In French slang, “balle” literally means “bullet,” but it was also used to mean “franc” back when France used the franc before switching to the euro in 2002.
When the euro replaced the franc, people kept a lot of the old slang. So today:
- 1 balle = 1 euro
- 10 balles = 10 euros
Basically the currency changed, but the slang stayed!
👉 Example: Ça coûte 5 balles = “It costs 5 euros.”
Why do French people use “balle” ? It is not 100% sure. Here are two theories ?
- Military pay slang (WWI era): Soldiers were sometimes paid 1 franc a day during World War I. They would have nicknamed that franc a balle (bullet), probably because of the link between war, bullets, and pay.
- Shape theory: A balle (bullet/ball) is small and round. Coins are also small and round. So “une balle” became a natural metaphor for a coin, especially a 1-franc piece.
Which theory do you prefer ?