The most common way to say "to fail" in French is échouer. But just like in English, there are many other ways to express this idea, each with its own specific nuance and context. Even when you're mastering French, sometimes things don't go as planned – a recipe might flop, an attempt might not succeed, or a project could fall through. Knowing how to describe these situations precisely is key to fluent communication. So, let's dive into 9 different ways to say "to fail" in French, helping you expand your vocabulary and express yourself with greater accuracy!

The standard 'to fail' – échouer

The standard “to fail” – échouer

Échouer is the most common and versatile verb for “to fail” in French, covering a wide range of situations from exams to projects.

It’s a regular -er verb, meaning its conjugation follows predictable patterns (e.g., j’échoue, tu échoues, il échoue, nous échouons, vous échouez, ils échouent).

Crucially, échouer uses être as its auxiliary verb in compound tenses (like the passé composé). For instance, 'I failed' is J’ai échoué if referring to something like a boat running aground (transitive/intransitive depending on context), but more commonly Je suis échoué(e) when used reflexively or to mean 'I ended up stranded/washed ashore'. When it means 'to fail an exam/project', it typically uses avoir: J'ai échoué à l'examen or J'ai échoué mon projet. The use of être or avoir can sometimes depend on the nuance, with être often implying a state or result of stranding, and avoir implying the action of failing a task.

When someone fails an exam, a task, an attempt, or an objective, échouer is frequently used. It’s often followed by the preposition à when referring to the thing failed (e.g., échouer à un examen – to fail an exam).

Beyond personal failures, échouer is also used when plans, businesses, projects, or systems don't succeed (e.g., Le projet a échoué – The project failed).

The word échouer originally refers to a boat running aground or being stranded on a shore. This literal meaning extends to its figurative use, implying that something has come to a bad end or been stopped short of its goal, much like a boat stuck on the sand.

A common related expression is faire échouer quelque chose, which means 'to cause something to fail' or 'to sabotage something'.

Échouer generally implies a significant failure, a complete lack of success in an endeavor, rather than a minor setback or simply missing something (for which rater might be used).

💡 * J'espère que je n'échouerai pas à mon examen de français. (I hope I won't fail my French exam.)

• Leur plan a complètement échoué. (Their plan completely failed.)
• Le bateau a échoué sur la plage. (The boat ran aground on the beach.)
• Il a échoué dans sa tentative de record du monde. (He failed in his world record attempt.)
• La grève a fait échouer les négociations. (The strike caused the negotiations to fail.)

To miss or fail (an exam, an attempt) – rater

To miss or fail (an exam, an attempt) – rater

The verb rater is a versatile French verb that primarily means “to miss” or “to fail.” It can apply to a wide range of situations, from missing a train to failing an exam or an attempt.

When rater means “to miss,” it implies failing to catch, reach, or take advantage of something specific. For instance, you can rater un train (miss a train), rater un rendez-vous (miss an appointment), or rater une occasion (miss an opportunity).

When rater means “to fail,” it often refers to an unsuccessful attempt or an unsatisfactory outcome. This is commonly used for exams, tests, or even a dish you’re cooking. You might rater un examen (fail an exam) or rater un plat (mess up a dish).

It's important to distinguish rater from manquer, which can also mean 'to miss.' While manquer often implies missing a person (to miss someone), missing a target (like a ball), or lacking something, rater is more focused on failing to achieve something or missing a specific event/opportunity due to an oversight or poor execution.

Rater is a regular -ER verb, and it conjugates with avoir as its auxiliary verb in compound tenses (e.g., J'ai raté mon bus - I missed my bus).

In essence, rater captures the idea of something not going as planned, whether it's an intended action or a desired outcome, making it a crucial verb for expressing mishaps or failures in French.

💡 * J'ai raté mon bus ce matin. (I missed my bus this morning.)

• Elle a raté son examen de maths. (She failed her math exam.)
• Ne rate pas cette occasion ! (Don't miss this opportunity!)
• Nous avons raté le début du film. (We missed the beginning of the movie.)
• Le chef a raté la sauce. (The chef messed up the sauce.)

4. To miss (an opportunity) or fail (a target) – manquer

The verb manquer in French primarily translates to 'to miss' when referring to an opportunity, an event, a target, or an object. It signifies failing to catch, reach, or take advantage of something.

It's crucial to distinguish this usage from 'to miss a person,' which uses a different construction (manquer à quelqu'un) and implies a feeling of absence or longing. This section focuses solely on manquer in the sense of 'to fail to meet' or 'to fail to achieve'.

When you miss an appointment, a train, a bus, or a chance, manquer is the verb to use. It implies that you failed to be present for or take advantage of something. For example, manquer son train (to miss one's train) or manquer une occasion (to miss an opportunity).

Manquer can also mean 'to fail' a target, a shot, or a goal in a more literal sense. If you're playing a sport and don't hit the target, you manquez le but (you miss the goal).

