French Etc » Mot du jour Podcast

coup de foudre means love at first sight

Anne — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 02:09:39 +0000

le or un coup de foudre - lightning strike – means ‘love at first sight’ when talking about people. It can also apply to thing and it means to have a sudden passion for something in that case. It’s used with the verbs ‘avoir‘ or ‘être‘. There is another expression that uses foudre – ligthning, but it means something very different: ‘s’attirer les foudres‘ means ‘to provoke wrath’.

« J’ai eu le coup de foudre dès que je l’ai vu sur scène. »
“It was love at first sight, as soon as I saw him on stage.”

présent : j’ai un coup de foudre, c’est un coup de foudre

passé composé : j’ai eu un coup de foudre, c’est un coup de foudre

passé simple : j’ai un coup de foudre, c’est un coup de foudre

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Bonne journée française !

cœur d’artichaut means fickle in love

Anne — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 23:12:10 +0000

avoir un cœur d’artichaut – to have an artichoke heart – means to be fickle in love, to engage in many frivolous love affairs.

« [Ne] Sors pas avec lui, il a un cœur d’artichaut. »
“Don’t go out with him, he is a philanderer.”

présent : j’ai un cœur d’artichaut, nous avons un cœur d’artichaut

imparfait : j’avais un cœur d’artichaut, nous avions un cœur d’artichaut

Try using this expression at least once today.

Post your comment about this Mot du Jour right down here at ‘Leave a Reply’.

Bonne journée française !

retourner comme une crêpe

Anne — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:51:32 +0000

une crêperie

Yeah, today is crêpe day. In France, we’re making crêpes and flipping them over in the pan. retourner comme une crêpe retourner means to flip over retourner comme une crêpe – to flip over like a crêpe – means three things:

1. In a contact sport, such as judo, retourner comme une crêpe means that the player has literally been flipped over.

2. retourner comme une crêpe also means to be very moved by something. J’ai été retournée comme une crêpe par la nouvelle de l’accident.

3. or retourner comme une crêpe also means to make someone change their mind

« Elle ne voulait pas venir à l’expo, mais je l’ai retournée comme une crêpe et en fait, elle paie même les billets. »
“She didn’t want to come to the exhibit, but I made her change her mind and in fact, she’s even paying for the tickets.”

présent : elle est retournée comme une crêpe

passé composé : elle a été retournée comme une crêpe

futur : elle sera retournée comme une crêpe

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Bonne journée française !

la chandelle means the third wheel

Anne — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 19:18:25 +0000

Tenir la chandelle – tenir is to hold and une chandelle is another word for une bougie, a candle. tenir la chandelle – to hold the candle means to be the third wheel, to go out alone with a couple or to feel excluded.

« Non, je [ne] sors pas avec eux deux. Je [ne] veux pas tenir la chandelle. »
” No, I’m not going out with the two of them. I don’t want to be the third wheel.”

présent : je tiens la chandelle, nous tenons la chandelle

passé composé : j’ai tenu la chandelle, nous avons tenu la chandelle (/U/ sound)

futur : je tiendrai la chandelle, nous tiendrons la chandelle

Related: About LA CHANDELEUR . Expressions with TENIR .

Try using this expression at least once today.

Post your comment about this Mot du Jour right down here at ‘Leave a Reply’.

Bonne journée française !

tomber dans le panneau is to fall into the trap

Anne — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:03:48 +0000

tomber dans le panneau

tomber dans le panneau – to fall in the sign. tomber dans le panneau means ‘to fall into the trap’ , ‘to fall for it’. There are many expressions that use TOMBER.

« J’ai acheté une méthode pour apprendre le français en une semaine, mais ce n’est pas possible, je suis tombée dans le panneau. »
“I bought a textbook to learn French in a week, but it’s impossible, I fell in the trap.“

Related: Expressions with TOMBER . TOMBER conjugated .

Try using this expression at least once today.

Post your comment about this Mot du Jour right down here at ‘Leave a Reply’.

Bonne journée française !

avoir des fourmis dans la jambe is my leg is asleep

Anne — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 23:21:39 +0000

avoir des fourmis dans la jambe – to have ants in the leg. avoir des fourmis dans la jambe means ‘my leg is asleep’.

