Tour de France: Learn to "Speak French like a Spanish Cow"
by Willj on Jun 28, 2010 1:09 PM EDT
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"Parler Comme une Vache Espagnol" is an old French phrase that basically means to speak French very badly (like me!).
Here is a quick and dirty French lesson of key phrases that you need to know to follow the Tour. Feel free to add more in the comments - or to ask how to say something in French.
First, and most importantly, cows say Meuh! in France.
Here is a short list of other potentially helpful terms:
GEOGRAPHY:
-
Col = Mountain Pass. Note, there are a few Passes that use old French "Pas", but it’s rare.
-
Côte = Hill or slope of a hill. Often minor classified climbs use this designation. Note, usually the Tour just puts the word Côte in front of the name of a town or landmark (Like the category 2 Côte de Lamoura - a village - in "Etape" 7). The designation would NOT be used locally/normally (unlike Cols).
-
Lacets = Hairpins (think shoe laces).
- L’hexagone = The hexagon. A nickname for France (based on its geographic shape):
- La Grande Boucle = The Big Loop. Common nickname for the Tour de France.
RACE TERMS:
-
Contre la Montre = Literally "against the watch" = A Time Trial. But in French it rhymes and is fun to say. I expect everyone to use this instead of TT from now on.
-
Etape = Stage. Each day of racing is a different Etape.
-
L’échappé = The Breakaway (or escape). For example: L’échappe sera mort tout de suite. The break away is about to die.
-
Les Poursuivants = The chase group (the pursuers).
- Grimpeur = Climber.
- Grimper en Danseuse = To climb standing up (dancing) - a favourite of mine.
-
Lanterne Rouge = Red Lantern. Name given to the racer in last place in the general classification at any given time.
- Flamme Rouge = Red Flame. The red flag signifying one kilometre until the finish.
-
La Voiture de Balai = The Broom Wagon. A vehicule (usually with a broom attached) that follows the last of the riders (to sweep them off the road if they can’t stay ahead of cut off times).
-
Autobus = The "Bus" or the "Grupetto" (photo above). The large group at the very back of the race on mountain stages that group together to help beat the cut-off times. Usually full of sprinters.
-
Le Maillot à Pois = "The Pea Jersey" = The polka dot jersey = King of the Mountains Jersey.
-
Route casse-patte = Course Broken-Paws = a hilly route with lots of ups and downs. eg. Stage 2!
EQUIPMENT
- Vélo = Bicycle. Cool kids would never say "bicyclette."
- Une musette = A feed bag.
- Une crévaison = A flat tire / puncture.
- Une casque = A Helmet.
- Un bidon = A water bottle.
- Moteur = Motor. Used by some riders.
ANIMALS
- La Marmotte = A Marmot.
- Le Blaireau = The Badger. Nickname for French cycling legend Bernard Hinault - who awards the podium prizes each day - as well as wrestling any interlopers.
- Le Kangarou = A Kangaroo:
Additions from FrenchKheldar (thx):
- Emmener un gros braquet = To crank a big gear
- Ravito: Ravitaillement = Food stop
- Chasse-patate = Potato-chaser, cf Karpets in the Giro. Attacking the main bunch while a breakaway is already long gone. You find yourself isolated on the road and not riding very smartly ;) Outcome is generally not good !
- Bordure = Echelon, should be featured in stage 1
- Cassure = Break in the main bunch
- Faire l’élastique = See Evans on the Zoncolan. Like a rubberband, you oscillate at the back of the group… Like a rubberband, it usually snaps after a while. (Voeckler is another good example)
Additions from MathieuG (thx):
- La fringale: A hunger knock, to bonk, hitting the wall (Contador in Paris Nice 09)
- Placer une mine: (lay a mine) To place a strong attack that leaves the others behind
- Un pétard mouillé: (a wet firecracker): The opposite of “Placer une mine”. An attack that doesn’t make any difference
- Chaudière: (boiler, furnace): A rider who is strongly suspected of not riding clean
- En garder sous la pédale: (to keep some under the pedal): Not going all out, not participating to share the work in a breakaway
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Magnifique!
Bicycling is the nearest approximation I know to the flight of birds. Louis J. Helle, Jr.
I'll add some more, a bit more slangish maybe
Emmener un gros braquet: To crank a big gear
Ravito: Ravitaillement = Food stop
Chasse-patate: Potato-chaser, cf Karpets in the Giro. Attacking the main bunch while a breakaway is already long gone. You find yourself isolated on the road and not riding very smartly ;) Outcome is generally not good !