The phrase manquer de is very common and can have two main meanings: 'to lack' something (e.g., manquer de temps - to lack time, manquer d'argent - to lack money) or 'to almost do something' (e.g., j'ai manqué de tomber - I almost fell).

Manquer is a regular -er verb, so its conjugations follow the standard pattern. It is often used with direct objects for the thing being missed or failed, and with 'de' for expressing lack or a near-miss.

💡 * J'ai manqué mon train ce matin. (I missed my train this morning.)

• Elle a manqué une belle opportunité de promotion. (She missed a great promotion opportunity.)
• Le joueur a manqué le but de peu. (The player narrowly missed the goal.)
• Nous manquons de temps pour finir ce projet. (We are running out of time to finish this project.)
• J'ai manqué de tomber dans l'escalier. (I almost fell down the stairs.)

To make a fiasco or fail spectacularly – faire fiasco

The French expression faire fiasco means "to fail spectacularly" or "to be a complete disaster". It's used when something goes terribly wrong and results in a significant flop.

Literally, faire fiasco translates to "to make a fiasco". Its origin traces back to Italian fare fiasco ("to make a bottle"), which in 18th-century Venetian glassmaking slang signified a failed piece of glasswork, or in theatre, a failed performance.

This idiom is commonly applied to projects, events, plans, or even individuals' attempts that end in utter failure. It carries a strong connotation of public or noticeable failure, often with an element of embarrassment or disappointment.

As faire is an irregular verb, its conjugation will adapt to the subject and tense, while fiasco remains a singular, masculine noun, invariable in this expression.

💡 * Leur projet a fait fiasco. (Their project was a fiasco / failed spectacularly.)

• La fête d'anniversaire a fait fiasco à cause de la pluie. (The birthday party was a disaster because of the rain.)
• Son discours a fait fiasco ; personne n'a compris son message. (His speech was a fiasco; no one understood his message.)
• Malgré tous nos efforts, la pièce de théâtre a fait fiasco. (Despite all our efforts, the play was a flop.)
• J'espère que notre plan ne fera pas fiasco. (I hope our plan won't fail spectacularly.)

To not succeed (a more polite way to say 'fail') – ne pas réussir

When you want to express the idea of 'failing' in French, but wish to do so with more politeness or nuance, the phrase ne pas réussir is your go-to option. It literally translates to 'not to succeed.'

This phrase combines the standard French negation ne...pas with the verb réussir, which means 'to succeed' or 'to pass.' Therefore, its core meaning is simply 'to not achieve success.'

While the verb échouer also means 'to fail,' it often carries a stronger, more definitive, and sometimes harsher connotation of outright failure. Ne pas réussir offers a softer, more diplomatic way to convey the same outcome, focusing on the absence of success rather than a definitive defeat.

You can use ne pas réussir in various contexts, from academic results to personal endeavors or professional projects. It's particularly useful when discussing sensitive situations where a direct 'failure' might sound too blunt.

This phrase highlights the lack of a successful outcome rather than attributing fault or emphasizing a complete collapse. It's a way of saying 'it didn't work out' or 'they didn't manage to achieve it.'

💡 * Il n'a pas réussi son examen. (He didn't succeed in his exam / He failed his exam.)

• Nous n'avons pas réussi à ouvrir la porte. (We didn't manage to open the door.)
• Elle ne réussit jamais à se lever tôt. (She never manages to wake up early.)
• Malheureusement, le projet n'a pas réussi. (Unfortunately, the project didn't succeed.)
• Si tu ne travailles pas, tu ne réussiras pas. (If you don't work, you won't succeed.)

To fail (an exam or test, informal) – plaquer

While plaquer literally means 'to stick down' or 'to tackle' (in sports), in informal French, especially among students, it takes on the meaning of 'to fail' an exam or test.

This slang term is commonly used to describe failing an academic assessment, a specific exam, or even a driving test. It implies a definitive failure rather than just missing a deadline.

Unlike the more formal verbs like échouer (to fail) or rater (to miss/fail, but can also mean 'to miss a bus'), plaquer carries a distinctly casual and often self-deprecating tone.

You'll most often hear plaquer used by young people, particularly high school or university students, when discussing their academic performance with peers.

It's best reserved for informal conversations with friends or classmates. Avoid using it in formal academic settings or when speaking with professors or employers.

💡 * J'ai plaqué mon examen de maths. (I failed my math exam.)

• Il a plaqué son permis de conduire. (He failed his driving test.)
• Ne t'inquiète pas si tu plaques, tu pourras le repasser. (Don't worry if you fail, you can retake it.)
• Beaucoup d'étudiants plaquent la première année de médecine. (Many students fail the first year of medicine.)

