Why do I need to know bouder?

Well hopefully you will be above such childish behaviour yourself, but it's a handy word to apply to others.

What does it mean?

It means to sulk. So if you're having a strop or you know someone who is, now you have the perfect word to describe it.

Il n'a pas obtenu ce qu'il voulait à la réunion alors il est parti bouder dans le coin – He didn't get his way in the meeting so he's gone off to sulk in the corner.

Il boude comme un enfant à cause de sa dernière défaite au Parlement – He is sulking like a child over his latest defeat in Parliament. 

As well as using the verb to describe someone who is sulking, you can also use boudeur or boudeuse (depending if you're talking about a male or a female) to describe someone who is generally sulky.

Elle est un peu boudeuse mais aussi très sexy – She is a bit sulky, but also really sexy.

You might also hear it being used in the sense of shunning or ignoring a person or denying someone something.

À la soirée, l'actrice a boudé les journalistes – At the party, the actress shunned the journalists.

In the sense of denial, you might see the phrase bouder mon plaisir – deny myself the pleasure.

Je n'allais pas bouder mon plaisir d'un dernier regard – I was not about to deny myself the pleasure of a last look.

For more French words and expressions, check out our French word of the Day section.