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Original poster

AIBU to think ‘Fart’ isn’t a swear word.

156 replies

Toddlerteaplease · 08/06/2026 19:31

Aged 44, my mum had told me off for complaining that their cat farted, when sitting on my knee. Apparently fart is a swear word. 🤣🤔

OP posts:
BurntBroccoli · 08/06/2026 21:01

It’s not a swear word. It always makes me giggle!

ChaosQueenDarkfang · 08/06/2026 20:59

This will probably get deleted as it is down right now VULGAR and NSFW, but for anyone who wants a good laugh or is in the mood to feel viscerally around the notion of farts, behold: James Joyce’s Erotic Love Letter to his wife, Nora

https://genius.com/James-joyce-erotic-love-letter-dec-8-1909-annotated

Again, NSFW or if you are extremely uptight about Farting Grin

RedPurpleyBlue · 08/06/2026 20:58

I'm intrigued. I never would have considered fart being a swear word at all.

For those banned from saying fart as a child, were you just banned from talking about flatulence completely or were you allowed to mention it but only using a fluffy reference like pop or trump or something similar?

IDontHateRainbows · 08/06/2026 20:55

5128gap · 08/06/2026 19:52

I'd say it's a 'not used in polite society' word. So while not a profanity or a blasphemy, there are politer choices if you feel its essential to refer to that particularly bodily function.
If it was my mum she'd have told me off for commenting in the first place "I don't think we needed to know that, thank you!" So just to be pulled up on the word used sounds very relaxed to me!

'Break wind'

Fave posh way of saying fart

BatshitIsTheOnlyExplanation · 08/06/2026 20:54

TheGirlattheBack · 08/06/2026 20:51

I’d consider it a vulgar word - fine for people to say informally at home but not okay at work, socially or in front of some of the older generations.

I’d include it with words like piss, shit, crap, shart, bum, belch etc …

In the broad scheme of things I'd say 'shart' is worse than 'fart'. But beautifully describes what it's describing. My mum had never heard the term before my teenage DC elaborated in detail. I've rarely seen her laugh so much 😂

VIII · 08/06/2026 20:53

TheGirlattheBack · 08/06/2026 20:51

I’d consider it a vulgar word - fine for people to say informally at home but not okay at work, socially or in front of some of the older generations.

I’d include it with words like piss, shit, crap, shart, bum, belch etc …

You think bum is a vulgar word?

KvotheTheBloodless · 08/06/2026 20:51

PauliesWalnuts · 08/06/2026 19:46

It was a swear word according to my dad c.1983 and we weren’t allowed to say it. We had to say “rude noise” 😁

So did we!

I don't like my DC to say 'fart', we use 'trump'.

TheGirlattheBack · 08/06/2026 20:51

I’d consider it a vulgar word - fine for people to say informally at home but not okay at work, socially or in front of some of the older generations.

I’d include it with words like piss, shit, crap, shart, bum, belch etc …

VIII · 08/06/2026 20:47

ExOptimist · 08/06/2026 20:40

Of course they would( by other children) and they used it at home too. But their teachers did not and do not say it in front of children, and neither would they have used it when talking to the teacher.

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How would you know? Honestly I find it doubtful. Such a lot of fuss over a perfectly acceptable word.

hugasaurus · 08/06/2026 20:42

Also I’ve no idea if their teachers use the word ‘fart’, how on earth would I ever know?

I’m a Girlguiding leader and have used the word ‘fart’ before in front of my girls for sure (and them to me in far greater numbers!), so apologies to all whose innocent lives have been ruined by this.

Maninasuitcase · 08/06/2026 20:42

GrandHighPoohbah · 08/06/2026 19:36

Fart is definitely better than bottypuff or fluff or some other such silly euphemism.

Trouser Cough is my favourite!

hugasaurus · 08/06/2026 20:41

My granny used to say ‘poo-smells’ which I think is even worse 😂 Who has small kids and ISN’T talking about farts on a daily basis though?!

ExOptimist · 08/06/2026 20:40

VIII · 08/06/2026 20:38

Your children and grandchildren will have heard the word fart in the classroom. Sorry if that's news to you. It's just a word.

