While you hopefully won't need to use them in your daily conversations, knowing different ways to say "to kill" in French can be surprisingly useful, especially if you're a fan of crime novels, historical accounts, or action-packed French films. The most common verb is tuer, but the French language, rich with nuance, offers many other options to describe this ultimate act. From formal terms to more violent slang, let's explore nine verbs that will deepen your understanding of the darker side of the French vocabulary.

The standard 'to kill' – Tuer

The most direct and standard verb for 'to kill' in French is tuer. It functions as the primary equivalent of its English counterpart, covering the literal act of causing something to die.

As a regular -er verb, tuer is straightforward to conjugate for learners. It follows the standard pattern for this group. For example, in the present tense: je tue, tu tues, il/elle/on tue, nous tuons, vous tuez, ils/elles tuent.

Tuer is used for the literal act of ending a life, whether it be a person, an animal, or even an insect. It is the term you would most likely encounter in news reports, crime fiction, and historical accounts.

Much like in English, tuer is also very common in figurative expressions. It can be used to express boredom, extreme effort, or strong emotion. Common idioms include:

Tuer le temps: To kill time.
Se tuer à faire quelque chose: To kill oneself doing something (to work extremely hard).
Ça me tue!: That kills me! (Used to express that something is hilarious, exasperating, or unbelievable).

While tuer is the general term, be aware of more specific verbs. For example, assassiner means 'to assassinate' or 'to murder' (implying premeditation), and abattre often means 'to shoot down' or 'to put down' an animal. However, tuer remains the most versatile and frequently used verb.

💡 * Le soldat a tué son ennemi.

J'ai une heure à tuer avant mon rendez-vous.

La sécheresse a tué toutes les plantes de mon jardin.

Elle s'est tuée à la tâche pour finir ce projet à temps.

Son imitation du professeur nous a tués de rire.

The premeditated 'to assassinate' – Assassiner

When a killing is planned and deliberate, French uses the specific and potent verb assassiner, which directly translates to "to assassinate."

The core difference between assassiner and the more general verb tuer (to kill) is premeditation. Assassiner exclusively describes a murder that was planned in advance. This isn't a crime of passion; it's a calculated act.

This verb is most often used in discussions about politics, history, or organized crime. You'll hear it in reference to the killing of public figures, political opponents, or as part of a planned criminal enterprise.

In the French legal system, the distinction is critical. A meurtre (murder) becomes an assassinat (assassination/premeditated murder) when premeditation is proven, leading to a much harsher sentence.

From the verb, you get the noun for the act, un assassinat (an assassination), and the person who commits it, un assassin (an assassin). Note that un assassin can be used for both male and female individuals.

💡 * Le président a été assassiné en pleine rue.

Il a été accusé d'avoir planifié l'assassinat de son rival.

L'enquête a révélé un complot pour assassiner le ministre.

L'assassin a été condamné à la prison à vie.

The 'to shoot down' or 'strike down' – Abattre

The verb abattre is a powerful and versatile French verb that literally translates to 'to knock down,' 'to cut down,' or 'to shoot down.' It implies a forceful, downward action.

At its core, abattre signifies bringing something down with force. This can be very literal, such as felling a tree (abattre un arbre), demolishing a wall (abattre un mur), or even shooting down an aircraft (abattre un avion).

Beyond its physical meaning, abattre is frequently used figuratively to mean to dishearten, discourage, or depress someone. If bad news strikes, you might hear that someone is abattu (the past participle, meaning dejected or downcast).

The reflexive form, s'abattre sur, is also very common. It means 'to fall upon,' 'to crash down on,' or 'to swoop down on.' This is often used to describe natural phenomena like a storm or heavy rain, but also for a disaster or a group of things descending suddenly.

As an irregular verb, abattre follows the same conjugation pattern as battre (to beat). For example, in the present tense: j'abats, tu abats, il/elle/on abat, nous abattons, vous abattez, ils/elles abattent. The past participle is abattu.

💡 * Le bûcheron va abattre ce vieil arbre. (The lumberjack is going to cut down this old tree.)

La nouvelle de son échec l'a complètement abattu. (The news of his failure completely crushed him.)

L'avion de chasse a abattu l'appareil ennemi. (The fighter jet shot down the enemy aircraft.)

