How do you say “Hit the sack” in French?
The closest natural French equivalent is aller au pieu, which literally means “to go to the stake”. English speakers use hit the sack to mean to go to bed in order to sleep. 'Aller au pieu' is the direct informal equivalent used across France when heading to bed. It perfectly captures the relaxed, colloquial tone of 'hit the sack.' It is informal and common in everyday French.
Closest natural French
aller au pieu
/a.le o pjø/
- Literal meaning
- “to go to the stake”
- Register
- informal
- How often it's used
- common
- Equivalence
Near-exact equivalent
95 out of 100
What a native French speaker would actually say
Both "hit the sack" and "aller au pieu" are everyday colloquial idioms used to announce that you are turning in for the night. In English, "sack" originally referred to a burlap sack filled with straw that served as a makeshift mattress. Similarly, French argot adopted "le pieu" (originally a wooden post or stake, later referencing the wooden framework of a cot) as slang for a bed.
While neutral options like "aller dormir" or "aller se coucher" are universally appropriate, "aller au pieu", along with its verb counterpart "se pieuter", matches the relaxed, familiar register of "hit the sack." It is widely used among friends and family without sounding crude or overly vulgar.
How close is the meaning?
- Meaning5 out of 5
- Tone5 out of 5
- Context5 out of 5
- Literal similarity2 out of 5
These ratings are editorial approximations, not measurements.
What are other ways to say it in French?
se pieuter
Literally: “to bed oneself”
Common pronominal verb variant meaning to crash or turn in.
aller au plumard
Literally: “to go to the featherbed”
Colloquial and slightly older slang derived from 'plume' (feather).
aller au pageot
Literally: “to go to the pallet/bed”
Familiar slang equivalent with the same register.
Don't translate it literally
frapper le sac
Nonsensical literal translation that sounds like you are physically punching a punching bag.
Word-for-word versions like these are understood as literal statements in French, not as expressions.
In context
English
I'm exhausted, I'm going to hit the sack.
French
Je suis crevé, je vais aller au pieu.
English
What time do you usually hit the sack?
French
Tu vas au pieu à quelle heure d'habitude ?
Related expressions
Last reviewed 2026-09-11