Bordure: Echelon, should be featured in stage 1
Cassure: Break in the main bunch
Faire l’élastique: See Evans on the Zoncolan. Like a rubberband, you oscillate at the back of the group… Like a rubberband, it usually snaps after a while.
I usually hear Voiture-balai rather than Wagon-balai.
I’ll try to think about a couple more…
by FrenchKheldar on Jun 28, 2010 12:41 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
I thought it meant chase, not chaser
that is the way the Belgians use it, anyway.
Ceci n'est pas une signature.
I understand it to mean
leaving the peloton to chase an escape without a hope in hell of making any progress
moo
Swearing in French..
My favorite, bad French swearword is..
SACRE-FLEUR!
As far as I know it doesn’t mean anything.. It only sounds.. Cool!
Never heard that one.
Then again, Québécois swearing is a totally different art than French swearing.
Etymology
the origin of the phrase is disputed …. but many say it derives from “Parler français comme un basque Espagnol” = Speak French like a Spanish Basque.
moo
whoa
was just writing exactly the same thing, or almost – “parler français comme un basque l’espagnol” – speak French like a Basque speaks Spanish. Well makes it a bit less anti-Spanish anyways I guess. (Though the expression “l’Afrique commence aux Pyrénées” kind of takes the cake…no comment ;)
I'm feverished, or the way you want to spell it
by plinytheelder on Jun 28, 2010 12:50 PM EDT up reply actions
This is great! Thank you.
"How strange it was to see men doing something beautiful. Something pointless and elegant." Tim Winton, 'Breath'
regarding route casse-pattes
casse pattes – it’s a variation of casse pieds, which means annoying, so une route casse pattes is an annoying route (see ups and downs)
also blaireau is (also) an insult. calling someone a blaireau is maybe similar to a tool here in the US. the insult is probably newer than hinault’s nickname.
"Ants don’t worry, they operate like a fantastic team, they accept obstacles and deal with them in a positive manner, they don’t complain and remain positive. An ant doesn’t work on emotion, is proactive and always chooses the ant role."
I'm trying to remember a French word
That they mentioned on a TdF blog once. It was supposed to refer to a particular kind of breakaway, with French riders and there was no chance what so ever of succes. Does this sound familiar?
Badger, badger, badger, badger, badger, badger...
Une cause perdue? Le radeau de la Méduse? :)
There is also “baroud d’honneur”, when the insurgents breakaway is on its last throes, one guy might still attack even though everyone knows he is doomed. That’s a “baroud d’honneur”. Also used for a GC contender that lost a lot of time and can’t make the podium anymore, but will launch a big attack mostly for pride and maybe the stage win.
by FrenchKheldar on Jun 28, 2010 2:04 PM EDT up reply actions
Chasse-patate is one of my favorites
A few others:
Avoir une fringale: Having a hunger knock, to bonk, hitting the wall (Contador in Paris Nice 09)
Placer une mine: (lay a mine) To place a strong attack that leaves the others behind
Un pétard mouillé: (a wet firecracker): The opposite of “Placer une mine”. An attack that doesn’t make any difference
Chaudière: (boiler, furnace): A rider who is strongly suspected of not riding clean
En garder sous la pédale: (to keep some under the pedal): Not going all out, not participating to share the work in a breakaway
by MathieuG on Jun 28, 2010 1:38 PM EDT reply actions 2 recs
Bah could be translated as… “bah”. Works in both languages. “Bof” is good too, but it’s more like being indifferent.
Shut the f* up Donny, the problem is the f* word. In France French it will be different than in Québec French, but without that specific word, it’s “Ferme ta de gueule, Donny!”
No, this is a common misconception.
We don’t say tabernacle (which is the same in English and French – a lot of swearing in Québec comes from religious words). While the spelling is correct, the pronunciation (and slang spelling) has evolved into “tabarnak”, it sounds angrier. And in this situation, it will be used more like an adjective. “Ferme ta tabarnak de gueule, Donny!”
And if you are very angry, you can combine swears. But not in any order. It’s a complicated art!
Ooh la la
"Good thing I never said out loud that I was pulling for France, before this all started." -Mark Blacknell
by Chris Fontecchio on Jun 28, 2010 3:59 PM EDT up reply actions
ostie de ciboire ferme ta crisse de gueule Donny, tabarnak!
by lyne on Jun 29, 2010 2:56 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Its a complicated art - indeed
Let The Merovingian be one of your guides (NSFW in any french speaking country)
What is French for "Get off my lawn you freaks dressed like Borat!"?
