It usually means it's a swear word, like f*** or sh**. You should never use them in formal situations. It is not advisable to use them at first meetings. Friends use these words with each other all the time, though. I think it's the same in Tunisia, right?

My advice to people learning English as a second language is this: It is good, even fun, to learn taboo slang and understand it. However, it is very bad to use it. The reason is that the situations where you can use such words is hard to judge, sometimes even for a native speaker. The rules governing such usage are very subtle and very seldom clear. I see people all the time who have learned English that end up looking awkward and even silly using slang (taboo or not) because they didn't judge the situation correctly. Growing up in a culture gives you a sense of when to use such words and when not to, even though many native English speakers couldn't explicitly tell you why or why not use them. Again, it is good to know what such words mean. However, it is only good to use any slang if you have a thorough understanding of both the language and the culture in which it is used.

Great question. Of course, it depends on the specific word. For example, to me (an American) the word "bugger" is not too strong or offensive, but it might have different connotations in British English. I might say, "what a cute little bugger!" to describe, say, a mischievous dog.... the word "bugger" implies both affection and perhaps a degree of annoyance. In general, my advice is that you don't use words marked "vulgar" or "taboo" without asking an English speaker their opinion on whether it's appropriate.

Bugger is not a slang word but actually a vulgar word and should not be used loosely. Care should be taken as to its use.

Thank u Dimond....Could u tell me the name of ur dictionary?