Une pluie torrentielle s'est abattue sur la ville. (A torrential rain came crashing down on the city.)

The formal 'to execute' – Exécuter

The French verb exécuter is the direct equivalent of the English verb "to execute." It is a formal and versatile verb used in contexts ranging from business and technology to law and the arts.

A primary meaning of exécuter is to carry out, implement, or follow through on a plan, an order, or a command. This usage is common in professional, military, or administrative settings where precision and compliance are key. For example, exécuter un plan (to execute a plan) or exécuter un ordre (to execute an order).

In a broader sense, exécuter means to perform a task, a movement, or a function, often one that requires skill. A musician can exécuter a piece of music, an athlete can exécuter a complex maneuver, and in computing, a computer exécute a program or a command.

Just like its English counterpart, exécuter also carries the grave meaning of carrying out a death sentence. This meaning is very specific and easily understood from the context, but it's an important connotation to be aware of.

💡 * Le robot exécute les tâches avec une grande précision. (The robot executes the tasks with great precision.)

L'orchestre a parfaitement exécuté la symphonie. (The orchestra perfectly executed the symphony.)

Vous devez exécuter les instructions à la lettre. (You must execute the instructions to the letter.)

Cliquez sur ce bouton pour exécuter le programme. (Click this button to execute the program.)

1. The slang 'to bump off' – Buter

The French verb buter is a powerful slang term that carries two distinct and very different meanings, depending on the context. Its most dramatic and well-known slang meaning is 'to bump off' or 'to kill'.

In its most common slang usage, buter is a direct, informal synonym for tuer (to kill). This is language you would encounter in crime dramas, thrillers, or very gritty, informal speech. The structure is buter quelqu'un (to kill someone).

Confusingly, buter also commonly means 'to trip over,' 'to stumble on,' or 'to get stuck on' something. This usage is also informal and is typically followed by a preposition like contre or sur. For example, j'ai buté contre la table means 'I bumped into the table.'

The key to understanding the intended meaning lies in the grammar and context. If buter is followed directly by a person as a direct object, it means 'to kill.' If it's followed by contre or sur and an object, it means 'to stumble' or 'get stuck.' Context is crucial to avoid serious misunderstanding.

Both meanings of buter belong to argot (slang) and are highly informal. You should avoid using them in formal writing or polite conversation. For 'to kill,' use tuer. For 'to stumble,' use trébucher.

💡 * Les gangsters ont dit qu'ils allaient le buter. (The gangsters said they were going to bump him off.)

Fais attention où tu marches, tu vas buter contre une pierre. (Watch where you're walking, you're going to trip on a stone.)

Le politicien a buté sur une question du journaliste. (The politician got stuck on a question from the journalist.)

Il a failli buter son rival par jalousie. (He almost bumped off his rival out of jealousy.)

The slang 'to do away with' – Liquider

The French verb liquider literally means 'to liquidate,' like selling off a company's assets. However, in slang, it takes on a much darker and more final meaning: 'to do away with,' 'to get rid of,' or even 'to bump off.' It implies a definitive and often violent removal.

This term is most often heard in contexts related to crime, espionage, or conflict. Think gangster movies, thrillers, or news reports about organized crime. You wouldn't use liquider to talk about getting rid of old furniture; it's reserved for eliminating a person or a significant threat.

Liquider is very informal and carries a serious, menacing tone. It's not a word used in polite or everyday conversation. Using it casually would be jarring and inappropriate unless you're clearly referencing a crime story or making a dark joke.

While its primary slang meaning involves people, it can be used figuratively to mean 'to finish off' or 'to demolish' something completely. For instance, a sports commentator might say a team a liquidé its opponent, meaning they defeated them decisively.

💡 * Le chef du gang a ordonné de le liquider. (The gang leader ordered to have him bumped off.)

L'agent secret avait pour mission de liquider la cible. (The secret agent's mission was to eliminate the target.)

Ils ont liquidé tous leurs concurrents en quelques mois. (They did away with all their competitors in a few months.)

J'ai liquidé les restes du gâteau d'anniversaire. (I finished off the leftovers from the birthday cake.)

The euphemistic 'to eliminate' – Éliminer

The French verb éliminer directly translates to 'to eliminate' or 'to get rid of.' It is commonly used in contexts like sports competitions, debates, or removing something unwanted.

