Social Translations

After writing this post, I realized the setting of most (if not all) responses are heard after heated arguments. These phrases are not ill-intentioned — they are just comical phrases that you would rarely or never hear in any office setting I’ve ever experienced.

“Il n’y a pas de problème” There is no problem.

• Social translation: There most definitely is a problem but I’ll ignore it and continue on my day.
• Usage: you just had a disagreement with a coworker and they don’t want to concede. This is their concession.

“T’es gentille” | “C’est gentille” You are nice.

• Social translation: You have just shut me down.
• Usage: Whatever just happened, “nice” is the last word you’d use to describe it.

“Ce n’est pas gentille”  That is not nice

• Social translation: I just pissed you off enough that you are calling me on my actions
• Usage: When stress or work levels rise and you have to have a serious conversation with someone, this is used after being firm with them.
• **The previous two translations are great examples of how confusing arguments can be.

“Je suis content(e)”  I am happy.

• Social translation: We just had a big argument and I just won
• Usage: after an unpleasant conversation in which no one is actually happy, a visibly unhappy person mumbles this upon exit.

“Inch’allah” God willing/If God wills it to happen

• Social translation: Yep | I don’t want to do it but I will | I have not decided if I will do it so I am invoking the will of God | The ultimate out
• Usage: when asking anyone to meet up with you, do something for you, negotiates something for you. The usage is endless.

“Ce n’est pas ma faute” It is not my fault

• Social translation: It is absolutely my fault or at least I contributed to the problem
• Usage: someone made a mistake or is unhappy with how something is going, it is never their fault.

You: “Est-ce que c’est possible”, other person: “Bien sûr c’est possible. Tout est possible” Is it possible? Yes, of course it’s possible. Everything is possible”

• Social translation: It may not (but likely is) possible, but now I’m actually going to try to make it happen
• Usage: When asking a favor or testing out a crazy idea, there is a lot of pushback.“Is it possible” is the golden ticket to get someone to at least try to get it done.
• **Sidenote: This is opposite to the French favorite of “It is not possible”, which is freely used throughout France.

“C’est pas normale” It is not normal

• Social translation: Response if you know you are getting ripped off (ie: taxi inflated prices) or being unfair (you or someone else)
• Usage: Negotiating a taxi and you give what is likely the fair price, but since you are foreign, the price is no longer normal. More on this later.

“Tu n’as pas compris, écoute” You did not understand, listen.

• Social translation: I did understand and I am not responding the way you’d like me to
• Usage: mainly during meetings or phone conversations, this is said as a tactic to change your mind and agree with who ever you are talking to. French comprehension level is irrelevant. This is said to everyone.