Sound Native: 10 'Mots de Remplissage' (Fillers) That Examiners Love

Published: March 17, 2026 | Category: Tips & Tricks | Read Time: 9 Mins

When speaking in a foreign language, silence is your enemy. But so is "Uhhhh." In the TEF/TCF Speaking exams, Fluency is highly rewarded.

Native French speakers use specific filler words—mots de remplissage or tics de langage—to buy time when they are thinking of the next word. Using these words doesn’t show a lack of vocabulary; it shows that you understand the rhythm of the language.

Here are 10 filler words that making you sound fluent and buy you critical thinking time.