Signification
To extort money or favors from someone by threatening to reveal compromising information.
Contexte culturel
Blackmail (le chantage) is a serious crime in the French Penal Code (Article 312-10), punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a 75,000 euro fine. This reflects the high value placed on privacy. In Quebec, the phrase is used identically to France, but you might also hear 'extorsion' more frequently in formal news broadcasts due to the influence of North American legal terminology. In many West African countries, 'faire chanter' can sometimes be used in a broader sense of social pressure or 'maraboutage' (spiritual threats), though the standard meaning remains dominant. Belgian French uses the phrase exactly like France. It is a staple of 'polars' (detective novels) set in Brussels.
The 'COD' Rule
Always remember that the victim is a Direct Object. Use 'le', 'la', or 'les' before the verb.
Literal vs Figurative
Context is everything. If you're at a karaoke bar, 'faire chanter' is literal. If you're in a dark alley, it's figurative.
Signification
To extort money or favors from someone by threatening to reveal compromising information.
The 'COD' Rule
Always remember that the victim is a Direct Object. Use 'le', 'la', or 'les' before the verb.
Literal vs Figurative
Context is everything. If you're at a karaoke bar, 'faire chanter' is literal. If you're in a dark alley, it's figurative.
Maître-chanteur
This is the specific noun for a blackmailer. It's a very common term in French crime novels (polars).
Teste-toi
Complétez la phrase avec la forme correcte de 'faire chanter'.
Si tu révèles mon secret, je vais te ______ ______.
After 'vais' (futur proche), we need the infinitive form.
Quelle phrase est correcte ?
A) Il a fait chanter à son patron. B) Il a fait chanter son patron.
'Faire chanter' takes a direct object (COD), so no 'à' is needed.
Associez le terme à sa définition.
1. Faire chanter | 2. Un maître-chanteur | 3. Le chantage
Faire chanter is the verb, maître-chanteur is the person, and chantage is the noun for the act.
Choisissez la meilleure réponse pour compléter le dialogue.
— Il m'a dit qu'il dirait tout à la police si je ne payais pas. — C'est horrible ! Il essaie de...
The context clearly indicates blackmail, which is 'faire chanter'.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Blackmail vs. Persuasion
Banque d exercices
4 exercicesSi tu révèles mon secret, je vais te ______ ______.
After 'vais' (futur proche), we need the infinitive form.
A) Il a fait chanter à son patron. B) Il a fait chanter son patron.
'Faire chanter' takes a direct object (COD), so no 'à' is needed.
Associez chaque element a gauche avec son pair a droite :
Faire chanter is the verb, maître-chanteur is the person, and chantage is the noun for the act.
— Il m'a dit qu'il dirait tout à la police si je ne payais pas. — C'est horrible ! Il essaie de...
The context clearly indicates blackmail, which is 'faire chanter'.
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsYes, friends often use it jokingly if one knows a small embarrassing secret about the other. 'Si tu ne me donnes pas ton chocolat, je raconte tout !' — 'Tu me fais chanter ?'
No, it can be for favors, silence, or even to force someone to stay in a relationship (chantage affectif).
'Extorquer' is more formal and usually refers to the money itself ('extorquer de l'argent'), while 'faire chanter' refers to the method (using a secret).
You can say 'se faire chanter' or 'être victime de chantage'.
No, it is a standard idiom used in all levels of society, including news and literature.
No, that is a common mistake. It must be 'faire chanter mon frère'.
It is the French word for a blackmailer.
Never. It always implies a threat or manipulation.
Yes, to describe hostile takeovers or unethical negotiations.
Use the passé composé: 'Il m'a fait chanter.' Note that 'fait' never agrees with the object here.
Expressions liées
Le chantage
builds onBlackmail (the noun)
Un maître-chanteur
specialized formA blackmailer
Rançonner
synonymTo ransom or extort
Se mettre à table
similarTo confess / To spill the beans
Vendre la mèche
similarTo give away a secret
