Vocabulary

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Lesson Transcript

INTRODUCTION
Eric: I'm Eric.
Yasmine: And I'm Yasmine!
Eric: Expressions Using Words Related To Animals. In this lesson, you'll learn Expressions Using Words Related To Animals.
Eric: They are very old expressions about animals that are still used nowadays, but when they are translated literally, they don't make a lot of sense, which can be confusing for French learners.
SLANG EXPRESSIONS
Eric: The expressions you will be learning in this lesson are:
Yasmine: poser un lapin
Yasmine: avoir une arraignée au plafond
Yasmine: avoir d'autres chats à fouetter
Yasmine: matou
Eric: Yasmine, what's our first expression?
Yasmine: poser un lapin
Eric: literally meaning "put a rabbit." But when it's used as a slang expression it means "to stand somebody up."
Yasmine: [SLOW] poser un lapin [NORMAL] poser un lapin
Eric: Listeners, please repeat.
Yasmine: poser un lapin
[pause - 5 sec.]
Eric: Use this slang expression when you stand someone up, or get stood up.
Eric : Now let's hear an example sentence.
Yasmine: [NORMAL] J'avais rendez-vous avec mon amie mais elle m'a posé un lapin et je l'ai attendue pendant plus d'une heure. [SLOW] J'avais rendez-vous avec mon amie mais elle m'a posé un lapin et je l'ai attendue pendant plus d'une heure.
Eric: "I had an appointment with my friend, but she stood me up and I waited over an hour."
Yasmine: [NORMAL] J'avais rendez-vous avec mon amie mais elle m'a posé un lapin et je l'ai attendue pendant plus d'une heure.
Eric: Okay, what's the next expression?
Yasmine: avoir une arraignée au plafond
Eric: literally meaning "have a spider on the ceiling." But when it's used as a slang expression it means "to have a screw loose."
Yasmine: [SLOW] avoir une arraignée au plafond [NORMAL] avoir une arraignée au plafond
Eric: Listeners, please repeat.
Yasmine: avoir une arraignée au plafond
[pause - 5 sec.]
Eric: Use this slang expression when you want to say that someone is crazy, not all right in the head.
Eric : Now let's hear an example sentence.
Yasmine: [NORMAL] Il a une araignée au plafond. [SLOW] Il a une araignée au plafond.
Eric: "He's got a screw loose."
Yasmine: [NORMAL] Il a une araignée au plafond.
Eric: Okay, what's the next expression?
Yasmine: avoir d'autres chats à fouetter
Eric: literally meaning "have other cats to whip." But when it's used as a slang expression it means "have other fish to fry."
Yasmine: [SLOW] avoir d'autres chats à fouetter [NORMAL] avoir d'autres chats à fouetter
Eric: Listeners, please repeat.
Yasmine: avoir d'autres chats à fouetter
[pause - 5 sec.]
Eric: Use this slang expression when you want to show that you are busy and have other important things to do.
Eric : Now let's hear an example sentence.
Yasmine: [NORMAL] A: Tu veux faire un jeu de société? B: Pas maintenant, j'ai d'autres chats à fouetter! [SLOW] A: Tu veux faire un jeu de société? B: Pas maintenant, j'ai d'autres chats à fouetter!
Eric: "A: Do you want to play a board game? B: Not now, I have other fish to fry!"
Yasmine: [NORMAL] A: Tu veux faire un jeu de société? B: Pas maintenant, j'ai d'autres chats à fouetter!
Eric: Okay, what's the last expression?
Yasmine: matou
Eric: When it's used as a slang expression it means "tomcat."
Yasmine: [SLOW] matou [NORMAL] matou
Eric: Listeners, please repeat.
Yasmine: matou
[pause - 5 sec.]
Eric: Use this slang expression when you want to talk about a male cat.
Eric : Now let's hear an example sentence.
Yasmine: [NORMAL] Ce matou est énorme. [SLOW] Ce matou est énorme.
Eric: "This tomcat is very big."
Yasmine: [NORMAL] Ce matou est énorme.
QUIZ
Eric: Okay listeners, are you ready to be quizzed on the expressions you just learned? I will describe four situations, and you will choose the right expression to use in your reply. Are you ready?
Eric: Someone is being crazy.
Yasmine: avoir une arraignée au plafond
Eric: "to have a screw loose"
Eric: You are waiting for your friends but they never show up.
Yasmine: poser un lapin
Eric: "to stand somebody up"
Eric: You see a male cat.
Yasmine: matou
Eric: "tomcat"
Eric: You are very busy and don’t have time to go to a party.
Yasmine: avoir d'autres chats à fouetter
Eric: "have other fish to fry"

Outro

Eric: There you have it; you have mastered four French Slang Expressions! Thanks everyone, and see you next time!
Yasmine: Au revoir!

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