Learning French: the origins and meaning of c’est de la daube
Find out how to express dislike in the manner of a native French speaker
La daube is not only a slang phrase but also a Provencal meat stew
AS Foodstudio / Shutterstock
The French are known for their traditional cuisine and frank opinions. This slang phrase mixes both of these themes.
'C’est de la daube' is an informal way of expressing strong dislike.
You can try using it in casual conversation the next time you watch a film that you really do not enjoy.
We will look at what daube means and how its origins were cooked up in 16th century French kitchens.
What does c’est de la daube mean?
This slang phrase is used to express a negative opinion or to describe things of poor quality and little value.
In English, we might replace daube by: rubbish, rotten, trash or crap.
Synonyms in French include:
C’est nul - It is terrible
Ca pue - It stinks
C’est mauvais - It is bad
C’est pas bon - That is not good
Claqué au sol / éclaté au sol - Awful / horrendous (used by ‘young people’)
Today, daube can also refer to a meaty French stew or a bad smell.
Read more: The French are not negative - it is just a (body) language thing
What are the origins of c’est de la daube?
Daube comes from the Italian dobba, borrowed from the Catalan adobar, which means 'to marinate'.
The word became associated with meat dishes through the 16th and 17th Centuries. Cookery books referred to gigotz à la dobe or en adobbe (marinated leg of lamb) and recipes evolved to describe meat stews cooked in sauce, often using red wine.
The verb dauber appeared in the 18th Century, meaning: to prepare a stew. It could also be defined as: to beat up or to ridicule.
Daube was then used in Lyon in the 19th Century to describe spoiled fruit or rotten meat, according to Gaston Esnault in his dictionnaire des argots (slang dictionary).
This leads us to today’s definition: describing something as being rubbish or of bad quality, just like mouldy produce.
When do you say c’est de la daube?
This expression should only be used in informal situations.
You can use it to indicate that you are highly unimpressed by something - particularly a book, film or event:
C’est de la daube ce livre. - This book is really rubbish.
Quelle daube, cette chanson. - What an awful song.
Dauber can also be used to describe something that smells bad:
Read more: How many of these 10 slang French phrases do you know?
To whom do you say c’est de la daube?
It is considered slang, informal language which may cause offence. It should only be used with friends and family, if deemed appropriate.
Polite ways of expressing dislike include:
Ce n’est pas terrible - This is not very good
Ca ne me plaît pas - This does not appeal to me
Ce n’est pas à mon goût - This is not my taste
Ce n’est pas ma tasse de thé - This is not my cup of tea
Read also: Understanding 'ne pas être dans son assiette': origins and usage of a classic French expression