« Je ne peux plus bouger, j’ai des fourmis dans la jambe gauche. »
“I can’t move, my left leg is asleep.“

Related: Spatial prepositions .

Try using this expression at least once today.

Post your comment about this Mot du Jour right down here at ‘Leave a Reply’.

Bonne journée française !

un rabat-joie is a party-pooper

Anne — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 00:44:04 +0000

un/e rabat-joie – a smash-joy. un rabat-joie means a person who disturbs and turns the happiness of others, a ‘party-pooper’, a ‘wet blanket’.

« Ne l’invite pas à ton enterrement de vie de garçon. C’est un rabat-joie. »
“Don’t invite him to your bachelor party. He’s a party-pooper.”

Try using this expression at least once today.

Post your comment about this Mot du Jour right down here at ‘Leave a Reply’.

Bonne journée française !

s’en donner à cœur joie is to have a field day

Anne — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 00:39:55 +0000

s’en donner à cœur joie – to it give at heart joy. s’en donner à cœur joie means ‘to have a field day’.

« Ne leur dis pas que tu as raté ton exam. Ils vont s’en donner à cœur joie. »
“Don’t tell them you failed at your exam. They’ll have a field day.”

présent : je m’en donne à cœur joie, nous nous en donnons à cœur joie

imparfait : je m’en donnais à cœur joie, nous nous en donnions à cœur joie

futur : je m’en donnerai à cœur joie, nous nous en donnerons à cœur joie

Related: Expressions with ‘coeur’ . Commands .

Try using this expression at least once today.

Post your comment about this Mot du Jour right down here at ‘Leave a Reply’

Bonne journée française !

aller et venir is coming and going

Anne — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 00:34:48 +0000

aller et venir – to go and to come. aller et venir means to go here and there or to go and come back right away. aller et venir is ‘coming and going’.

« Je ne serai pas longtemps. Je ne fais que d’aller et venir. »
“I won’t be long. I’m only coming and going.”

présent : je vais je viens

passé composé : je suis venu/e, je suis allé/e

futur : j’irai, je viendrai

Related: ALLER . VENIR .

Try using this expression at least once today.

Post your comment about this Mot du Jour right down here at ‘Leave a Reply’

Bonne journée française !

Ça tombe bien means it works out well

Anne — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 01:42:25 +0000

la sortie du lycée

Ça tombe bien – it falls well. Ça tombe bien means ‘it works out well.’

« Mon mari vient de téléphoner pour dire qu’il rentrait tôt du boulot. Ça tombe bien. Il ira chercher notre fille au lycée. »
“My husband just called to say he’s coming home early from work. It works out well. He’ll pick up our daughter from (high) school.”

Try using this expression at least once today.

Related: Ç . BIEN vs. BON . School Vocabulary .

Access to Tutorials . More expressions . Visit www.frenchetc.org . Bonne journée française !

un bobo

Anne — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 17:35:37 +0000

the term bobo is short for bourgeois-bohème. The two words bourgeois and bohème both start with BO: bourgeois-bohème = bobo. bourgeois-bohème is both a noun and an adjective. Bourgeois means middle-class and bohème is a person with quite a lot of financial means and a non-conventional lifestyle with liberal, left-wing political views, often with a Parisian attitude. It’s slightly derogatory. The famous singer Renaud has a whole – self-deprecating – song about les bobos. You can view it here.

« Il dit qu’il a [n'a] pas de fric, mais t’as vu qu’il va aux Seychelles en vacances. C’est un bobo, ce mec. »
“He says he doesn’t have any moolah, but did you see that he’s going to the Seychelles Islands for a vacation. This guy’s a true bobo. “

That was Anne’s native take on a French expression. Bonne journée française. Visit frenchetc.org

trop, very

Anne — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 21:39:21 +0000

About 15 years ago, the younger generation started using trop – too much, too many – instead of très. Il est trop sympa, instead of Il est très sympa – he’s very nice. And that still goes on in French. Trop is often used to describe a positive quality:

« Ils jouent trop bien. Ça va être trop génial. »
“They play really well. It’s going to be great.”

There are many other expressions you probably won’t find in your textbook on the Web site. Venez nous voir.

Related: Capucine est trop chou .

