This page lists English translations of several French phrases used in English texts and presumed to be understood by the English reader. The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Translation is an activity comprising the interpretation of the meaning of a text in one language — the source text — and the production, in another language, of a new, equivalent text — the target text, or translation. ...

A

À propos

regarding (this particular subject)

J'accuse!

I accuse! - title of an open letter by Emile Zola exposing the Dreyfus affair.

aide-de-camp

literally "camp assistant", assistant to a senior military officer.

aide-mémoire

memory aid, an object or memorandum to assist in remembrance, or a diplomatic paper proposing the major points of discussion.

ancien régime

the previous administration/government/reign. Note that in English usage it is often used to mean in particular pre-Revolution France, or the past in general, but this is not the French usage, which has the particular meaning as given.

Appellation contrôlée

supervised use of a name.

Après nous, le déluge.

After us, the flood. i.e. things will be disastrous after we have gone (or died). Attributed to Madame de Pompadour, mistress of Louis XV of France.

mile Zola (April 2, 1840 - September 29, 1902) was an influential French novelist, the most important example of the literary school of naturalism, and a major figure in the political liberalization of France. ... Captain Alfred Dreyfus, dressed in military uniform. ... Ancien Régime means Old Rule or Old Order in French; in English, the term refers primarily to the social and political system established in France under the Valois and Bourbon dynasties. ... The French Revolution (1789-1799) was a period in the history of France. ... Madame de Pompadour, portrait by François Boucher circa 1750 Madame de Pompadour (December 29, 1721 – April 15, 1764) was the famous mistress of King Louis XV of France. ... Louis XV in 1712, dressed as a girl, as was customary at the time for very young boys of the aristocracy The regent, Philippe dOrléans Louis XV (February 16, 1710 – May 10, 1774), called the Well-Beloved (French: le Bien-Aimé), was King of France from 1715 to...

B

bon appétit

literally "good appetite", enjoy your meal

bon mot

well-chosen word(s), particularly a witty remark

bon vivant

one who enjoys the good life, an epicurean

bon voyage

pleasant trip

bonne chance

good luck

bric-à-brac

small ornamental objects, less valuable than antiques

Epicureanism is a system of philosophy based upon the teachings of Epicurus (c. ...

C

Cause célèbre

literally 'famous case', but used to refer to any long-running social, legal and political situation involving public campaigning on one or both sides.

C'est la vie.

That's life.

C'est magnifique, mais ce n'est pas la guerre.

It is magnificent, but it is not war. - Quotation from Marshal Pierre Bosquet commenting on the charge of the Light Brigade.

Chacun a son goût.

Tastes differ/Opinions naturally differ/What people regard as normal differs.

Champs Elysées

literally "Elysian fields", actually the name of a major street radiating from the Arc de Triomphe in Paris.

Châteaux en Espagne

literally 'castles in Spain', used to mean imaginary projects, often with little hope of realisation

Chevalier d'Industrie

one who lives by his wits, specially by swindling.

Contretemps

argument

Coup de foudre

a sudden unexpected event, such as: a thunderbolt; a 'bolt from the blue'; love at first sight.

Coup de grâce

A killing blow (literally 'blow of mercy')

Coup d'état

A sudden blow to a state

Cul-de-sac

literally "bottom-of-the-bag" or "arse-of-the-bag", refer to a dead-end street.

A cause célèbre (of which the plural is causes célèbres) is an issue or incident arousing widespread controversy, outside campaigning and/or heated public debate. ... Pierre François Joseph Bosquet ( 1810- 1861) was a Marshal of France. ... Charge of the Light Brigade, Painting by Richard Caton Woodville (1825-1855) The Charge of the Light Brigade was an ill-advised cavalry charge, led by Lord Cardigan, which occurred during the Battle of Balaclava on October 25, 1854 during the Crimean War. ... Avenue des Champs-Elysées from Place de la Concorde, seen from above the obelisk The Champs-Elysées (pronounced â–¶ (help· info) literally the Elysian fields) is a broad avenue in the French capital Paris. ... In Greek mythology, Elysium was a section of the Underworld (the spelling Elysium is a Latinization of the Greek word Elysion). ... This page is a candidate to be copied to Wiktionary. ... A coup détat (pronounced ), or simply a coup, is the sudden overthrow of a government against the volonté générale formed by the majority of the citizen, usually done by a smaller supposedly weaker body that just replaces the top power figures. ...

