foutre en l'air
What does “foutre en l'air” mean in English?
It means to ruin, waste, or wreck something. The literal translation is 'throw in the air.'
Literally “throw in the air”
This phrase is used similarly to 'screw up' or 'mess up' in English. It can be informal and might have sexual connotations depending on the context.
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Related French words
foutre la paix
3/5 · VulgarIt means to leave someone alone, expressed in a rough manner. The literal translation is 'give peace,' but that's not how it's used.
foutre le camp
3/5 · VulgarIt means to go away or clear off, said in a rough manner. The literal translation is 'leave the camp.'
foutre
3/5 · VulgarIt primarily means to do, put, or give, often in a vulgar context. Literally, it translates to 'semen,' but that’s not how it’s usually used in conversation.
foutage de gueule
3/5 · VulgarIt refers to mockery or taking the piss out of someone, often with a sense of contempt. It's used when someone feels deceived or tricked.
About this data
Swear Atlas is a source-attested, AI-curated reference — not a native-speaker-certified dictionary. Meanings and the 1–5 Burn Rating are approximate editorial assessments that vary with context, region, tone and speaker. Inclusion of a word does not constitute endorsement of its use.
The literal gloss is a short editorial translation to show word-for-word sense, not an etymological claim.
“Sounds like” is an English-friendly approximation of how the word sounds, not an authoritative pronunciation. Where shown, the romanisation is a conventional Latin-script transliteration of the original spelling.
Term attested via Viddexa SafeText (MIT). Editorial content © Swear Atlas.