That was Anne’s native take on a French expression. Bonne journée française.

Visit frenchetc.org – anne@frenchetc.org – Try our e-tutorials.

faire des affaires, to find a bargain

Anne — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 15:42:18 +0000

www.frenchetc.org

faire des affaires

faire des affaires. faire to do des affaires business means to find or to get a bargain. And French people are going to start faire des affaires with les soldes very soon. Les soldes happen only twice a year in France, in January and in July. It’s very regulated by the law. Stores aren’t allowed to discount much in between. So, you can imagine the bain de foule, the crowd.

« Demain, c’est [ce sont] les soldes. On va faire des affaires. »
“Tomorrow is kick off day for the sales. We’re gonna find good bargains.”

If your French is pretty good already, there is a fun exercise for you to do on the Web site.

présent : je fais des affaires, nous faisons des affaires

imparfait : je faisais des affaires, nous faisions des affaires

futur : je ferai des affaires, nous ferons des affaires

Related: Les soldes en France . Lisez l’Article du Figaro.

demander la lune means to ask for the moon and stars

Anne — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 16:33:59 +0000

demander la lune – to ask for the moon. demander la lune means ‘to ask for the moon and stars’, to ask for something unreasonable. There is another expression with ‘la lune’: ‘décrocher la lune’- to shoot the moon. DEMANDER is a regular –ER verb and is conjugated like AIMER is.

« Tu n’as pas eu le poste, mais tu sais bien que tu demandais la lune. Tu as essayé, ça ira mieux la prochaine fois. »
“You didn’t get the position, but you know you were asking for the moon and stars. You tried, it will go better next time.”

présent : je demande la lune, nous demandons la lune

imparfait : je demandais la lune, nous demandions la lune

futur : je demanderai la lune, nous demanderons la lune

Related: AIMER .

Try using this expression at least once today.

Tutorials . More expressions . Visit www.frenchetc.org . Bonne journée française !

être casanier is to be a homebody

Anne — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 16:29:20 +0000

être casanier, casanière is to be a homebody.

« Ils ne sortent jamais. Ils sont très casaniers. »
“They never go out, they’re real homebodies.”

présent : je suis casanière, je ne sors jamais, nous sommes casanières, nous ne sortons jamais

imparfait : j’étais casanière, je ne sortais jamais, nous étions casanières, nous ne sortions jamais

futur : je serai casanière, je ne sortirai jamais, nous serons casanières, nous ne sortirons jamais

Related: ÊTRE . SORTIR .

Try using this expression at least once today.

Tutorials . More expressions . Visit www.frenchetc.org . Bonne journée française !

Allez hop means Chop chop

Anne — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 19:09:43 +0000

Allez hop – you go hup. Allez hop means ‘Chop chop’.

« Allez hop, on y va ; autrement, on va être en retard. »
“Chop chop, let’s go or we’ll be late.”

Try using this expression at least once today.

Related: être en retard-to be late .

Access to Tutorials . More expressions . Visit www.frenchetc.org . Bonne journée française !

heureux comme un roi, happy as a clam

Anne — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 16:05:35 +0000

heureux comme un roi. heureux means happy and, un roi is a king. heureux comme un roi means ‘as happy as a clam, couldn’t be happier’. Two similar expressions come to my mind: heureux comme un pape – as happy as a pope – and heureux comme un loir – as happy as a dormouse (a squirrelly-looking mouse). Why is it a clam in English? I’m not not sure. I’ve also heard ‘happy as Larry’. This expression, weirdly enough, is not used in its feminine form. I never hear ‘heureuse comme une reine‘.

« T’as eu des nouvelles d’Henri en France ? Il est heureux comme un roi en Bourgogne. »
“Have you heard from Henri in France? He’s as happy as a clam (He couldn’t be happier) in Burgundy. “

Related: Pronunciation /R/ . Galette des Rois .

fève, lucky charm

Anne — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 16:02:56 +0000

www.frenchetc.org

la fève. une fève is a fava bean, or a broad bean. However LA fève, with the definite article LA means the lucky charm, lucky bean that you find in the galette des rois traditionally on January 6. The tradition is so popular in France that pâtisseries sell the galette des rois throughout the whole month of January. My friend Corinne has her birthday on January 22 and she always has a galette des rois – with la fève – for her birthday cake. La fève is a little figurine made out of ceramics, glass, plastic, or even diamond!

