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FRENCH WORD OF THE DAY

French Expression of the Day: Bien fait pour toi

This phrase looks nice on paper, but you might want to ‘fais gaffe’ when using it.

French Expression of the Day:  Bien fait pour toi
Photo: Annie Spratt/Unsplash/Nicolas Raymond

Why do I need to know bien fait pour toi?

Because you might have been confused the last time you heard this phrase – which seems pretty kind on paper – only being used by parents who seem to be at their wits-end with their kids.

What does it mean?

Bien fait pour toi – usually pronounced something like  bee-ahn fay pore twah – literally means “well done for you,” and though it looks like a compliment on paper, it is actually all about getting your comeuppance. The phrase more accurately translates to “serves you right” or “you got what you deserved” in English. 

You’ll probably hear this mostly around parents speaking to their children, or in particularly tense conversations. The phrase is not exactly one to throw around lightly, so it should be reserved for situations that really call for it. But if you’re really looking to get your point across, and you’re feeling quite exasperated, this might be the phrase for you.

If you are looking for a gentler way to tell your child that they should have listened to you, you could say “je t’avais prévenu” (I warned you) or “la prochaine fois que tu m’écouteras” (next time you will listen to me).

Use it like this

Tu as raté ton examen parce que tu n’as rien étudié…c’est bien fait pour toi ! – You failed your test because you did not study at all; you got what you deserved. 

Je t’ai dit de ne pas manger tous ces bonbons trois fois, et tu n’as pas voulu écouter. Maintenant ton estomac te fait mal, alors bien fait pour toi. – I told you three times not to eat all that candy but you wouldn’t listen and now your stomach hurts. Serves you right.

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FRENCH WORD OF THE DAY

French Expression of the Day: Chasse aux sorcières

This French expression came up a lot during the Middle Ages, and it's still used today.

French Expression of the Day: Chasse aux sorcières

Why do I need to know chasse aux sorcières?

Because you might see this expression pop up during a celebrity scandal.

What does it mean?

Chasse aux sorcières – roughly pronounced shass oh sore-see-air – translates as ‘witch hunt’.

You might have heard la chasse used in its more common context to mean hunting, although it’s also used in a military context – un avion de chasse is a fighter jet.

The expression ‘witch hunt’ is used in the same way as its English counterpart. Officially, it refers to the historic pursuit and persecution of people believed to have been practising witchcraft.

Over time, it has come to refer to the deliberate, large-scale harassment of someone with unpopular views.

In France, as in the UK and the US, celebrities or public figures may say they are the victims of a chasse aux sorcières, often after being accused of inappropriate behaviour or after making controversial commentary.

Use it like this

La célébrité accusée de harcèlement a déclaré que les accusations étaient fausses. Il a parlé d’une chasse aux sorcières. – The celebrity accused of harassment said the charges were false. He blamed it on a witch hunt.

Plusieurs milliers de femmes ont été brûlées lors de chasses aux sorcières. – Several thousand women were burned due to witch hunts.

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