D

Déjà vu

literally "seen before", seeing something you have seen again, probably in similar settings.

E

éminence grise

literally "grey eminence", refers to a publicity-shy person with little formal power but great influence over those in authority.

en principe, "Oui"

literally: in principle, "Yes" - actually a bureaucratic and circumlocutional way of saying "No"

L'état, c'est moi!

I am the state! - Attributed to the archetypal absolute monarch, Louis XIV of France

An éminence grise (French for grey eminence), is a powerful advisor or decision-maker who operates secretly or otherwise unofficially. ... For the musical group of the same name, see Louis XIV (band). ...

F

feit accompli

the thing is done, it is too late to plan it

femme fatale

literally "fatal/deadly woman", an attractive woman who seduces and takes advantage of men in order to achieve personal goals after which she discards of or abandons the victim, used to describe an attractive woman with whom a relationship is likely to result/has resulted in pain and sorrow.

fin de saison

literally "end of season", marks the end of an extended (anual) period during which business increases significantly, most commonly used for the end of summer tourism

fin de siècle

end of the century – relating to the culture pertaining at the end of the 19th century.

flâneur

an aimless idler

foie gras

fatty liver – usually the liver of overfed geese.

This article is in need of attention. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... Pâté de foie gras served picnic-style with a Sauternes wine and bread. ...

G

Gautier And Garguille

all the world and his wife.

les goûts et les couleurs ne se discutent pas

"tastes and colours are not argued over", one does not argue over differences in taste, to each his own.

grand projet

literally "large project", usually a government funded large scale civil engineering or technology project executed for prestige or general social benefit, and not immediately (if ever) profitable.

H

haute couture

Paris-based custom-fitted clothing. Literally "high sewing".

hors de combat

prevented from fighting - usually by injury. Literally "out of combat".

This article is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ...

I

idée fixe

an obsession or fixed attitude. In the Asterix books by Goscinny & Uderzo, Asterix' dog is named Idéfix in French and Dogmatix in English.

A shrewd, cunning little warrior; all perilous missions are immediately entrusted to him. ... René Goscinny (August 14, 1926 – November 5, 1977) Polish- French author, editor and humorist, who is best known for the comic strip Astérix, which he created with illustrator Albert Uderzo, and the comic strip Lucky Luke. // Early life René was born in Paris in 1926, to Stanislaw Simkha Goscinny... Albert Uderzo Albert Uderzo (born April 25, 1927 in France) is a French comic book artist, and scriptwriter. ...

J

Jacques Bonhomme

a name given to a French peasant as tamely submissive to taxation. Also the pseudonym of the 14th century peasant leader Guillaume Caillet.

Je ne regrette rien.

I regret nothing. (Title of a popular song by Edith Piaf)

Je ne sais quoi.

Literally: I don't know what. Used to mean a certain, indefinable 'something' which distinguishes the object in question from others which are superficially similar.

Jeunesse Dorée (Jeunesse Doree)

(lit. gilded youth), name given to a body of young dandies who, after the fall of Robespierre, strove to bring about a counter-revolution. Today used for any offspring living an affluent lifestyle.

Joie de vivre

Joy of life/living

The Jacquerie in Froissarts chronicles The Jacquerie was a popular revolt in late medieval Europe that took place in northern France in 1358, during the Hundred Years War. ... Edith Piaf Édith Piaf (December 19, 1915 - October 11, 1963) was one of Frances most beloved singers, with much success shortly before and during World War II. Her music reflected her tragic life, with her specialty being the poignant ballad presented with a heartbreaking voice. ...

