French · Words You'll Hear But Must Never Say
Nègre / négro
NAY-groh · /ne.gʁo/
Racial slur for a Black person
nuclear/taboo — comprehension only, never recommended
Literally
"(racial slur; 'nègre' also survives in some dated non-slur idioms)"
Word-for-word — which is rarely what it means.
How to use it
Listed for comprehension, never for use. A racial slur against Black people; the form "négro" appears in some rap and in-group speech, but as an outsider you treat the whole family as untouchable. (Historical footnote, not a loophole: "nègre" once meant a ghostwriter — "le nègre d'un auteur" — but that usage is now widely condemned and being retired.) Say "noir/noire."
Heard in the wild
(a racial slur; quoted only, never directed at anyone)
(comprehension only — do not repeat)
Where it lands
France; racial slur — comprehension only
Quick answers
- What does "Nègre / négro" mean?
- In French, "Nègre / négro" means "Racial slur for a Black person". Literally it's "(racial slur; 'nègre' also survives in some dated non-slur idioms)". Listed for comprehension, never for use. A racial slur against Black people; the form "négro" appears in some rap and in-group speech, but as an outsider you treat the whole family as untouchable. (Historical footnote, not a loophole: "nègre" once meant a ghostwriter — "le nègre d'un auteur" — but that usage is now widely condemned and being retired.) Say "noir/noire."
- Is "Nègre / négro" offensive?
- Yes — very. It rates 5/5 on the Punch-o-Meter (Do not deploy). nuclear/taboo — comprehension only, never recommended. Read the usage note before you even think about it.
- How do you pronounce "Nègre / négro"?
- Say it "NAY-groh" — capitals mark the stressed syllable. In IPA: ne.gʁo.
Related in French
Reviewed by native speakers. Rate it differently? Tell us what we got wrong.