To screw up or fail completely (informal/slang) – se planter

The informal French verb se planter literally means 'to plant oneself' or 'to stick oneself somewhere,' but colloquially, it means 'to screw up,' 'to fail completely,' or 'to mess up.' It's a common slang expression to describe a significant failure or mistake.

As a reflexive verb, se planter emphasizes the subject's role in the failure. It's frequently used in casual conversations to talk about mistakes, botched attempts, or poor performances, often with a self-deprecating or slightly exasperated tone. It implies a noticeable and often embarrassing failure.

You'll often hear se planter when discussing exams, presentations, driving tests, or any situation where one could make a critical error. For example, se planter à un examen means 'to fail an exam badly,' and se planter sur la route could mean 'to make a serious driving mistake' or 'to crash'.

💡 * J'ai complètement planté mon examen de maths. (I completely screwed up my math exam.)

• Il s'est planté en beauté lors de sa présentation. (He totally messed up his presentation.)
• Ne t'inquiète pas, ça arrive de se planter. (Don't worry, screwing up happens.)
• Si je me plante encore, je ne pourrai pas obtenir mon permis. (If I fail again, I won't be able to get my license.)

To fail or go wrong (often for plans or projects) – capoter

The French verb capoter primarily means "to fail" or "to go wrong," especially when referring to plans, projects, or situations that suddenly collapse.

Literally, capoter means "to capsize" (for a boat). Figuratively, this image extends to ideas or efforts, implying they have "flipped over" and failed spectacularly or unexpectedly.

You'll often hear capoter used when discussing business ventures, political initiatives, personal plans, or events that don't materialize as intended, implying a significant, often unrecoverable, failure.

💡 * Le projet a capoté à cause d'un manque de financement. (The project failed due to a lack of funding.)

• Nos vacances ont capoté à la dernière minute. (Our vacation fell through at the last minute.)
• Son plan pour la soirée a complètement capoté. (His plan for the evening completely went wrong.)
• L'accord a capoté avant même d'être signé. (The agreement fell through even before it was signed.)

To draw a blank or fail utterly (idiomatic) – faire chou blanc

The French idiom faire chou blanc literally translates to "to make a white cabbage." However, its true meaning is far from vegetables; it means "to draw a blank," "to fail utterly," or "to come up empty-handed" after an attempt. It signifies a complete lack of success or result.

You use faire chou blanc when someone has tried to achieve something but has had absolutely no success. It's often used when talking about an unsuccessful search, an unanswered question, or a failed attempt at a task or negotiation. It implies a complete lack of any positive outcome or even a partial one.

While its exact origin is debated, one popular theory suggests it comes from hunting. If a hunter missed their target completely, they would "make a white cabbage" – meaning they hit nothing, perhaps referring to the white target used in some shooting games, or simply the emptiness. Another theory links it to games where a 'white cabbage' represented a zero score.

As the idiom uses the verb faire (to do/make), it conjugates like any other regular verb using faire. For example, "J'ai fait chou blanc" (I drew a blank) or "Ils feront chou blanc" (They will draw a blank). The phrase chou blanc itself remains invariable.

💡 *J'ai cherché partout, mais j'ai fait chou blanc. (I looked everywhere, but I drew a blank.)
*Notre équipe a fait chou blanc lors de la compétition. (Our team utterly failed in the competition.)
*Malgré tous ses efforts, il a fait chou blanc à l'examen. (Despite all his efforts, he drew a blank on the exam.)
*Les détectives ont fait chou blanc dans leur enquête. (The detectives came up empty-handed in their investigation.)
*Elle a tenté de le contacter, mais elle a fait chou blanc. (She tried to contact him, but she failed utterly.)

Are there other ways to say 'to fail' in French?

Are there other ways to say ‘to fail’ in French?

Our article covers the most common and versatile verbs for ‘to fail’ in French, such as échouer, rater, and manquer. However, the French language, like any other, is rich with nuances. You’ll find other expressions, from formal to very informal slang, and even regional variations that convey the idea of failure.

To explore further, you can do an online search for “comment dire échouer en ___” followed by a specific Francophone country or region, or search for “synonymes de échouer” to discover a broader range of vocabulary.

When you encounter new terms for ‘to fail,’ always verify their exact meaning and observe how they are used in different contexts. This will help you understand their connotations and appropriate usage.

As you immerse yourself in French media — reading books, watching films, or listening to podcasts — pay close attention to how native speakers express the concept of failure. You might discover some interesting and culturally specific expressions.

For a comprehensive list of synonyms and related expressions for ‘to fail’ or ‘failure’ in French, the WordReference entry for échouer or échec is an excellent starting point. It often provides examples and nuances.

I hope this article has helped you understand the different ways to express ‘to fail’ in French. To conclude, here’s a thought from Samuel Beckett that resonates with the learning process: “Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.” (Déjà essayé. Déjà échoué. Peu importe. Essaie encore. Échoue encore. Échoue mieux.)