French for English Speakers : French for English Speakers Created by: Dimick
French for English Speakers : French for English Speakers Created by: Dimick
À propos : À propos Appropriate;
exactly on target
Avant-garde : Avant-garde advance guard: ahead of it’s time
Au contraire : Au contraire On the contrary, just the opposite
Bon appétit : Bon appétit Good appetite: enjoy your meal
Bon Voyage : Bon Voyage Good trip: have one!
Chef d’oeuvre : Chef d’oeuvre Chief, best work
Coup d’état : Coup d’état Blow to the state: a hostile take-over of the government by a rowdy band of rebels
Crème de la crème : Crème de la crème Best of the best:
(cream of the cream)
Déjà-vu : Déjà-vu Already-seen
Fait-accompli : Fait-accompli Feat accomplished, done deal
Faux-pas : Faux-pas False step:
a violation of accepted social customs
Haute cuisine : Haute cuisine High cooking-
Elaborate preparation of foods
Haute couture : Haute couture High fashion:
Exclusive custom-fitted clothing
Je ne sais quoi : Je ne sais quoi I don’t know what
I just can’t explain it
Joie de vivre : Joie de vivre Joy of living
Laissez-faire : Laissez-faire Let it do it itself:
Hands-off policy, let things self-correct
Nouveau riche : Nouveau riche New rich:
Not old inherited money & therefore, lacking in taste & culture,
tacky
Prêt-à-porter : Prêt-à-porter Ready to wear
mass produced fashion as compared to customized haute couture
Pièce de résistance : Pièce de résistance The thing that you just can’t resist
Raison d’être : Raison d’être Reason for existing; what something was made for
risqué : risqué Taking risks- pushing the envelope of what’s socially acceptable
Sang-froid : Sang-froid Cold blood
Showing no emotion
Savoir faire : Savoir faire Know how
Being able to do something well
Tête-à-tête : Tête-à-tête Head to head
Man to man
Voir-dire : Voir-dire See-say (in court)
Lawyers decide if a juror will be good for his client by looking & asking questions
FIN : FIN