanker," but the working sense is usually "idle good-for-nothing" rather than "unpleasant person" — a "petit branleur" is a lazy little punk who does nothing. "Rien à branler" ("nothing to wank") means "couldn't care less." Coarse, friends-and-frustration register.
Heard in the wild
Ce petit branleur n'a rien foutu de la journée.
That little slacker did jack all day.
Where it lands
France (universal)
Quick answers
- What does "Branleur !" mean?
- In French, "Branleur !" means "Wanker / lazy waster / slacker". Literally it's "One who masturbates (from 'branler')". Like British "wanker," but the working sense is usually "idle good-for-nothing" rather than "unpleasant person" — a "petit branleur" is a lazy little punk who does nothing. "Rien à branler" ("nothing to wank") means "couldn't care less." Coarse, friends-and-frustration register.
- Is "Branleur !" offensive?
- It's genuinely rude — a 3/5 (Watch your audience) on the Punch-o-Meter. Fine among friends, never at work or with people you've just met.
- How do you pronounce "Branleur !"?
- Say it "brahn-LUHR" — capitals mark the stressed syllable. In IPA: bʁɑ̃.lœʁ.
Related in French
Con KOHN Idiot / dumbass — the single most useful insult in French Ta gueule ! ta GUHL Shut up! / Shut your mouth! Connard ! kon-AR Asshole / bastard Enculé ! ahn-koo-LAY Motherf***er / bastard (one of the hardest personal insults) Salope ! sa-LOP Bitch / slut (aimed at a woman) Fils de pute ! fees duh POOT Son of a bitch
The same idea, elsewhere
Via concepts like "You idiot".
- German Arsch Arse / ass — and the second great compound-engine of German
- Greek μαλάκας Asshole / idiot — OR — dude / mate. The single most important word in Greek.
- Italian Stronzo! Asshole! / Bastard!
- Japanese ばか Idiot / dummy / stupid
- Korean 바보 Dummy / silly — the soft, safe, often affectionate 'idiot.'
- Polish debil Moron / idiot — the standard hard 'you idiot.'
- Portuguese Otário Sucker / gullible fool / mug
- Russian Дурак! Idiot / fool
Reviewed by native speakers. Rate it differently? Tell us what we got wrong.