La chatte

MaxC1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

La chatte

I am surprised that is listed without a black label warning...........................

Chatte is "pussy" in English with the same in your face sexual connotation attached to both. In polite conversation with a proper Frenchman your female cat is always a but when using a pronoun. Educated (et éduqués, i.e. properly brought up, another matter entirely) middle-class Frenchman never use , unless for some reason they wish to be vulgar. 

To wit: when I visit a French friend (male or female) and ask where her female cat is, I say , and she answers has gone the way on PUSSY in English, which admittedly may refer to any cat, a distinction without present consequence IMO. "Pussy" and are best left in the locker room, my friends. I never use either and get along just fine in locker rooms and drawing rooms. While I'm at it, there is not word in English for a female cat - you're female cat is, well, just a female cat. Mine is whining just now over imagined wrongs, so I'll get off whilst I'm ahead. Ciao!

Asked 2 years ago
CélineKwiziq team memberCorrect answer

Bonjour Max,

There is absolutely nothing wrong with using the word 'chatte' when talking about a female cat. It clearly depends on the context. I invite you to read a previous discussion on the matter here: the-female-for-a-cat

I hope this is helpful.

Bonne journée !

MaartenC1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

I had trouble deciphering this post, but for those left wondering how to talk about cats in polite, safe ways, here is a link to practical useful information on this topic (covers a number of good expressions too) : https://www.frenchtoday.com/blog/french-vocabulary/french-cat/ 

Used carefully, “la/une chatte” is still acceptable, but to avoid embarrassment in everyday situations it is safer, to use “la/une minette” to refer specifically to a female cat.

La chatte

I am surprised that is listed without a black label warning...........................

Chatte is "pussy" in English with the same in your face sexual connotation attached to both. In polite conversation with a proper Frenchman your female cat is always a but when using a pronoun. Educated (et éduqués, i.e. properly brought up, another matter entirely) middle-class Frenchman never use , unless for some reason they wish to be vulgar. 

To wit: when I visit a French friend (male or female) and ask where her female cat is, I say , and she answers has gone the way on PUSSY in English, which admittedly may refer to any cat, a distinction without present consequence IMO. "Pussy" and are best left in the locker room, my friends. I never use either and get along just fine in locker rooms and drawing rooms. While I'm at it, there is not word in English for a female cat - you're female cat is, well, just a female cat. Mine is whining just now over imagined wrongs, so I'll get off whilst I'm ahead. Ciao!

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