Brussels Slang 101: The Words That Make You Sound Like a Local

You can arrive in Brussels with flawless textbook French and still be completely lost by lunchtime. Belgium speaks its own version of French (and Dutch), stitched together with words that would make a Parisian raise an eyebrow. Learn a handful of them and two things happen: daily life gets easier, and locals warm to you instantly because you made the effort.

Here is the survival dictionary we wish someone had handed us on day one.

The numbers that trip everyone up

This is the classic. Belgian French counts differently from French French, and it is genuinely more logical:

Septante = 70 (not "soixante-dix")
Nonante = 90 (not "quatre-vingt-dix")
Oddly, quatre-vingts (80) survives here too, so don't get too comfortable.

When someone gives you a phone number or a price, they will use septante and nonante. Memorise these before your first trip to the supermarket or you will pay the wrong amount at the till.

Ordering food and drink like a Belgian

Une pistolet — a round crusty bread roll, the default for a quick sandwich. "Un pistolet fromage" is a lunchtime institution.
Un demi — confusingly, in Belgium a "demi" often means a normal 25cl glass of beer, not half a litre. When in doubt, just ask for "une pils."
Une chique — a sweet or piece of candy (in France, "un bonbon").
Un stoemp — mashed potato mixed with vegetables, pure Brussels comfort food.
Une américain — steak tartare. Order it expecting raw minced beef, not a burger. This one has ambushed many a newcomer.

Words for people and moods

Dikkenek — literally "fat neck," it means a show-off or a bragger. Wonderfully expressive.
Ket — a kid or a young guy, straight from the Brussels dialect (Brusseleir). "Un ket de Molenbeek."
Zieverer — someone who talks nonsense or rambles.
Snul — a bit of a fool, said with affection more than malice.
Blinquer — to shine or sparkle (from Dutch blinken). Your kitchen "blinque" after the weekly coliving clean.

Everyday expressions you'll hear constantly

"Ça va?" — Not just "how are you?" In Belgium it is hello, goodbye, "are we good?", and "okay?" all at once. "Ça va, ça va."
"Une fois" — the stereotype of Belgian speech ("come here one time"). You'll hear it less than the memes suggest, but it's real, usually softening a request.
"Non, peut-être?!" — literally "no, maybe?!" but it actually means "yes, obviously!" A perfect example of Belgian irony. Master this and you've levelled up.
"Ça goûte?" — "Does it taste good?" (a direct translation from Dutch het smaakt). No self-respecting Parisian would say this.
"Kot" — a student room or small flat. If a Belgian asks about your "kot," they mean your place. Central to student life everywhere in Belgium.
"Faire la file" — to queue (rather than "faire la queue").

A few Flemish/Brusseleir gems

Even if you live your life in French, Brussels is officially bilingual and the local dialect (Brusseleir) leaks into everything:

Zwanze — the untranslatable Brussels sense of self-mocking, absurdist humour. If you can appreciate zwanze, you understand the city.
Broebeleir — someone who mumbles or gets their words in a twist.
Amai! — an all-purpose exclamation of surprise ("wow!" / "oh boy!"). You will adopt this within a week whether you plan to or not.
Kotmadam — the (often legendary) landlady of a student kot.

Why bothering with slang actually matters

Brussels is one of the most international cities on earth — over a third of residents are non-Belgian. That means locals are used to people who never bother learning the local flavour. Dropping a casual "nonante-cinq" at the bakery, or laughing at the right moment when someone makes a zwanze joke, signals that you're not just passing through. It's the fastest, cheapest way to feel less like a tourist and more like a resident.

If you're moving into a coliving space, your housemates are your built-in language lab. Belgian housemates will happily teach you the rude words (there are many), and your fellow internationals will trade the survival phrases they've picked up. A shared kitchen is worth ten language apps.

The one phrase to learn first

If you remember nothing else: "Non, peut-être?" — deploy it with a straight face when someone asks an obvious question, and watch a Belgian grin. You've just spoken fluent Brussels.

Settling into the city? Explore our neighborhood guides to find your part of Brussels, or take the matchmaker quiz to see which coliving community fits your vibe.