« J’ai eu la fève ! Je suis la reine ! »
“I got the lucky charm! I’m the queen!”

présent : j’ai la fève, nous avons la fève

passé composé : j’ai eu la fève, nous avons eu la fève

futur : j’aurai la fève, nous aurons la fève

Related January 6

tirer les rois, to pick a king or a queen on January 6

Anne — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 13:30:45 +0000

fèves et couronnes

tirer means to pull, or to shoot, les rois is the kings. However, tirer les rois doesn’t means to shoot the king or a to pull the queen. Tirer les rois is a delicious French January 6th tradition, which consists in picking a king or a queen from the galette des rois – King’s cake that every one has for dessert tonight. There is a the little fève – a lucky charm – in it. Browse the Web site to know more about that fun tradition, or if you are already a member, go to the Culture Capsules and see how it works, where it comes from and the whole shebang.

« C’est qui qu’a tiré les rois chez toi cette année ? Julien ou Lucie ?»
“Who picked the king at your house this year? Julien or Lucie?”

présent : je tire les rois, nous tirons les rois

passé composé : j’ai tiré les rois, nous avons tiré les rois

futur : je tirerai les rois, nous tirerons les rois

Related: More on January 6 traditions .

That was Anne’s native take on a French expression – Visit www.frenchetc.org – anne@frenchetc.org

mignonnette, vintage greetings card

Anne — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 16:25:48 +0000

une mignonnette

une mignonnette. mignonne means cute, -ette added at the end of an adjective means little or sweet. une migonnette– a ‘sweet cutie’ – is a vintage season’s greetings card – une carte de vœux – from the 50’s. They are still trendy though. The French prefer to send each other New year cards rather than end-of-the-year cards. They have the whole month of January to do so. une mignonnette generally involves glitter and often features little birdies and kittens in a basket. Note that une mignonnette has two Ns in French.

« J’ai envie d’envoyer des mignonnettes des années 50 en carte de vœux cette année, c’est rigolo. »
“I feel like sending vintage greetings cards from the 50s this year, they’re fun.”

‘Une mignonnette’ is also a shot-glass size container with a lid used to keep leftover sauces and dressings AND lining for clothes. It’s also a carnation and crushed pepper.

les vœux, New Year’s greetings

Anne — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 18:32:08 +0000

les vœux – the wishes. The expression often refers to New Year’s greetings. French people prefer to send New Year’s greeting cards in January rather than season’s greetings cards at the end of the year. The card generally only says “Bonne année et bonne santé” – Happy New Year and good health – there is no letter with it. It has a signature at the bottom. Just that. Very few cards are sent throughout the whole month of January.

« Je [ne] peux pas venir cet aprème car j’écris mes vœux. »
“I cant’ come this afternoon because I’m writing my New Year’s cards.”

There are many other expressions you probably won’t find in your textbook on www.frenchetc.org. Venez nous voir. That was Anne’s native take on a French expression. Bonne journée française. Visit frenchetc.org – anne@frenchetc.org

les bonnes résolutions is the New Year’s resolutions

Anne — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 22:50:21 +0000

les bonnes résolutions – the good resolutions. les bonnes résolutions means ‘the New Year’s resolutions’. The verb used with ‘les bonnes résolutions’ is PRENDRE.

« Les fêtes du nouvel an sont terminées et il est temps de prendre de bonnes résolutions. »
“The New Year’s party is over and it’s time to make New Year’s resolutions.”

Try using this expression at least once today.

Access to Tutorials . More expressions . Visit www.frenchetc.org . Bonne journée française !

un jour de congé, a day off

Anne — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 16:14:05 +0000

un jour de congé. un congé is a leave, un jour de congé is a day off.

« J’ai encore un jour de congé aujourd’hui. Je vais faire la grasse mat. »
“I still have a day off today. I’m going to sleep in.”

