What it means
Tabarnak is a classic Quebecois swear word, a twist on tabernacle. It's used to express anger, frustration, or surprise, often with a punch. You can throw it alone or build whole swears around it, like tabarnak de calice. It's not for polite company, but it's as Canadian as poutine.
Usage examples
"Tabarnak! Who left the door open in the middle of January?"
"I missed the bus by two seconds, tabarnak."
"You won the game on a lucky shot? Tabarnak, that's rough."
Where it comes from
Tabarnak comes from tabernacle, the cabinet where the host is kept in Catholic churches. In Quebec, French religious terms became the backbone of their swear words, known as sacres. Tabarnak is one of the most iconic, and it's been filling the air with colourful anger for generations.
This expression also appears in
