Idiomatic French Flashcards
the gap is narrowing
l’écart se resserre
currently, at the moment, at the present time
couramment, en ce moment, à l’heure actuelle
so far! (up until now, up until then)
until … ( + subordinate clause)
jusqu’à présent!, jusqu’à là!,
jusqu’à ce que … (requires the subjuntive)
jamming on the breaks
debout sur la pédale de frein
to have a burning passion/enthusiasm for
avoir le feu sacré pour
in this case / in this instance / as it happens
en l’occurrence
to be in (big) trouble
être dans de beaux draps
to call it quits
en rester la
 You were set on buying a shirt.
Tu étais parti pour acheter un chemise.
exactly (colloquial),
smack dab
pile poil
du moment que
as long as
Ça va faire du bruit.
It’s going to cause a stir. ( … make a noise)
I have nothing to say about it.
I have nothing to say about that.
Je n’ai rein à en dire.
Je n’ai rien à dire là-dessus.
by then (by that time)
by 2050
d’ici là, (lit., from now to then)
d’ici 2050
(to) go through that
passer par ça
(to) go with the flow
suivre le courant
suivre le mouvement
over the course of
au cours de
It doesn’t fit. It doesn’t make sense. (Informal)
Ça ne colle pas.
I am at your disposal for all questions
Je reste à votre disposition pour toute question.
It’s a start! / That’s something!
C’est déjà ça !
For real! / For good! / For keeps!
We’re done for good!
Pour de bon !
Nous en avons fini pour de bon !
an accident at the bridge
un accident au niveau du pont,
un accident sur le pont
overall
dans l’ensemble
projected, in the planning stage
have as a project
en projet
avoir pour projet
easy to live with
facile à vivre
basically, fundamentally, inside
dans le fond
just now (a little earlier, right away, a little later)
tout à l’heure
Time to focus up these phrases. How much can you remember about them?
tant
tant que
autant (que)
en tant que
pourtant
pourtant que
-
tant
- Meaning: “so much”, “as much”
- Example: “J’ai tant de travail à faire.” (I have so much work to do.)
-
tant que
- Meaning: “as long as”, “while”
- Example: “Je travaillerai tant que je serai en bonne santé.” (I will work as long as I am in good health.)
-
autant (que)
- Meaning: “as much (as)”, “as many (as)”
- Example: “J’aime autant le chocolat (que la glace).” (I like chocolate as much (as ice cream).)
-
en tant que
- Meaning: “in the capacity of”, “as”
- Example: “En tant que directeur, je dois prendre cette décision.” (As the director, I must make this decision.)
-
pourtant
- Meaning: “however”, “nevertheless”, “yet”
- Example: “Il pleut pourtant il fait beau.” (It’s raining, yet it’s nice outside.)
-
pourtant que
- This is not standard French, and is best avoided. It is sometimes used instead of “bien que” or “quoique” meaning “although”, “even though”.
Key differences:
- tant, autant que, and en tant que are used to express quantity or capacity.
- tant que and pourtant are used to express conditions or contrasts.
- pourtant que is not a correct French expression.
The main distinctions are:
- tant and autant que refer to amounts or quantities.
- tant que and pourtant introduce clauses or conditions.
- en tant que specifies a role or capacity.
how many hours of driving?
combien d’heures de route ?
You look well.
Vous avez bonne mine.
Vous avez l’air en forme
When might you use
« s’y prendre » ?
- “S’y prendre” is a versatile expression used to discuss how someone “goes about” doing something: “Comment s’y prendre pour apprendre un nouveau langage?” - “How do I go about learning a new language?”
- It can be used to indicate someone’s level of skill: “Il s’y est pris en expert” means “He went about it in an expert way.”
- “S’y prendre” can express whether someone’s approach or method was appropriate or effective: “Il s’y est mal pris” means “He went about it the wrong way.”
- Common phrases using “s’y prendre” include:
- “Comment t’y es-tu pris?” - “How did you go about it?”
- “Il s’y est pris trop tard” - “He got to it too late.”