Three other commons expressions using the word congé come to my mind: être en congé means to be on vacation, être en congé maladie is to be on sick leave, être en congé sabbatique is to be on a sabbatical leave.

présent : j’ai un jour de congé, nous avons un jour de congé

passé composé : j’ai eu un jour de congé, nous avons eu un jour de congé

futur : j’aurai un jour de congé, nous aurons un jour de congé

That was Anne’s native take on a French expression – Visit frenchetc.org – anne@frenchetc.org

Bonne année et bonne santé !

Anne — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 13:48:11 +0000

French people wish for a good year full of good health as well.

« Je vous souhaite une bonne année et bonne santé ! »
“I wish you a happy New Year! ”

present tense: je vous souhaite, nous vous souhaitons
passé composé: je vous ai souhaité , nous vous avons souhaité
future tense: je vous souhaiterai, nous vous souhaiterons

Merci à tous de votre fidélité depuis 2007 !

That was Anne’s native take on a French expression. Visit frenchetc.org – anne@frenchetc.org

cotillons, confetti and noise makers

Anne — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 17:50:12 +0000

The word cotillon is an old word that used to mean a petticoat, or raggedy skirts poor women would wear in the old days. Today, it’s often plural les cotillons, and it means sets of noise-makers, confetti and streamers you get when you go to a silly party.

« Eh, tu prendras les cotillons pour le réveillon du nouvel an? »
“Hey, will you get the noise-makers and streamers for the New Year’s party?”

Note: ‘le réveillon’ is a special word for either Christmas or the New Year’s eve party in France.

That was Anne’s native take on a French expression – Visit frenchetc.org – anne@frenchetc.org

sabrer le Champagne, to saber a bottle

Anne — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 22:48:14 +0000

sabrer le Champagne, to saber a bottle of Champagne, to open it with a saber. It’s quite thrilling, and yet, surprisingly easy. All you need is a sharp knife – or a spoon, nobody around you, and you have to want to giggle a lot. Watch the video below and try it yourself. The expression, which dates from the Napoleon era, has evolved to just mean to celebrate with Champagne wine.

« Tu as eu ton diplôme, on va sabrer le Champagne ! »
“You got your degree, lets celebrate (let’s saber the Champagne)!”

présent : je sabre le Champagne, nous sabrons le Champagne

imparfait : je sabrais le Champagne, nous sabrions le Champagne

Command Forms: Sabre le Champagne ! Sabrez le Champagne !

Skip the warning

. Version pour le smartphone .

There are many other expressions you probably won’t find in your textbook on www.frenchetc.org. Venez nous voir. That was Anne’s native take on a French expression. Bonne journée française. Visit frenchetc.org – anne@frenchetc.org

être en reste, to feel indebted

Anne — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 17:38:17 +0000

être en reste to be in leftovers means to owe something -often a favor rather than money- to someone, to feel indebted. être en reste is often used in the negative: ne pas être en reste – who wants to be in leftovers anyway?

« D’accord, je te garde ton fils ce soir, je ne voudrais pas être en reste avec toi. »
“Sure, I’ll take care of your son tonight. I don’t want to feel indebted anymore.”

présent : je suis en reste, nous sommes en reste

imparfait : j’étais en reste, nous étions en reste

present subjunctive: que je sois en reste, que nous soyons en reste

That was Anne’s native take on a French expression. Bonne journée française. Visit frenchetc.org

Other expressions with reste: ‘avoir de beaux restes’: to be nice looking even after a certain age, to be well preserved still, and ‘partir sans demander son reste’: to leave without further ado

Joyeux Noël ! Merry Christmas!

Anne — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 16:38:42 +0000

Joyeux Noël ! Merry Christmas!

The way French people say Merry Christmas is Joyeux Noël. Joyeux means merry or cheerful. Its feminine form is joyeuse.

« Je vous souhaite un Joyeux Noël ! »
“I wish you a Merry Christmas!”

présent : Je vous souhaite un joyeux noël ! I wish you a merry Christmas!

imparfait : Je vous souhaitais un joyeux noël ! I used to wish you a merry Christmas!

Command Forms: Souhaite-moi un joyeux noël ! Wish me a merry Christmas!

And that’s what I’m wishing you – un joyeux noël – if you celebrate Christmas.

