You already speak French, you arrive in Quebec — and yet some sentences leave you baffled. Relax: it's completely normal, it happens to everyone, and once you have the decoder ring, it's actually fun. Here are a few words that trip up almost every newcomer.
Magasiner. Here, you don't "faire du shopping" — you magasine. The verb means to visit stores to compare or buy, and it's the preferred form in Quebec, documented in the Office québécois de la langue française's terminology database (French only).
Un char. A "char" isn't a tank: it simply means a car. The word comes from an old French root (the same as charrue, "plough," and chariot), not from the English "car" as you might assume — a distinctly Quebec usage documented by the province's language authority.
Présentement. Where elsewhere you'd say "at the moment" or "currently," Quebec prefers présentement. You'll hear it everywhere, including on hold messages over the phone.
Bienvenue. The most disorienting of all: after a "merci," you'll often be answered with "bienvenue." It's not an invitation — it simply means "you're welcome," a well-established Quebec usage.
And many more. The dépanneur (the "dép"), pantoute ("not at all"), tantôt ("in a little while")... the list is long and gives Quebec French much of its charm.
Good to know for newcomers. Never be embarrassed to ask "what does that mean?" — Québécois generally love to explain. These words aren't mistakes: they're part of a rich, living variety of French. To go further, try our guide to understanding the Quebec accent, our ideas for practising your French day to day, and our guide to Quebec's cultural codes.