French Language notes - December 2018

Tis the season for giving (une période de partage) so in the festive spirit, here we share some handy phrases based on themes of generosity and gratitude.

The first point is generic: how to be grateful (reconnaissant) when you benefit from un beau geste (a simple act of kindness or a nice gesture). Perhaps the most important lesson is similar to the English: ‘do not look a gift horse in the mouth’. In French, it is ‘à cheval donné on ne regarde pas les dents’ – which contains specific instructions to not look at said gift horse’s teeth!

Want to say thanks? “Merci pour le cadeau!” is the obvious one while a ‘gift that keeps on giving’ might be translated as “le cadeau qui dure toute l’année” (the gift that lasts all year). A nice way to express hearty gratitude in an informal setting without using the stock ‘Merci beaucoup’ is to say ‘Mille fois merci’ (‘A thousand thanks’) or ‘Merci infiniment’ (‘Thanks a lot’), while more formal is “Avec tous mes remerciements” (‘With all my thanks’).

How about phrases relating to those less generous of spirit? There is a popular saying that goes: “Donner c’est donner, reprendre c’est voler”, meaning “to give is to give, to take back is to steal”.

Likewise, someone can take the idea of receiving a little too far: “Give him an inch and he’ll take a mile”, we would say – this is translated as: “Donnez-leur en long comme le doigt, ils en prendront long comme le bras” – meaning ‘give them a finger and they’ll take an arm’.

We must leave the final word to the late, great and very generous Abbé Pierre, founder of Emmaüs: “On n’est jamais heureux que dans le bonheur qu’on donne. Donner, c’est recevoir.” ‘We are only ever happy in the happiness we give. Giving is receiving.’