Languages › French Gueule de bois French expressions analyzed and explained Share Flipboard Email Print Yuri_Arcurs / Getty Images French Vocabulary Pronunciation & Conversation Grammar Resources For Teachers By ThoughtCo Updated February 20, 2019 Expression: Gueule de bois Pronunciation: [gool d(eu) bwa] Meaning: hangover Literal translation: wooden mouth Register: informal Notes A hangover is, hopefully, not something you have every day, but when you do, it might be helpful to know that the French translation is la gueule de bois. Gueule is an informal term for "mouth," and de bois describes how dry it feels when you have a hangover. Coincidentally, bois is also the first and second person present conjugation of boire — to drink. Examples Bonne Année ! Ne bois trop de champagne, tu ne veux pas avoir la gueule de bois demain. Happy New Year! Don't drink too much champagne, you don't want to have a hangover tomorrow. Oh là là, ma tête ! J'ai la gueule de bois. Ohh, my head! I have a hangover/I'm hung over. Qu'est-ce que tu vas faire pour soigner ta gueule de bois ? What will you do to cure your hangover? More Expressions with avoirMost common French phrasesNew Year's in France Cite this Article Format mla apa chicago Your Citation ThoughtCo. "Gueule de bois." ThoughtCo, Aug. 27, 2020, thoughtco.com/gueule-de-bois-1371257. ThoughtCo. (2020, August 27). Gueule de bois. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/gueule-de-bois-1371257 ThoughtCo. "Gueule de bois." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/gueule-de-bois-1371257 (accessed January 23, 2021). copy citation