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Of course they would( by other children) and they used it at home too. But their teachers did not and do not say it in front of children, and neither would they have used it when talking to the teacher.

VIII · 08/06/2026 20:38

ExOptimist · 08/06/2026 20:36

Well thank god my children and grandchildren weren't educated in those schools, that's all I can say.

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Your children and grandchildren will have heard the word fart in the classroom. Sorry if that's news to you. It's just a word.

ExOptimist · 08/06/2026 20:36

VIII · 08/06/2026 20:30

I would not expect a teacher to say it in front of children or for children to use it in front of the teacher.

I've worked in more classrooms than I can count and trust me the word fart wouldn't raise an eyebrow with myself or any teacher I've worked with. In fact I'd say it is at the very tame end of the scale.

Well thank god my children and grandchildren weren't educated in those schools, that's all I can say.

HumanOfTheWeek · 08/06/2026 20:34

IME not wanting to use the word fart is a symptom of massive class anxiety. We had to say blow off (and big jobs) at home.
In most contexts, people don’t talk about bodily functions. If you’re in a situation where you are talking about farting, I can’t think what difference it makes to use the word.

ExOptimist · 08/06/2026 20:34

VIII · 08/06/2026 20:16

How is the correct terminology rude?

I agree with those saying it's just a word and I cannot abide nonsensical terminology like pump, fluffy or break wind.

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It's just a word in the same way that fuck is just a word.

But there are places where it's not appropriate to use those words because they are coarse, vulgar and offensive( mildly in the case of fart and grossly in the case of fuck) so other words are used instead.

Unless you are poorly educated, of low intelligence and come from a very rough social background you will surely be aware that certain language is appropriate for use in certain circumstances and environments and not in others.

BatshitIsTheOnlyExplanation · 08/06/2026 20:34

FudgeFudy · 08/06/2026 20:04

I'd say crap is swearing but only just. In ascending order of rudeness I'd say for the main actual swear words it's crap bloody tit bugger arse sod bollocks bastard dick cock twat wank shit fuck cunt. I've probably missed a few, and there's scope for a lot of movement around mid-table. Fart's not there though, it's very much in the second division of rude words.

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Ooh, that's a good discussion. I agree fart isn't a swear word, but would say that tit definitely isn't either. Dick, shit and wank are lower on my list, and bloody and bugger are higher. Cunt and fuck get the gold and silver medal, I'd give twat the bronze 😉

BebbanburgIsMine · 08/06/2026 20:32

I think it’s a swear word, and it’s horrible.

I don’t swear or use crude language, my DDs weren’t allowed to swear or use bad language. Both adults now, and neither of them would swear or use crude language in front of me.

Specialneedsnightmare · 08/06/2026 20:30

As a child i said 'blow off.' Now I just say fart.

One word i really hate is trump. An ex used to say 'ive trumped ' and it gave me the ick. Even more so now, for more than one reason!

VIII · 08/06/2026 20:30

I would not expect a teacher to say it in front of children or for children to use it in front of the teacher.

I've worked in more classrooms than I can count and trust me the word fart wouldn't raise an eyebrow with myself or any teacher I've worked with. In fact I'd say it is at the very tame end of the scale.

5128gap · 08/06/2026 20:29

Namechangeforthisdilemma1 · 08/06/2026 20:00

Are you joking?

If not and you can’t say “fart” in front of your own mum and dad, then I feel sorry for you growing up in such a buttoned up family!

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I was joking yes.
But being repressed means you feel unable to express your thoughts, wishes and feelings in your language and actions of choice. Not saying fart would only be repressed it I felt a strong desire to do so and had been forced to deny myself. As luck would have it, saying fart isn't an important aspect of my sense of self.

Roomonthe3rdfloor · 08/06/2026 20:29

Totally not a swear word, and not even an offensive word.

Zingading · 08/06/2026 20:28

It is described in the dictionary as ‘very informal’ so, while not a swear word, not universally appropriate.

Carouselfish · 08/06/2026 20:28

Not swearing, just crude.