Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

pardon my french

/ˌpɑɹd(ə)n maɪ ˈfɹɛnt͡ʃ/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.80 in modern English

Syllables
par-don my French
IPA
/ˌpɑɹd(ə)n maɪ ˈfɹɛnt͡ʃ/
30
Scrabble Score
14
Letters
2
Syllables
12
Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To excuse the speaker's frankness of expression or profanity.

Humorous; Intransitive verb

Example Sentences

Etymology

From the use of French to mean “vulgar language”, ostensibly because the words used are not in English.

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /ˌpɑɹd(ə)n maɪ ˈfɹɛnt͡ʃ/
  • British English: /ˌpɑːdn̩ maɪ ˈfɹɛnt͡ʃ/

Usage

Inflected Forms

Phrases

Frequently Paired Words

Synonyms

Rhymes With

Questions

How do you pronounce pardon my french?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˌpɑɹd(ə)n maɪ ˈfɹɛnt͡ʃ/.
What does pardon my french mean?
To excuse the speaker's frankness of expression or profanity.
Where does pardon my french come from?
From the use of French to mean “vulgar language”, ostensibly because the words used are not in English.

How to pronounce pardon my french

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “pardon my french”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˌpɑɹd(ə)n maɪ ˈfɹɛnt͡ʃ/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “pardon my french”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “pardon my french” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.