‘Être bien dans tes baskets’: Our French expression of the week

From Thursday (December 1), members of the public will be able to sign up to a ticketing draw for the Paris Olympic Games in 2024.

Read more: Paris 2024 Olympic Games: ticket sales calendar revealed

Read also: Railcard sale ends, doctors to strike: The week ahead in France

To mark this sporting occasion, we thought of the French expression ‘être bien dans ses baskets’ or ‘être à l’aise dans ses baskets’ (literally: to be well/at ease in one’s trainers).

This would translate to ‘to be comfortable in one’s own skin’ or ‘to be at ease with oneself’ in English.

For example, you might say something like: ‘Pierre est très sûr de soi ; il est bien dans ses baskets’ (Pierre is very sure of himself; he is comfortable with who he is).

Back on the subject of the Olympic ticket draw, the sign-up window will only last until January 31, so people hoping to attend an Olympic event will need to ‘saisir la balle au bond’ before it is too late.

‘Saisir la balle au bond’ (which might translate to something like ‘to grab the ball on the bound’) means ‘to seize the opportunity’ or to ‘take the ball and run with it’.

For example, one might say: ‘j’ai saisi la balle au bond et je suis allée voir le ballet’ (I seized the opportunity and went to see the ballet).

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