K

L

Laissez-faire

"Leave to do"; often used within the context of economic policy or political philosophy, meaning leaving alone, or non-interference.

Legerdemain

From Old French "Leger de main" - "light of the hand", used to mean sleight of hand usually in the context of deception.

lieu

"Instead": originally derived from Latin locus ("place"); in lieu of: "instead of", "in the place of" — e.g., "In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the decedent's charity of choice."

Louis Quinze

Louis XV of France, or more specifically, relating to the rococo style of furniture, architecture and interior decoration during his reign.

Laissez-faire is short for laissez faire, laissez passer, a French phrase meaning to let things alone, let them pass. First used by the eighteenth century Physiocrats as an injunction against government interference with trade, it is now used as a synonym for strict free market economics. ... In Governments Economic policies determine the set of actions that a government can take in terms of its expenditure, borrowing, setting of interest rates, etc. ... Political philosophy is the study of the fundamental questions about the state, government, politics, property, law and the enforcement of a legal code by authority: what they are, why they are needed, what makes a government legitimate, what rights and freedoms it should protect and why, what form it should... Sleight-of-hand, also known as legerdemain, is a technique of close-up magic in which small items are concealed in and around the performers hands, sometimes by the use of misdirection, to enhance the illusion being performed. ... Latin is an ancient Indo-European language originally spoken in the region around Rome called Latium. ... The word locus (plural loci) is Latin for place: In biology and evolutionary computation, a locus is the position of a gene (or other significant sequence) on a chromosome. ... Louis XV in 1712, dressed as a girl, as was customary at the time for very young boys of the aristocracy The regent, Philippe dOrléans Louis XV (February 16, 1710 – May 10, 1774), called the Well-Beloved (French: le Bien-Aimé), was King of France from 1715 to... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

M

maître d'

a shortening of "maître d'hôtel", meaning "master of the hall", used to refer to a head waiter.

ménage à trois

literally "household of three", a romantic and/or sexual relationship consisting of three individuals in a single household, an arangement of three individuals engaging in simultaneous sexual activity with one another

le moment suprême

literally "the supreme moment", the climax in a series of events (e.g. at the unveiling of an art exhibition)

moue

a pursing together of the lips to indicate disapproval.

See also: majordomo Categories: | ... A ménage à trois is a relationship or domestic arrangement in which three people, often a married couple and another lover, live together or are romantically or sexually involved. ...

N

n'est-ce pas

isn't it? - usually indicated the previous phrase was a (rhetorical) question.

noblesse oblige

"Those granted a higher station in life are obliged to extend (possibly token) favours/courtesies to those in lower stations".

O

P

passe-partout

a document that allows the holder to travel without hindrance from the authorities and enter any location.

la pièce de résistance

literally "piece of the resistance", item that excels in quality and/or value from the rest of a collection

pied-à-terre

literally 'foot-on-the-ground' - a small (traditionally ground-floor) apartment in a large town or city, usually a second home of a wealthy household.

pis-aller

literally 'go worse'; an undesirable option selected because the other choices were even worse

pour encourager les autres

literally 'to encourage the others' - said of an excessive punishment meted out as an example. The original is from Voltaire's Candide and referred to the execution of Admiral John Byng.

prêt-à-porter

ready to wear clothing. Contrast haute couture.

A pied a terre is a small second home in the city (typically an apartment or a condominium). ... Borj-e Sefid apartments in Tehran, Iran An apartment (or flat in Britain and other Commonwealth countries) is a self-contained housing unit that occupies only part of a building. ... The last of Voltaires statues by Jean-Antoine Houdon (1781). ... Candide, ou lOptimisme, (English: Candide, or Optimism) (1759) is a picaresque novel by the Enlightenment philosopher Voltaire. ... John Byng (October 29, 1704 – March 14, 1757), British admiral, was the fourth son of George Byng, 1st Viscount Torrington, and entered the navy in 1718. ... Ready-to-wear or prêt-à-porter is the fashion design term for clothing marketed in a finished condition, in standard clothing sizes (in casual usage, off the rack). ... This article is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ...

