French Note 10
Mastering idioms is the most difficult part of learning a language.Listen to the following example.
A woman goes to her friend' s house on invitation. Her son was also invited. The host asks the guest , " Where is David ? "
She replies, " He is outstanding ."
What she meant was that he was standing outside perhaps talking to an acquaintance.
The word , " outstanding " means something else. In any case , it does not mean " standing outside "
The point which I would like to make is that one should work hard to master a foreign language.
Revenons à nos moutons ! ( let us come to the point)
In this note , I am going to explain the use of certain idiomatic expressions using the word " quoi".
1. Merci mille fois pour ce beau cadeau .
Il n'y a pas de quoi.
My profuse thanks for this beautiful gift !
You are welcome.
So when someone thanks you for something , you can use this expression.
" il n'y a pas de quoi "
Don't ask me to do a word to word translation into English . You know well that idiomatic expressions are used as such and we have no license to change them as we please.
2. Martin se hâte vers le médecin de donner un médicament qu'il vient d'acheter pour sa maman.
Le médecin lui dit, " À quoi bon ? Elle est déjà morte!"
Martin rushes towards the doctor to give a medicine which he has just bought for his mother.
The doctor tells him , " What is the use ? She is already dead "
So you got the meaning of " À quoi bon ?"
3. Quoi de neuf ?
What news ?
When you meet someone , you can use this phrase , just for exchanging pleasantries .
4. " avoir de quoi + infinitive
The above expression means that one has the necessary means to do a thing.
Study the following examples.
Heureusement , Gérard a de quoi vivre confortablement après sa retraite.
Fortunately, Gerard has sufficient means to live comfortably after his retirement .
Nous avons de quoi achever ce projet avant la date limite.
We have sufficient resources to complete this project before the deadline.
5." Il n' y a pas de quoi + infinitive
The above expression is very useful . It means " there is nothing to ....."
Study these examples.
Il n' y a pas de quoi être très fier de votre résultat dans l'examen .
Vous avez reçu des notes un peu plus de la moyenne de la classe.
There is no reason for you to be so proud of your result in the examination .
You have received slightly more than the average marks of the class.
Elle sait son boulot. Il n' y'a pas de quoi se moquer de ce qu'elle fait.
She knows her job. There is nothing to mock at what she is doing.
6. Il n'y a pas de quoi fouetter un chat.
The literal meaning of the above expression is
No use whipping a cat.
It means what you are doing will have no useful effect. Don't we say in English,
" flogging a dead horse "
7. Bien ou quoi ?
The above expression means , " comment tu vas ? "
An informal expression.
8.À quoi jouez- vous?
What are you aiming at ?
What are your intentions ?
What are you up to?
9. Je - ne-sais-quoi
The above expression means literally , " I don't know that"
But it also means something one feels or knows but can not define .
" something undefinable " some elusive quality "
Ma femme a dépensé beaucoup d'argent en achetant des robes, des livres, des CDs et
je -ne-sais-quoi.
My wife spent a lot of money by buying dress. books. CDs and I don't know what else .
Now study the following example,
Quand on se trouve dans cette église , on se sent un je-ne-sais-quoi de divin.
When we are in this church, we feel something divine.
Tout le monde qui reste dans cette maison, y éprouve un je-ne-sais-quoi d'épouvantable.
Everybody who stays in that house experiences something horrible there.
Note the structure " je - ne - sais - quoi + adjective" in the last two examples.
Hope you have so far followed.
That is all for the time being.
Happy learning !
Bonne journée !
Sayee Jayaraman
13/01/2015
Mastering idioms is the most difficult part of learning a language.Listen to the following example.
A woman goes to her friend' s house on invitation. Her son was also invited. The host asks the guest , " Where is David ? "
She replies, " He is outstanding ."
What she meant was that he was standing outside perhaps talking to an acquaintance.
The word , " outstanding " means something else. In any case , it does not mean " standing outside "
The point which I would like to make is that one should work hard to master a foreign language.
Revenons à nos moutons ! ( let us come to the point)
In this note , I am going to explain the use of certain idiomatic expressions using the word " quoi".
1. Merci mille fois pour ce beau cadeau .
Il n'y a pas de quoi.
My profuse thanks for this beautiful gift !
You are welcome.
So when someone thanks you for something , you can use this expression.
" il n'y a pas de quoi "
Don't ask me to do a word to word translation into English . You know well that idiomatic expressions are used as such and we have no license to change them as we please.
2. Martin se hâte vers le médecin de donner un médicament qu'il vient d'acheter pour sa maman.
Le médecin lui dit, " À quoi bon ? Elle est déjà morte!"
Martin rushes towards the doctor to give a medicine which he has just bought for his mother.
The doctor tells him , " What is the use ? She is already dead "
So you got the meaning of " À quoi bon ?"
3. Quoi de neuf ?
What news ?
When you meet someone , you can use this phrase , just for exchanging pleasantries .
4. " avoir de quoi + infinitive
The above expression means that one has the necessary means to do a thing.
Study the following examples.
Heureusement , Gérard a de quoi vivre confortablement après sa retraite.
Fortunately, Gerard has sufficient means to live comfortably after his retirement .
Nous avons de quoi achever ce projet avant la date limite.
We have sufficient resources to complete this project before the deadline.
5." Il n' y a pas de quoi + infinitive
The above expression is very useful . It means " there is nothing to ....."
Study these examples.
Il n' y a pas de quoi être très fier de votre résultat dans l'examen .
Vous avez reçu des notes un peu plus de la moyenne de la classe.
There is no reason for you to be so proud of your result in the examination .
You have received slightly more than the average marks of the class.
Elle sait son boulot. Il n' y'a pas de quoi se moquer de ce qu'elle fait.
She knows her job. There is nothing to mock at what she is doing.
6. Il n'y a pas de quoi fouetter un chat.
The literal meaning of the above expression is
No use whipping a cat.
It means what you are doing will have no useful effect. Don't we say in English,
" flogging a dead horse "
7. Bien ou quoi ?
The above expression means , " comment tu vas ? "
An informal expression.
8.À quoi jouez- vous?
What are you aiming at ?
What are your intentions ?
What are you up to?
9. Je - ne-sais-quoi
The above expression means literally , " I don't know that"
But it also means something one feels or knows but can not define .
" something undefinable " some elusive quality "
Ma femme a dépensé beaucoup d'argent en achetant des robes, des livres, des CDs et
je -ne-sais-quoi.
My wife spent a lot of money by buying dress. books. CDs and I don't know what else .
Now study the following example,
Quand on se trouve dans cette église , on se sent un je-ne-sais-quoi de divin.
When we are in this church, we feel something divine.
Tout le monde qui reste dans cette maison, y éprouve un je-ne-sais-quoi d'épouvantable.
Everybody who stays in that house experiences something horrible there.
Note the structure " je - ne - sais - quoi + adjective" in the last two examples.
Hope you have so far followed.
That is all for the time being.
Happy learning !
Bonne journée !
Sayee Jayaraman
13/01/2015
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