There are many other expressions you probably won’t find in your textbook on www.frenchetc.org. Venez nous voir. That was Anne’s native take on a French expression. Bonne journée française. Visit frenchetc.org – anne@frenchetc.org

croire au Père Noël, in your dreams

Anne — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 18:39:26 +0000

www.frenchetc.org

croire au Père Noël- to believe in Santa Claus. The expression means to be gullible. It means that there is no way it’s going to happen. In English, I would translate it as ‘Yeah, right.’ or ‘In your dreams.’ Let me know if you know of another expression. Please ‘Leave a Reply’ below if you know of one.

« – Aujourd’hui, c’est mon jour de chance. J’vais jouer au loto et gagner des millions.
- Mais tu crois au Père Noël, toi. »
“- Today is my lucky day. I’m going to play the lottery and win millions.
- Yeah, right. In your dreams.”

présent : je crois au Père Noël, nous croyons au Père Noël

passé composé : j’ai cru au Père Noël, nous avons cru au Père Noël

futur : je croirai au Père Noël, nous croirons au Père Noël

There are many other expressions you probably won’t find in your textbook on www.frenchetc.org. Venez nous voir. That was Anne’s native take on a French expression. Bonne journée française.

prendre les rênes, to take command

Anne — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 18:44:07 +0000

Prendre les rennes ?

prendre les rênes, to take the reins means to take command, to take the lead, to be/come in charge. Careful with the spelling of rênes: rennes is reindeer.

« Il faudra que je prenne les rênes si je veux que ça aille mieux. »
“I’ll have to take command if I want things to get better.”

présent : je prends les rênes, nous prenons les rênes

passé composé : j’ai pris les rênes, nous avons pris les rênes

present subjunctive: que je prenne les rênes, que nous prenions les rênes

There are many other expressions you probably won’t find in your textbook on www.frenchetc.org. Venez nous voir.

c’est pas un cadeau, I could do without

Anne — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 16:35:48 +0000

c’est pas un cadeau – ce n’est pas un cadeau – it’s not a present is often used to mean I could do without. It’s a situation I am not very happy about.

« T’as vu la nouvelle règle ? Faudra pointer avant d’aller manger. C’est pas un cadeau, ça. »
“D’you check out the new policy? We’ll have to clock out before taking lunch. I could do without that one.”

présent : c’est pas un cadeau

imparfait : c’était pas un cadeau

futur : ce sera pas un cadeau

Share your thoughts and questions in Leave a Reply. There are many other expressions you probably won’t find in your textbook on www.frenchetc.org. Venez nous voir. That was Anne’s native take on a French expression. Bonne journée française.

Related expressions: ne pas faire de cadeaux = to be really strict

faire un paquet cadeau = to gift wrap

(se) faire un cadeau = to give (oneself) a present

c’est cadeau

tirer les marrons du feu, to save the day

Anne — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 06:30:41 +0000

chestnuts in the fire

tirer les marrons du feu tirer is to pull, un marron is a horse chestnut, or just a chestnut such as the ones French families eat on Christmas eve*. And le feu is the fire. The expression tirer les marrons du feu – to pull the chestnuts out of the fire – means to save the day. Ironically, tirer ses marrons du feu - to pull one’s own chestnuts out of the fire – means ‘to yank the benefits of a situation, to take selfish advantage of a situation.’

« On a réussi à tirer les marrons du feu. Mais c’était juste. »
“We managed to save the day, but it was close.”

présent : je tire les marrons du feu, nous tirons les marrons du feu

passé composé : j’ai tiré les marrons du feu, nous avons tiré les marrons du feu

Command Forms: Tire les marrons du feu ! Tirez les marrons du feu !

Related: About Christmas .

There are many other expressions you probably won’t find in your textbook on www.frenchetc.org. Venez nous voir. That was Anne’s native take on a French expression. Bonne journée française.

c’est cadeau, priceless

Anne — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 20:49:43 +0000

www.frenchetc.org

c’est cadeau – it’s present, it’s gift – without the article a -c’est cadeau is different from c’est un cadeau, which just means ‘it’s a present, a gift’. c’est cadeau is an idiomatic expression often used to mean that you’re getting something extra you weren’t expecting, something priceless. It can be from a store, a boutique or from a friend doing you a favor. It doesn’t necessarily involve money.

