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FRENCH WORD OF THE DAY

French word of the day: Jeûne

This term has nothing to do with age - although some claim it's the key to staying young forever.

Published: 9 October 2020 14:13 CEST
French word of the day: Jeûne
Photo: Annie Spratt/Unsplash/Nicolas Raymond

Why do I need to know jeûner?

Because even if the activity itself doesn't interest you, it will teach you something valuable about French everyday language.

What does it mean?

Jeune means 'young' in French, but switch the u and replace it with a û and it means 'fast'.

Jeûner – 'to fast' – refers to the activity of abstaining from eating and/or drinking for a certain period of time.

It comes from the Latin term jejenus, which means 'who has eaten nothing', according to French online dictionary Larousse.

Déjeuner, the French term for 'lunch', therefore literally means 'de-fast', or rompre le jeûne (breaking the fast) – like the English term 'breakfast'. 

Déjeuner used to refer to the first meal of the day, but was later supplemented by petit déjeuner in France (but some other French speaking countries still use déjeuner to talk about the first meal of the day). 

À jeun (at fast) is a term health professionals use when they want you to refrain from eating before a checkup.

 

Originally, le jeûne was usually part of a religious ritual, but today it's increasingly turning into a fitness trend – especially since several studies states its effets rajeunissants – rejuvenating effects. 

Use it like this

Il faut venir à jeun pour la prise du sang. – You must not eat before the blood test.

J'essaye de jeûner une fois par semaine, du coup je ne prends pas de petit déjeuner ce matin. – I'm trying to fast once a week, so I'm skipping breakfast this morning.

Non, Mélina ne va pas déjeuner avec nous ce midi, c'est Ramadan tu sais, elle va jeûner jusqu'au soir. – No, Mélina is not coming for lunch with us, it's Ramadan you know, she's fasting until nightfall.

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For members

FRENCH WORD OF THE DAY

French Phrase of the Day: Faire sa toilette

This French expression can be used for both people and their pets.

Published: 16 September 2024 11:28 CEST
French Phrase of the Day: Faire sa toilette

Why do I need to know faire sa toilette?

Because this expression might come up when discussing your pet’s daily habits.

What does it mean?

Faire sa toilette – roughly pronounced fair sah twa-let – translates as ‘to do one’s toilet’.

In reality, it does not have to do with urinating, but rather it means to ‘wash with water and soap’ or clean/groom/preen  yourself. 

This meaning may ring a bell for those familiar with old-fashioned English phrase ‘to be at one’s toilette’ – which can found in novels by authors ranging from Jane Austen to Agatha Christie.

Although the English phrase has largely fallen out of use, the French expression – sometimes shortened to faire toilette – is still used, though it is a bit traditional, and thus more likely to be used by older people.

Instead, you might hear people use se laver (to wash) or prendre une douche (to take a shower).

As for the origins of the expression, we can look to the original meaning of the word toilette (which eventually led to the English word ‘toilet’).

In the mid-16th century, a toilette was a ‘cloth or wrapper’, initially used as a “cloth cover for a dressing table”. Later, it went on to refer to washing oneself, and by the 19th century it referred to a dressing room or washing area.

These days you are most likely to hear faire sa toilette when referring to animals (particularly cats) grooming or cleaning themselves. 

Similarly, the expression toilettage means ‘grooming’ for cats and dogs, so if you want to have your animals’ fur professionally brushed or trimmed, then you would pay for a toilettage.

This comes from the verb toiletter, which nowadays is used when discussing the cleaning or brushing of domestic animals. It has a second, colloquial meaning too. You might see toiletter used when discussing a slight modification to a law or legislative text.

Use it like this

Maman doit faire sa toilette avant l’arrivée des invités. – Mum needs to freshen up before the guests arrive.

Le chat fait sa toilette tous les matins. – The cat grooms himself every morning.

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