Russian Vladimir Karpets is not only known for his mullet but also for his radical facial hair; he is not known for much else.
Cassez-vous de ma pelouse bande de petits cons avec vos costumes de Kosovars/Borat
Kosovo was often used when I was still living in France as a place where things were messy/dirty, so this could apply here. My apologies to any Kosovar on the board.
by FrenchKheldar on Jun 28, 2010 2:07 PM EDT up reply actions
Might come in handy no?
danse sur les pédales
"It's a lovely thing, feeling that momentum. If you're lucky, it's also about grace." Tim Winton
Ah, missed that one. Cool.
I was looking for pédales.
"It's a lovely thing, feeling that momentum. If you're lucky, it's also about grace." Tim Winton
This is a few words, I hope we will not hear at all during the Tour!
fracture de la clavicule ( Broken collarbone)
déchets médicaux ( Medical waste )
seringue ( Syringe )
transfucion sang ( Blood transfusion )
substance interdite ( Banned substance )
homme croît hormones ( Human grows hormones )
Amen!
"The structure of our sport needs to change towards a model of other successful professional sports like soccer, tennis, Formula 1," Johan Bruyneel.
by holmovka on Jun 28, 2010 3:00 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
you know
I looked it up in some big dictionaries and didn’t see it …. expecting that spelling … looks more French how you have it … will change it …. cheers
moo
kangourou is right
And while we’re at spelling so I won’t seem (too) annoying:
Crevaison, not crévaison
Échappée with an ‘e’ at the end
Ok, I’m done now!
I am always adding extra accents ;(
(my Québec dictionary has échappée both ways – avec et sans deuxiéme e)
moo
by Willj on Jun 28, 2010 10:11 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Oops tough to add accents on mobile
moo
by Willj on Jun 28, 2010 10:12 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
ah the subtleties of French and the gender accord
Échappé without and ‘e’ at the end is used as a verb and it means to drop: J’ai échappé mon crayon (I dropped my pencil)
Échappée with the ‘e’ is used as a noun: a breakaway… it takes an ‘e’ at the end since it’s feminine (une échappée)
So written in one way, it means dropped, in the other way, it means to be ahead.
I know it sounds confusing… because it is. If it’s any consolation, I tried to learn a little Dutch this spring… it was my turn to be confused.
Stage 3... Cassure, for sure.
"It's a lovely thing, feeling that momentum. If you're lucky, it's also about grace." Tim Winton
Col de l'Homme Mort?
I like it. Where’s that one at, eh? Though that name should be for a really tough climb, I think (kinda what I like about the Col de la Croix de Fer; sounds like it should be difficult).
I also liked “Moteur = Motor. Used by some riders”
It's to the south-east of Ventoux
Col de l’Homme Mort (Dead Man’s Pass)
back side of Ventoux over my shoulder:
I almost died doing it after doing Ventoux in a cyclosportive. All that was left of the last water station was those jugs (I wasn’t winning)
BTW – combining your Cols: There is in fact also a “Col de la Croix de l’Homme Mort”
Pic of that Col:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/22314520@N03/2334818714/
moo
This
is Bob Roll’s least favorite post.
"Good thing I never said out loud that I was pulling for France, before this all started." -Mark Blacknell
by Chris Fontecchio on Jun 28, 2010 4:00 PM EDT reply actions
Just watched Bob the other night on VS.
Tour day France as usual. But man, I thought he pronounced everything else beautifully, I can’t say for sure, but it sounded convincingly proper. Maybe someone French can vouch for Bobke.
"It's a lovely thing, feeling that momentum. If you're lucky, it's also about grace." Tim Winton
"Course broken paws"
is my new favorite terms..but also that sounds like it hurts.
Los Geht's Deutschland!!!!
Down with Argentina!!!!
Quitter's People United member # 42
Brilliant post! I had to click the link...the title was too hilarious!!
Have you seen the Japanese version? I give you Engrish
Even better is the Google Translation game
Translate from English to Japanese & then translate that back to English – very funny, especially if you use songs!
Where's the next cafe - is there a bakery there too?
by Marcus in Oz on Jun 28, 2010 6:17 PM EDT up reply actions
For Time Trials rather than TT..
Should we now use ClM (Contre le Montre)?
Team Time Trial = ??
Where's the next cafe - is there a bakery there too?
Watches are feminine ...
So it would be “Contre la Montre”
awesome post!
so much fun.
there is also a french word, wrung out, for when a rider is totally cooked. it’s used in relation to laundry also. meh, i’m forgetting it just now, but one of my favorites.
