French word

bagnole

Pronunciation

IPA/baɲɔl/

Meaning

  • feminine nouncar

Example

Il a garé sa bagnole devant le café.

He parked his car in front of the cafe.

Illustration for bagnole (car)

More examples

Il va acheter une bagnole ce week-end.

He is going to buy a car this weekend.

Core concept

A familiar car pictured as a rough, unimpressive machine.

Common phrases

  • acheter une bagnole

    buy a car

  • réparer la bagnole

    repair the car

  • conduire une bagnole

    drive a car

Similar words

voiture: The common standard word for an everyday passenger car.
auto: An informal shortened word for a car.
caisse: A slang term for a car with a fond or lightly dismissive tone.
tacot: A run-down old car that looks bad or works unreliably.

Definition in French

Voiture, terme familier pour une automobile, avec souvent une connotation de vétusté ou de médiocrité.

Word origin

The late-nineteenth-century noun bagnole belongs to colloquial French, while its exact etymological source is not established.

Usage tips

  • Bagnole is more familiar and expressive than voiture and can sound affectionate, dismissive, or insulting depending on context.

Other meanings

  • jalopynoun

Opposites

  • voiture de luxeluxury carnoun

Word lists with this word