French Conversation · Level 60
75 words
French word
bobo
Pronunciation
IPA/bobo/
Meaning
- masculine nounboo-boo
Example
Il a un bobo au genou.
He has a boo-boo on his knee.
More examples
La mère soigne le bobo de son enfant avec un pansement.
The mother treats her child's boo-boo with a bandage.
Core concept
A small, non-serious hurt that can be felt as a bruise, scrape, or brief ache.
Common phrases
avoir un bobo
have a boo-boo
faire un bobo
get a boo-boo
soigner un bobo
treat a boo-boo
Similar words
blessure: A wound or other physical damage to the body.
coupure: A cut caused by a sharp object.
égratignure: A shallow injury caused by scratching.
bleu: A bruise caused by bleeding under the skin.
Definition in French
Mot enfantin et familier qui désigne une égratignure, un bleu ou une douleur passagère, employé aussi par les adultes de façon familière.
Word origin
The repeated syllables of bobo reflect a child-language formation, and French usage settled on this form for small injuries and temporary pain.
Usage tips
- The spelling bobo also denotes a bourgeois-bohemian person in another familiar sense, so context distinguishes that use from the injury sense.