Woke up in a cold sweat
Forgot to include the most important:
Pavé = cobblestone
moo
by Willj on Jun 28, 2010 10:03 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
Words with a double meaning: soigneur
The word “soigneur” means generally a caretaker, but in cycling teams, it means a person who gives the cyclists massages and also means the doctors who care for the cyclists. However, in recent times, soigneur has also come to mean the doctor who administers banned substances or facilitates blood doping.
by Esme Vos on Jun 28, 2010 11:58 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
very cool
A quick correction. if you mean break that it’s échappée is feminine and takes an extra e at the end. But if you mean the riders in the break, then it;s masculine and written échappé(s)
A few more:
vent de face: headwind
vent latéral: crosswind
(coup de) bordure: echelon
équipier(s): teammate(s)
groupe de poursuite, groupe de chasse: chase group
écart : gap
groupe de tête: front group
by lyne on Jun 29, 2010 3:09 AM EDT reply actions 2 recs
They might also say "vent de côté"
It goes like this in the mouths of the commentators:
- virage à 90 degrés, le vent de face se transforme en vent de côté
- les bordures se forment, le peloton occupe toute la largeur de la route
- les cassures se forment et les favoris peuvent se faire piéger (get trapped)
by FrenchKheldar on Jun 29, 2010 4:58 PM EDT up reply actions
A few more
A bloc – full gas
Sprint massif – bunch sprint
Poisson pilote (pilot fish) – lead out man
Un jour sans – a day without, an off-day
Lâché – dropped
Race Day things
Village départ – start village
Départ fictif – the roll out from the village départ to the
Départ réel – when Prudomme drops the flag to say race has started
Caravane publicitaire – not to be missed at the race or a key ring/cap will not be yours
Zone de ravitaillement – feed zone
L’autobus – grupetto
Le gendarme – the nice policeman that will stop you crossing the road anywhere in the last few kilometres of the race
Used by commentators as if they are English words
Parcours – course
Palmarès – CV, resumé
Maillot jaune/vert/blanc – Yellow/Green/White Jersey
Other rider types
Rouleur – big gear rider on flat rolling terrain (e.g. Jens!)
Baroudeur – rider always trying to get off the front (Durand)
Puncheur – rider have a good burst of acceleration to deploy (Bettini/Gilbert)
Finisseur – rider who can attack and hold off a bunch in the final km (Cancellara)
L’Equipe – the only newspaper that matters if in France – 8-10 pages of coverage of the race per day
by andrewp on Jun 29, 2010 4:09 AM EDT reply actions 3 recs
Ah
It could be “baroudeur” that I asked about earlier in the thread.
Badger, badger, badger, badger, badger, badger...
by TheFigurehead on Jun 29, 2010 6:03 AM EDT up reply actions
yeah that’s nice
I'm feverished, or the way you want to spell it
by plinytheelder on Jun 29, 2010 9:02 AM EDT up reply actions
great list
Départ fictif is useful.
Maybe if we “REC” the comments with useful additions instead of me editing the article all the time
moo
Where's the 'bras fer'?
BAH!!!!....Cavendish?! Double BAH!!! Sky!!
TLP 7.0 Whereof one cannot speak, thereof one must be silent
just in case it rains we might need this one
il pleuve comme une vache qui pisse
by yeehoo on Jun 29, 2010 7:44 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs
montée – climb
dénivellation – vertical climb
goudron fondu – molten tar(mac)
Ceci n'est pas une signature.
by tedvdw on Jun 29, 2010 9:57 AM EDT reply actions 2 recs
le goudron fondu
is no joke at the moment.
Lots of bits of the route are being patched up and sometimes not in the best manner. It doesn’t need to be that hot to get molten tarmac in some places ….. not fun for the bike wheels (and think Beloki)
moo
My head is spinning now.
Me and foreign languages are not friends. I remember why I dropped out of high school French after one year.
Chapeau!
means: Well done, you’ve just topped my spank bank right up, where did I leave my kleenex?
Bunch of slack-jawed faggots around here. This stuff will make you a god damned sexual Tyrannosaurus, just like me - Jens Voigt, Predator (1987)
Example:
Chapeau Fabian, you’ve just ridden away from Tommeke on The Muur, pass me a cushion so I can hide my appreciation.
Bunch of slack-jawed faggots around here. This stuff will make you a god damned sexual Tyrannosaurus, just like me - Jens Voigt, Predator (1987)
I don't think I've seen these yet...
