Learning French: what does paumé mean and when should it be used?

Je suis complètement paumé…

If you hear this phrase while in France, it means that someone feels lost or alone and is in need of directions or guidance. 

We look at the different meanings behind this handy, informal word and suggest some situations where you might be able to use it.

What does être paumé mean?

Describing someone as being paumé implies that they are lost - either physically lost in a geographical location or figuratively lost and in need of guidance. 

You might also hear people use the term un/une paumé(e). It refers to the idea of a person who has lost their grip on reality, or who has been excluded from society.

Synonyms include:

• Perdu(e) - Lost

• Égaré(e) - Astray 

• Désorienté(e) - Disorientated

This word can also be used to describe somewhere that is far away and isolated.

Similarly informal synonyms include:

• Au fin fond de nulle part - In the middle of nowhere

• Reculé(e) - Remote 

• Un trou perdu - A godforsaken place

Read also: Learning French: when and why do we say pédaler dans la semoule?

What are the origins of être paumé?

Paumé comes from the verb paumer, meaning to lose, while une paume refers to the palm of your hand.

In Carolingian times (Early Middle Ages), Frankish pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago would often get lost in the vast Spanish plains of Navarre.

They were referred to by the locals as palmados or paulmados. 

This was mockingly translated into pau(l)més, in reference to those who held out the palm of their hand in a gesture of confusion. 

Read also: Learning French: the origins and meaning of une auberge espagnole

When do you say être paumé?

You can say this to describe being lost:

• Je ne capte pas de réseau internet et j'ai laissé la carte dans la voiture. Je suis complètement paumé. - I have no internet signal and I left the map in the car. I'm completely lost.

Use it in a figurative sense to describe someone who feels lost, alone, confused, or detached from reality:

• Ce type passe ses journées à boire au bar... il n'est pas méchant, c'est juste un paumé. - This guy spends his days drinking at the bar… he isn’t mean, he is just a lost soul. 

It can also be used to refer to a place that is in the middle of nowhere:

• Ma sœur vit dans un village paumé, à cinq heures de route. - My sister lives in a remote village that takes five hours to drive to.

Read also: Learning French: when and why do we say c'est la cour des miracles

To whom do you say être paumé?

It is considered informal language that should mainly be used around friends and family.

You should probably avoid saying this word to work colleagues, important clients or in other formal situations. 

Read also: Poto, ami, le sang de la veine: How to say friends in French

If said as a mocking tease, describing someone as being paumé should not cause any serious offence. 

If you are not familiar with the person, however, they may think you are insulting them.

If you would like us to explain a particular word or expression, or if you have any other Learning French suggestions, let us know at: feedback@connexionfrance.com