To be concerned my 3 yr old is saying "oh Merde!" from his French lessons in nursery?

[mummyplonk]

He really seems to enjoy the little french lessons they have and can count to ten in French now to my surprise, last few days instead of saying "oh man" or "Oh Dear" as he has been, it has been "Oh Merde" clear as a bell. I thought this meant "S**T" from long ago when I was at school, is this right if so I'm , or does it simply mean "bother" or suchlike now??? do you know, would you worry?

[VaginaShmergina]

It's what you think alright !!!

I am sure the teacher would not have taught them it, could he possibly be saying something else [hopeful emoticon]

[derelicte]

Merde is less offensive than 'shit'. More like 'crap', I believe. I wouldn't be too bothered personally.

[takingitasitcomes]

YANBU - it certainly isn't great that he's picked it up. However, I think probably best to not make a big fuss over it and just hope that it passes on as these things do when he doesn't hear anyone at home using the same phrase. Is the teacher approachable? If so, maybe have a quick word with her to see if she can track down where he's got the phrase from.

[GordonBrownKickingHisHeels]

pmsl!

maybe you could teach him to say zut alors instead.

[Papillon]

The French are so expressive!

it does mean S§§t, but it does not sound half or even a quarter that rough.

If he normally says .. oh man or oh dear, then he has surplanted oh merde to mean the same thing.

I would not worry

I would worry if he was saying Oh Merde then hitting a kid. Now that would be bad!

[VaginaShmergina]

Oxford Dictionary

Excrement, dung, annoyance, exasperation, suprise etc.

Maybe its as kids we thought it was cool to know a foreign swear word and that has carried over for us now, not realising its actually not that bad.

[mummyplonk]

Blimey, I thought it was, thanks everyone, think I am probably best to ignore it as is moving nursery soon and am sure will forget it.

"zut Alors" pmsl

[branflake81]

Merde isn't really that strong to be honest. As long as he doesn't start saying "Putain".

[mamadiva]

Merde is SHIT from what I remember! Why the hell are the nursery teaching him that? I'd be questioning them about it.

[Elasticwoman]

My ds told me today that he knows 3 words for poo. I suspected the worst, but they turned out to be

dung
manure, and
droppings.

[wotulookinat]

French lessons at age three. Wow! Is that usual? (does it show that I'm a first-time mum?)

[noonki]

what's putain mean branflake?

and ahhh elasticwowan

I remember when my stepson was about four he came running in to the house saying 'daddy said a rude word...i won't say it, I'm not allowed, but it begins with S'

after a bit of encouragement he whispered 'he said stupid .... he called another a stupid w**ker' !

[Pruners]

Message withdrawn

[noonki]

that was meant to be another driver..

[SilkCutMama]

French at 3? My nursery don't do this. C'est tres abnormale, non?

[almostblue]

YANBU. French is very passe. The young man should be learning Mandarin.