…apologies if they’ve already been posted:
la pente — the slope (gradient) of a hill
craquer — to crack
crever — to flat (noun crevaison is listed above)
basculer — somebody help me with this one! it’s generally “to rock”, as in back-and-forth… but I’m not so sure that it’s used to mean rocking shoulders like a tired climber does. It may be used more for dangling and yo-yoing between groups? or for coming back to a group? I haven’t got this one down. Some usage examples here: http://google.fr/search?q=contador+basculait
-Greg
by gregm on Jun 29, 2010 11:52 AM EDT reply actions 3 recs
pente raide = steep slope …. I often gasp this to other cyclists when climbing
basculer = to fall over, or to change dramatically. I think it can mean rocking/swaying but generally is used to describe something more dramatic. (but I may get corrected any second). ;)
moo
you're right regarding basculer
it’s more of a the tables have turned, or everything’s flipped upside down type of word.
"Ants don’t worry, they operate like a fantastic team, they accept obstacles and deal with them in a positive manner, they don’t complain and remain positive. An ant doesn’t work on emotion, is proactive and always chooses the ant role."
hehe
yeah at that point I’m just not doing much talking
I'm feverished, or the way you want to spell it
by plinytheelder on Jun 29, 2010 5:04 PM EDT up reply actions
Brrrrrrrrrrr...
Reminded me of this. Proud moment in French music history.
Badger, badger, badger, badger, badger, badger...
by TheFigurehead on Jun 29, 2010 5:22 PM EDT up reply actions
god, why'd you have to go and do that.
"Ants don’t worry, they operate like a fantastic team, they accept obstacles and deal with them in a positive manner, they don’t complain and remain positive. An ant doesn’t work on emotion, is proactive and always chooses the ant role."
Basculer is also used on top of climbs
Rémi Pauriol bascule en haut de la Madeleine avec 1 minute d’avance sur le groupe Maillot Jaune. Il prend tout de même le temps d’attraper quelques journaux pour se protéger du froid alors qu’il aborde les lacets de la descente.
Pauriol tips over (?) the Madeleine with a one minute gap over the Maillot Jaune group. He takes the time to grab some newspapers to protect himself from the cold as he approaches the switchbacks of the downhill.
by FrenchKheldar on Jun 29, 2010 5:04 PM EDT up reply actions
tips over is as good as i can think of
changes from going up to going down.
"Ants don’t worry, they operate like a fantastic team, they accept obstacles and deal with them in a positive manner, they don’t complain and remain positive. An ant doesn’t work on emotion, is proactive and always chooses the ant role."
and (et) une bascule is a seesaw
so i guess going over the top of the climb is an especially fitting use of the term.
"Ants don’t worry, they operate like a fantastic team, they accept obstacles and deal with them in a positive manner, they don’t complain and remain positive. An ant doesn’t work on emotion, is proactive and always chooses the ant role."
Vélo = Bicycle. Cool kids would never say "bicyclette."
Chère bicyclette, je ne t’appellerai pas vélo
pounding along in three ratios like a sonata
like a Ritter with pommelled scrotum atra cura on the step
Botticelli from the fork down pestling the transmission
tires bleeding voiding zeep the highway
Are you trying to imply that Sam Beckett, Ireland’s greatest French author and the only Nobel lit laureate to ever appear in Wisdens, rode a girlie bike? Are you? Really? Do you want to step outside and suggest that? Like, NOW?!?
pounding along in three ratios like a sonata
like a Ritter with pommelled scrotum atra cura on the step
Botticelli from the fork down pestling the transmission
tires bleeding voiding zeep the highway
by fmk on Jul 1, 2010 4:18 AM EDT up reply actions
[apoplexy] !!! [/apoplexy]
pounding along in three ratios like a sonata
like a Ritter with pommelled scrotum atra cura on the step
Botticelli from the fork down pestling the transmission
tires bleeding voiding zeep the highway
by fmk on Jul 1, 2010 4:37 AM EDT up reply actions
hey i ride em too when i get the chance
sadly don’t have one anymore – nonetheless, that is what they’re called. Sorry Sam.
Not sure it’ll help him much. But if you’re in Paris pop along to the 20th arrondissement and his current residence is somewhere there :)
pounding along in three ratios like a sonata
like a Ritter with pommelled scrotum atra cura on the step
Botticelli from the fork down pestling the transmission
tires bleeding voiding zeep the highway
by fmk on Jul 1, 2010 7:41 AM EDT up reply actions
As a Garmin fan
I think the only thing I need to know is “Merde!”
Domestique.
It took me a while to grasp the fact that not all the riders were trying to win.
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