- “Il sait bien s’y prendre en amour” - “He has a way with love.” - The expression is similar in meaning to “faire” in the sense of “to do” or “to handle” something, but with more emphasis on the process or approach.
- There are casual variations, such as “s’y prendre comme un manche” or “s’y prendre comme un pied”, which speak of clumsiness or ineptitude.
Overall, “s’y prendre” is a nuanced French expression that allows speakers to discuss the manner in which a task or situation is approached and handled.
Just in case.
In case it rains.
Au case où.
Au case où il pleurait (always conditional mood).
in a pinch/if need be
à la rigueur
to get there/succeed (in it)
to reach/succeed (in it)
to manage/succeed (in it)
to follow in order/succeed (it)
(y’)arriver
(y) parvenir
(y) réussir
(y) succéder
being willing to go to the extent
of (a negative consequence),
even if it means (looking foolish),
at the risk of (going into debt)
quitte à ( + an infinitive phrase),
quitte à (apparaitre un imbecile),
quitte à (m’endetter)
I don’t let myself get pushed around.
I didn’t let myself get pushed around.
Je ne me laisse pas faire.
Je ne me suis pas laissé faire.
As if it isn’t enough that …
Deja que …
You’ll get a promotion.
Tu auras une promotion.
… for a long time
… depuis longtemps
hang up (abruptly/rudely) on him,
Hang up (abruptly/rudely) on the boss
lui raccrocher (au nez),
raccrocher au patron/(au nez du patron)
You’ll change your mind.
Vous changerez d’avis.
after going home
après être rentré(e)(s)
I was scolded. (Passive)
I was scolded. (Impersonal)
I got scolded. (Reflexive causative)
J’ai été grondé.
On m’a grondé.
Je me suis fait gronder.
breaking and entering
arrested for breaking and entering
entrée par effraction
arrêté(e)(s) pour être entré(e)(s) par effraction
I don’t care, it’s up to you.
Just see to it.
Je m’en fiche, c’est vous qui voyez.
À toi de voir.
That works for me but not for Paul.
Cela me convient, mais ne convient pas à Paul.
Cela va pour moi, mais n’ira pas pour Paul.
Cela ne me dérange pas, mais dérange Paul.
Cela fonctionne pour moi, mais n’est pas efficace pour Paul.
assuming … that you saw them
en assumant/
en supposant/
en admettant … que tu les aies vus
take a look at it
y jeter un coup d’œil
I kept … (doing something).
Je ne faisais que … (faire quelque chose).
to be aware (of), to be up-to-date (on),
to get up to date, to update, to brief,
to keep (yourself, someone, something) up to date
être au courant (de … ), être à jour (sur …)
(se) mettre au courant (de …), à jour (sur …)
(se) tenir au courant (de …), à jour (sur …)
I felt at home there
just from going in.
Je m’y suis senti chez moi
rien qu’en entrant.
immedately, at once, straightaway
de ce pas
This is only gossip.
Ce ne sont que des ragots.
How do you turn a noun into an adjective using the preposition de?
The fixed phrase “C’est de … [noun]” can mean “It’s [adjective]”. For example, “C’est d’une grande naïveté” means “It’s very naive.” Similarly, “C’est de la folie” means “It’s crazy” and “C’est d’un autre monde” means “It’s out of this world.” “C’est d’une rare audace” means “It’s an act of uncommon daring.” “C’est de ma faute” means “It’s my fault”.
It doesn’t matter.
It doesn’t matter whether he comes.
Peu importe.
Peu importe qu’il vienne.
You quickly recovered from it!
Tu t’en es vite remise!
to be knowledgeable about … (e.g. cooking),
to be competent, to know one’s stuff.
s’y connaître en …
s’y connaître.
Oui, il s’y connait en cuisine.
Oui, il s’y connait.
(Note: ils s’y EN connait is WRONG, en must follow the verb and needs an object.)
to get shot down
se prendre un râteau
We’ll see about that. We’ll check that out.
On verra ça.
We’ll see about that. We’ll check that out.
On verra ça.
