Que veut dire gougounes en français québécois ?

What does “gougounes” mean in Québec French?

In Québec, “gougounes” are the plastic sandals that go flip-flop when you walk. People in France call the same shoes “des tongs,” so this word can surprise you. You will hear it at the pool, the beach, or at home in summer. It is very casual and very common. Some Québec families even have their own home word for them.

In the clip the speaker says: “Au Québec puis au Canada, des gougounes, c’est des sandales en plastique qui font flip flop quand on marche” — “In Québec and Canada, gougounes are plastic sandals that go flip flop when you walk.” Then: “En France, ils appellent ça des tongs” — “In France, they call them tongs.” “Gougounes” is informal Québec French. Even inside Québec the word changes from family to family: some people say “babouches,” and the speaker says her own mother uses a home word that she has never heard anyone else use. There is a second meaning too. “On utilise aussi parfois le mot gougoune pour parler de pantoufles tricotées” — “We also sometimes use gougoune for knitted slippers.” The speaker’s grandmother knitted her a pair made from Fentex, a brand of acrylic wool popular in Québec. Example from the clip: “On s’en va à la piscine, oublie pas tes gougounes!” — “We’re going to the pool, don’t forget your gougounes!”