tabarnak
What does “tabarnak” mean in English?
This is a strong exclamation in Quebec French, often used to express anger or frustration. It literally means 'tabernacle,' referencing a religious context, but it's used much more for its emotional impact.
Literally “tabernacle”
You'd encounter it similarly to how you'd use 'fuck' in English, typically as an exclamation rather than directed at someone. It's a significant swear in Quebec, with variations in spelling and usage.
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Related French words
câlisse
4/5 · StrongIt's a Quebecois exclamation similar to saying 'fuck' or 'damn'. The word literally means 'chalice', but that's not how it's used in this context.
osti
4/5 · StrongThis is a Québec French exclamation that can express surprise, anger, or frustration. It literally refers to a communion host, but it’s used more as a strong intensifier in everyday speech.
calvaire
3/5 · VulgarThis is a French exclamation used in Quebec to express frustration, similar to saying 'for Christ's sake' in English. Literally, it refers to Calvary, the site of Christ's crucifixion.
crisse
4/5 · StrongThis is a Quebecois swear that serves as an intensifier, often used to express frustration or anger. It literally translates to 'Christ.'
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.