The phrase that lets you swear with a side of faux sophistication. Here's the backstory, served with a wink: 😜
“Pardon
My French” Explained (No Berets Required)
Originally, in the 19th century,
British speakers would sprinkle French phrases into conversation to sound posh
or worldly. But since not everyone understood French, they’d apologize—“Excuse
my French”—to avoid sounding pretentious.
Fast forward to modern times,
and the phrase took a sharp left turn. Now it’s used to apologize for
profanity, not actual French. So, when someone says, “Pardon my
French, but this meeting is a circus,” they’re not quoting
Molière—they’re just trying to soften the blow of their verbal eyeroll.
It’s a linguistic fig leaf. A
polite shrug. A way to say, “Yes, I swore—but I did it with flair.” 😉
Fun Fact:
In France, they don’t say “Pardon my English” when they curse. They just curse. Elegantly. 🤣
- Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Pardon my French. Wikipedia. Retrieved September 8, 2025, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pardon_my_French
- Melissa. (2013, October 8). How the tradition of saying “Pardon My French” after saying swear words started. Today I Found Out. Retrieved September 8, 2025, from https://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2013/10/tradition-saying-pardon-french-saying-swear-words-started/
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