Why do I need to know genre?

Young people use it all the time so if you want to hang out with the hip crowd, or just understand what your own teenagers are on about, this one is for you.

What does it mean?

There are two types of genre: the term that means “gender” in English and the slang version, which is slightly more complicated. When used as slang, genre can most often be translated into “like” in English.

When used this way, genre – like “like” – is neither adding any value to the sentence or necessary for the sentence to make sense. But it makes you sound young and hip:

Genre, je n'avais pas de choix – Like, I didn't have any choice.

Il n'avait genre aucun respect pour moi – He had, like, no respect for me.

Any other options?

Another way of using genre is through the expression faire genre, or pretend to do something.

J'ai fais genre de ne pas comprendre – I pretended not to understand.

Elle a fait genre de m'écouter – She pretended to listen to me.

It can also be used as a way of expressing rejection of an idea or a statement. 

Oh, genre! – Oh, as if!