« Prends l’adhésion à FRENCH ETC. : t’as tout un vocabulaire et la grammaire du français d’aujourd’hui, et en plus, plein d’audios faits par une française. Ça, c’est cadeau.»
“Take the FRENCH ETC. membership: you get today’s vocabulary and grammar, and moreover, you get tons of audio files made by a native speaker. That’s priceless.”

Get or give as a gift a FRENCH ETC. membership at http://www.frenchetc.org/join/ in one click. C’est un super cadeau.

Related expressions: ne pas faire de cadeaux = to be really strict

faire un paquet cadeau = to gift wrap

(se) faire un cadeau = to give (oneself) a present

C’est pas un cadeau = I could do without

les doigts dans le nez means very easily

Anne — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 01:04:30 +0000

les doigts dans le nez – the fingers in the nose. les doigts dans le nez means that’s its ‘easy as 1.2.3., that it’s ‘a piece of cake’, much nicer in English than in French.

« J’ai avoir mon exam les doigts dans le nez. »
“I’ll ace my exam, a piece of cake.”

Try using this expression at least once today.

Leave a Reply below with your comment or question. That was Anne’s native take on a French expression. Sign up for your tutorial here. There are many other expressions and more that you won’t find in your textbook. Visit www.frenchetc.org. Bonne journée française !

Bon anniversaire, Happy birthday

Anne — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 14:00:07 +0000

Bon anniversaire ! or Joyeux anniversaire ! is Happy Birthday!

Here is the French song.

Bon anniversaire, nos vœux les plus sincères

Que ces quelques fleurs vous apportent le bonheur

Que l’année entière vous soit douce et légère

Et que l’an fini, nous soyons tous réunis

Pour chanter en cœur : Bon Anniversaire !

*******************************

Happy birthday, our best wishes

We hope that these few flowers bring you happiness

That the whole whole year be sweet and light for you

And that at the end of the year, we are all together

To sing together “Happy Birthday!”

Visit www.frenchetc.org - anne@frenchetc.org

régler is to pay for

Anne — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 00:52:25 +0000

régler – to rule. régler means ‘to pay for’. régler is a slightly irregular –ER verb and is conjugated like ACHETER is.

« Je vais régler cet achat avec ma carte bleue. »
“I’m going to pay for this purchase with my credit card.”

Try using this expression at least once today.

un embouteillage means ‘a traffic jam’

Anne — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 13:19:47 +0000

un embouteillage – a ‘bottling’. un embouteillage means ‘a traffic jam’

« Ça (ne) sert à rien de klaxonner, y a (il y a) des embouteillages partout sur le périf (périphérique). Impossible de rouler. »
“It’s not worth honking, there are traffic jams partout on the ring road. It’s impossible to move.”

Try using this expression at least once today.

Related: About cars .

faire la queue is to stand in line

Anne — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 01:19:31 +0000

faire la queue – to do the tail. faire la queue means ‘to stand in line’

« Je suis en retard parce que j’ai fait la queue au bureau de poste. »
“I’m late because I stood in line at the post office.”

Try using this expression at least once today.

Related: Downtown . About LATE .

Ça te dit ? is What do you say?

Anne — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 06:19:35 +0000

Ça te dit ? – it you tell? Ça te dit ? means ‘What do you say?’ ‘How do you feel about it?’

« On finit la réunion et on va boire un verre après. Ça te dit ? »
“We’ll finish the meeting and then we’ll go and have a drink. What do you say?”

The expression is also used as a statement – not as a question – and it works with other pronouns as well. You can also conjugate the verb DIRE with other tenses.

ça me dit – I’d like it
ça te dit – you’d like it
ça lui dit – s/he’d like it
ça nous dit – we’d like it
ça vous dit – you’d like it
ça leur dit – they’d like it

ça me disait – I liked it
ça me dira – I’ll like it, I’m sure

Try using this expression at least once today.

Related: Object pronouns .

tomber sur quelqu’un is to run into someone

Anne — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 20:36:02 +0000

tomber sur quelqu’un – to fall on someone. tomber sur quelqu’un means ‘to run into someone’

« Elle est tombée sur lui à la fête, et depuis, ils sont inséparables. »
“She ran into him at the party, and they’ve been inseparable since.”

Try using this expression at least once today.