Q

Quai d'Orsay

Address of the French foreign ministry, used to refer to the ministry itself.

Quatorze juillet

14th July, Bastille Day. The nominal beginning of the French Revolution; used to refer to the revolution itself and its ideals.

Que sera, sera

"What will be, will be", passive approach to life, there is no use in trying to see the future, to take events as they come. Originally a Spanish phrase.

Quoi de neuf?

What's new, what's the news?

The Champs-Élysées decorated with flags for the 14 July. ...

R

raison d'être

The basic reason or purpose to exist.

rendez-vous

appointment, meeting place.

Rive Gauche

the left (southern) bank (of the River Seine in Paris). A particular mindset attributed to inhabitants of that area.

Rois Fainéants

(i. e. the Do-nothings), the name given to the kings of France of the Merovingian line from 670 to 752, from Thierry III. to Childeric III., who were subject to their ministers, the mayors of the palace, who discharged all their functions.

RSVP

Abbreviation of "Répondez, s'il vous plaît", which politely requests the recipient to reply to an invitation.

For the musical group, see Left Banke. ... Kings ruled in France from the Middle Ages to 1848. ... For other uses of the term Merovingian, see Merovingian (disambiguation). ...

S

Sacrebleu!

literally "Sacred blue!", a stereotypical oath, which is an euphemism for "Sacré Dieu" (Sacred God!).

sang-froid

literally "Cold blood", translates as keeping a cool head or a stiff upper lip, NOT cold-blooded.

sans culottes

literally "without knee-britches/trousers", refers to lower-class Parisian republicans in the French Revolution, in modern use to those holding strong republican views.

savoir-faire

capable, competent in an endeavour

Sauve qui peut!

Those that are able to should save themselves. Used as a pragmatic response to an accident.

soi-disant

literally oneself saying, means self-proclaimed, self-styled

A euphemism is an expression intended by the speaker to be less offensive, disturbing, or troubling to the listener than the word or phrase it replaces, or in the case of doublespeak to make it less troublesome for the speaker. ...

T

tant pis

too bad, a shame

tête-à-tête

literally "head to head", an intimate get-together or private conversation between two people

tour de force

literally "act of strength", a brilliant feat

tout de suite

at once, immediately (per Oxford English Dictionary). Sometimes shortened to tout suite

U

V

vendu or vendus

sellouts, generaly by apostates

vin de pays

literally 'country wine' - wine of a lower designated quality than 'appellation controlée'

vis-à-vis

literally 'face-to-face' - opposed to, compared with, in relation to

W

X

Y

Z

le zinc

bar/café counter

Zut alors!

Dash it!

See also

• List of French proverbs
• List of Latin words with English derivatives
• List of Latin phrases
• List of Greek phrases
• List of German expressions in English
• List of German words and phrases
• French phrases used by English speakers
• List of Spanish expressions in common English

A list of French proverbs can be found at Wikiquote:French proverbs. ... This is a list of Latin words with derivatives in English (and other modern languages). ... This page lists direct English translations of common Latin phrases, such as veni vidi vici and et cetera. ... List of Greek Phrases/Proverbs Αα (h)a Ageōmetrētos mēdeis eisitō. Let no-one without knowledge of geometry enter. Motto over the entrance to Platos Academy (quoted in Elias commentary on Aristotles Categories). ... Below is a list of German expressions used in English. ... This page lists English translations of German words and phrases used in English texts and presumed to be commonly understood by the English reader. ... Here are some examples of French words and phrases used by English speakers. ... Here are some words or phrases from the Spanish that are sometimes used in English slang, but have not entered the standard lexicon. ...

External links