However, éliminer is often used as a cold, detached euphemism for 'to kill' or 'to neutralize.' This is particularly common in military, espionage, or criminal contexts, where it frames the act as a tactical removal rather than a violent killing.

While tuer is the direct verb for 'to kill,' éliminer carries a more clinical and impersonal tone. The choice of éliminer implies that the target is seen as a problem or an obstacle to be removed, rather than a person being murdered.

💡 * L'équipe a été éliminée du tournoi. (The team was eliminated from the tournament.)

Il faut éliminer les mauvaises herbes du jardin. (You have to eliminate the weeds from the garden.)

L'agent a reçu l'ordre d'éliminer la cible. (The agent received the order to eliminate the target.)

Le chef de gang a menacé d'éliminer ses rivaux. (The gang leader threatened to eliminate his rivals.)

The brutal 'to massacre' – Massacrer

The brutal 'to massacre' – Massacrer

The verb massacrer directly translates to 'to massacre' or 'to slaughter.' It is a powerful and violent word used to describe the brutal killing of numerous defenseless people or animals. Its literal meaning is very strong and should be used with care.

More commonly in everyday conversation, massacrer is used figuratively to mean 'to butcher,' 'to ruin,' or 'to botch' something completely. This hyperbolic use applies to actions done very poorly.

You can massacrer a song by singing it terribly, massacrer a language by speaking it full of errors, or massacrer a haircut with a bad cut. It implies a complete and disastrous failure.

💡 * L'armée a massacré des centaines de civils innocents. (The army massacred hundreds of innocent civilians.)

S'il te plaît, ne chante pas, tu vas massacrer ma chanson préférée ! (Please don't sing, you're going to butcher my favorite song!)

Le coiffeur a complètement massacré mes cheveux. (The hairdresser completely butchered my hair.)

Il a massacré la recette ; le gâteau est immangeable. (He ruined the recipe; the cake is inedible.)

1. Flinguer: The Slang for 'To Shoot Dead'

The French verb flinguer is a very common slang (argot) term that means 'to shoot,' 'to gun down,' or 'to bump off.' It’s the informal, gritty equivalent of the standard verb fusiller (to shoot). The related slang noun for a gun is un flingue.

Despite being slang, flinguer is a regular -er verb, which makes it straightforward to use in any tense. For example, in the passé composé (past tense), it becomes j'ai flingué (I shot) or il a flingué (he shot).

You will typically hear flinguer in informal contexts, especially in crime stories, action movies, or when someone is recounting a story with a dramatic flair. It carries a strong, violent connotation and is not suitable for formal or polite conversation.

Beyond its literal meaning, flinguer is also used figuratively to mean 'to wreck,' 'to ruin,' or 'to trash' something. For example, a harsh critique can flinguer a film's reputation, or a virus can flinguer a computer.

💡 * Le bandit a menacé de le flinguer s'il ne donnait pas l'argent. (The bandit threatened to shoot him if he didn't give the money.)

Il s'est fait flinguer en sortant du bar. (He got bumped off coming out of the bar.)

Ce mauvais commentaire a flingué la réputation du restaurant. (That bad comment ruined the restaurant's reputation.)

J'ai complètement flingué mon examen de maths. (I completely bombed my math exam.)

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

Our list features the most common and versatile verbs for 'to kill' in French. But the language is filled with synonyms, each carrying a different weight, context, and level of formality, from literary terms to modern slang.

Given the gravity of the subject, understanding the nuance is critical. Using a slang term like buter (to bump off) where a formal one like assassiner (to assassinate) is needed can completely alter the meaning and tone of your statement.

The best way to learn these distinctions is to see them in context. Pay attention when watching French films, especially crime thrillers (polars), or reading French literature and news articles to see how native speakers use these words.

As you immerse yourself in French media, you'll start to naturally recognize the situations for each verb. A historical account might use exécuter (to execute), while a gritty novel could use flinguer (to gun down).

For a deeper dive into the specific connotations and example sentences for these verbs, a comprehensive French dictionary is your best tool. Websites like Larousse, Le Robert, or even the WordReference forums can provide excellent context.

I hope this guide has been illuminating. The variety of words for such a definitive act shows the richness and precision of the French language. Mastering their use demonstrates a true command of not just the vocabulary, but the culture and context behind it.

'9 ways to say "to kill" in French'