Four Québécois expressions
You might not know
I’d like to start teaching you new Québécois expressions.
If you take just five minutes to read this newsletter, you’ll be able to learn and integrate four new words or Quebec French expressions.
First, can you understand the following dialogue?
Y’a de la boucane dans la maison. Faudrait que j’achète un ventilateur, mais c’est pas donné. — Ben là, y’a rien là, ouvre la fenêtre! — Oui, mais d’un coup qu’y ferait froid!
Keep reading and everything will make sense in just a few minutes…
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Four new Québécois expressions
1. C’est pas donné
If a Québécois says “c’est pas donné,” it doesn’t mean “it’s not given,” as the literal translation would suggest.
It simply means that it’s expensive!
Un iPhone, c’est un bon téléphone, mais c’est pas donné!
2. Y’a rien là!
How would you translate “y’a rien là”?
Did you first think about “there’s nothing there?”
Wrong answer!
This Québécois expression means it’s easy or it’s no big deal.
Changer les cordes d’une guitare? Y’a rien là quand tu sais comment!
3. La boucane
This is a Québécois word for fumée — smoke.
Y’a de la boucane dans la cabane!
4. D’un coup que
Here’s another test for you. What does this phrase mean: D’un coup qu’y mouillerait!
You’re lost? Let me add another part. Faudrait fermer les fenêtres, d’un coup qu’y mouillerait.
Did you get it?
D’un coup que means in case. It comes from tout d’un coup.
Faudrait fermer les fenêtres, d’un coup qu’y mouillerait.
“We should close the windows, in case it starts raining.”
So what’s the meaning of our dialogue?
You should now be able to understand this dialogue.
Y’a de la boucane dans la maison. Faudrait que j’achète un ventilateur, mais c’est pas donné. — Ben là, y’a rien là, ouvre la fenêtre! — Oui, mais d’un coup qu’y ferait froid!
Put your translation in the comments!
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I would translate this: « Y’a de la boucane dans la maison. Faudrait que j’achète un ventilateur, mais c’est pas donné. — Ben là, y’a rien là, ouvre la fenêtre! — Oui, mais d’un coup qu’y ferait froid! »
as:
"It's smokey in the house. I need to buy a fan, but they're expensive!—Well, it's no big deal—I'll just open the window! — Yeah, but what if it gets cold?"
J'aimerais beaucoup de paragraph comme celle çi!