Suitcase packed, flag of your country saved and tickets. We are ready to experience the ultimate sporting event, the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. There’s just one small problem: you don’t speak a word of French. If so, and depending on what sport you’re going to watch, here are some of the expressions that will be used the most during these summer Olympics :
- In tennis, the French call losing 6-0, 6-0, “prende deux bulles” which literally translated is to get two bubbles.
- In basketball, a stopper is called “Mettre una bâche”.
- In swimming, in French “Prende un bambou” means to start a race fast and run out of steam at the end.
- In soccer, a “coup du foulard” is called a “coup du foulard” and a hat trick is called a “Coup du chapeau”.
- In athletics, when an athlete looks like he is going to win a race but is overtaken at the finish line, it is called “Se faire coiffer sur la ligne”.
GOLD, SILVER AND BRONZE
In addition, there are terms about the Olympic Games that you need to know, for example how to say in French the Olympic cauldron, “La vasque olympique” or gold, silver and bronze medal, “Médaille d’or, d’argent et de bronze”.
Most sports will be played in stadiums, the simplest way to ask “how can I get to my seat” is to say “comment puis-je trouver ma place?”. The stadium par excellence in the games will be the Stade de France, to reach it in the fastest way you will have to ask “Quel est le meilleur moyen de rejoindre le Stade de France?”. And to get back from the stadium to your accommodation by metro you will have to ask “Où est la station de metro la plus proche?”.
These are just a few quick phrases in a few weeks when the whole world will learn a French expression or two… Well, rendez-vous à Paris!
