French Word of the Day February 2005

Sent: Monday, February 28, 2005 12:12 AM

Back to swear words - it's been a while

(une) couille = a ball. As in testicle :-|

although there are, as you can imagine, numerous colorful expressions using couilles, I'd like to start with this one:

un/une casse-couilles = someone who's a pain in the ass (literally a ballbreaker), can also be an adjective:

c'est casse-couilles! = it's a pain in the ass!

Sent: Fri 2/25/2005 8:02 AM

(un) ajout = an addition

A little clarification about yesterday's word: though it can be affectionate, don't surprise your French girlfriend by calling her that. I wouldn't be held responsible for the consequences. Now, you can call me that any day.

Sent: Thursday, February 24, 2005 7:11 AM

(une) catin = a prostitute

Somehow, this can (in some cases) be safely used in an affectionate way. Not with strangers though, and with extreme care. As in "ça va catin ?"

Sent: Wednesday, February 23, 2005 6:16 AM

(la) mer = sea

ce n'est pas la mer à boire = it's not that difficult (literally: it's not like having to drink the sea)

Sent: Tuesday, February 22, 2005 4:46 PM

musarder = to wander around. Not really that popular but I find it funny

Sent: Monday, February 21, 2005 8:54 PM

(une) bourde = a blunder

For those who hadn't noticed, the French Word of the Day experienced some technical difficulties in the past few weeks. After a long investigation, the root cause of the problem has been identified - in technical terms, it's called the "Mandorla effect". Everything should be back to normal, but I am also investigating alternatives. To be continued...

Sent: Friday, February 18, 2005 7:10 AM

béni-oui-oui = yes-man

Sent: Thursday, February 17, 2005 6:47 AM

(une) nana = a girl, a chick (colloquial)

Sent: Wednesday, February 16, 2005 10:01 AM

(la) pluie = rain

je ne suis pas né de la dernière pluie = I wasn't born yesterday (literally: I wasn't born last time it rained)

Sent: Tuesday, February 15, 2005 3:32 PM

(un) ronron = purr / purring

faire ronron = to purr

le ronron de la vie quotidienne = the humdrum routine of daily life

Sent: Monday, February 14, 2005 8:57 AM

(un) croc (pronounced "kro") = a fang avoir les crocs = to be starving (slang)

Sent: Friday, February 11, 2005 7:03 AM

grailler = slang for manger (to eat) On va grailler ? = Wanna go eat ?

Sent: Thursday, February 10, 2005 7:09 AM

(le) sang = blood (the 'g' is silent)

Sent: Wednesday, February 09, 2005 11:11 AM

(une/la) vue = sight / view. à vue de nez = roughly (nez = nose) à vue d'œil = before someone's eyes (œil = eye) en mettre plein la vue = to impress E.g. il m'en a mis plein la vue! = he really impressed me!

Sent: Tuesday, February 08, 2005 1:05 AM

(une) sucette = a lollipop And an interesting expression: partir en sucette = to go awry E.g. Depuis qu'il a arrêté ses études a l'université, il est complètement parti en sucette = he started losing it after he dropped out of college

Sent: Monday, February 07, 2005 8:09 PM

court-vêtu(e) = adjective referring to someone wearing short clothes. Applies mostly to women, obviously. E.g. une femme court-vêtue = a woman in a short skirt.

Sent: Friday, February 04, 2005 7:25 AM

(un) RU = abbreviation for Restaurant Universitaire (University Cafeteria), pronounced as is (not spelled)

Sent: Thursday, February 03, 2005 7:05 AM

déchu(e) = fallen, deposed

un ange déchu = a fallen angel

Sent: Wed 2/2/2005 7:13 AM

les actualités = news

Sent: Tue 2/1/2005 6:57 AM

(un) sapajou = a capuchin monkey. One of Tintin's captain Haddock's favorite insults

http://www.angelfire.com/super2/animorphs/insult.html