French Conversation · Level 27
90 words
French word
castagne
Pronunciation
IPA/kastaɲ/
Meaning
- feminine nounfight
Example
Ils ont eu une castagne hier soir.
They had a fight last night.
More examples
Il a tenté d'éviter la castagne en quittant la fête.
He tried to avoid the fight by leaving the party.
Core concept
Fists and heavy hits flying back and forth in a violent brawl.
Common phrases
grosse castagne
big brawl
finir en castagne
end in a fight
éviter la castagne
avoid a fight
Similar words
bagarre: A physical fight or brawl involving several people.
baston: A casual term for a violent fistfight.
raclée: A severe beating that leaves someone badly defeated.
Definition in French
Désigne une bagarre violente; le mot peut aussi évoquer un coup donné lors de l'affrontement.
Word origin
French castagne uses the chestnut word castagne figuratively for a hard impact, and this blow sense extended to the whole fight.
Usage tips
- Castagne is familiar and suits informal speech, while bagarre is a safer neutral choice for formal descriptions.