Review of three informal features in French
11 December 2009
Below you will review one informal expression, one informal verb and one informal adjective in French. Click on the links to go back and hear or read these features used in context.
1. MANGER UNE CLAQUE (to take a hit, a blow), from Part 2 of L’étrange légende des gants du diable
Un des boxeurs mange une claque qui l’envoie au plancher. One of the boxers takes a hit that sends him to the ground. L’économie a mangé une claque. The economy took a blow.
2. DÉCONNER (to mess around, to joke around), from Allée 12
Des petits comiques déconnent sur les allées. Some little jokers are messing around on the lanes. Il déconne comme ça souvent. He often jokes around like that.
3. NIAISEUX (stupid, idiotic), from La Grande Séduction
Il faut être particulièrement niaiseux pour se perdre dans un village si microscopique. You have to be particularly stupid to get lost in such a microscopic village. C’est peut-être une question niaiseuse, mais je vais la poser quand même. Maybe it’s a stupid question, but I’m going to ask it anyway.
TRANSLATE these sentences into French using an informal feature from above.
1. I think he’s pretty stupid. 2. He just took a hit right in the face. 3. You think I’m joking around?
1. Je le trouve pas mal niaiseux. 2. Il vient de manger une claque en pleine face. 3. Tu penses que je déconne?
