Quebec French has a distinctive system of swear words called sacres. Many come from Catholic worship, reflecting the Church’s historical authority in Quebec. This guide is for understanding what you hear—not a suggestion to use strong language with strangers.
Tabarnak
Derived from tabernacle. It is one of the strongest and most recognizable Quebec sacres and can express anger, shock or emphasis. Read our full guide to the meaning of tabarnak.
Câlice
Derived from calice, meaning chalice. It can be used alone or combined with other sacres and is generally strong.
Ostie or hostie
Derived from the Eucharistic host. Spellings vary to reflect pronunciation. Our guide to ostie explains it in more detail.
Crisse
Derived from Christ. It is used for anger, frustration or emphasis and can also appear as a verb in colloquial speech.
Sacrament, ciboire and calvaire
These words come from sacrament, ciborium and Calvary. Their force depends on tone, combination and speaker, but they are not harmless tourist slang.
Marde and viarge
Marde is a Quebec pronunciation of merde. Viarge is associated with Vierge, referring to the Virgin Mary. Both can sound coarse.
What about “sacré bleu”?
Sacré bleu is associated with old-fashioned or stereotyped French and is not a normal modern Quebec substitute for sacres. See our article on whether sacré bleu is offensive.
Use and intensity
- Context and tone can change the force dramatically.
- Combinations can be much stronger than one word.
- A joking use among friends does not make the word safe at work or with strangers.
- Visitors are better off understanding these words than performing them.