Learning French
Learning French: what does faire les cent pas mean and when should it be used?
A handy phrase for when someone is pacing back and forth
A handy phrase for when someone is pacing back and forth
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Despite what you might assume, this French expression is not used to describe working towards your daily step goal.
We look at what French speakers really mean when reffering to les cent pas.
What does faire les cent pas mean?
The saying literally translates as: to do the 100 steps.
It describes the act of pacing or walking back and forth when feeling stressed, anxious, excited, or impatient for something to happen.
Arpenter is the French verb for ‘to pace’, however you are far more likely to hear someone using the cent pas alternative.
Another similar expression is tourner en rond (literally: to turn in a circle), however this is mainly used to describe boredom or helplessness.
What are the origins of faire les cent pas?
The explanation behind this expression stems from the natural physical reaction to any of the aforementioned emotions. Counting steps can be a coping mechanism or a way of calming your mind and distracting you from a worrying situation.
The specific reference to the number 100 comes from monks, who when walking around a monastery would say that they were doing les cent pas, according to the book Le Français correct pour Les Nuls, (French for Dummies).
When do you say faire les cent pas?
Say this to describe walking in a jittery manner:
Arrête de faire les cent pas, ça me stresse. - Stop pacing, it is stressing me out.
Je n'arrivais pas à dormir hier soir et j'ai passé des heures à faire les cent pas. - I couldn't sleep last night and spent hours pacing back and forth.
To whom do you say faire les cent pas?
It is colloquial language that can be said in many different situations - when talking to friends and family in casual environments or if speaking to colleagues in more formal contexts.
There is no risk of offending someone by using this phrase.
If you would like us to explain a particular word or expression, or if you have any other Learning French suggestions, let us know at: feedback@connexionfrance.com
