What does “ça veut dire” mean? Hear it in this clip of French in real life. Choose your level then fill in the blanks of the transcript while you listen. Improve your French listening skills with French as it’s spoken in the wild.
This clip is from Passerelles Episode 1. Listen and fill in what you hear below. Read more and find a translation below. Listen to the full episode here.
This audio sample and transcription is from Passerelles ep. 1. We do not own the content. Listen to the entire episode
which means
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The snippet in English
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Il explique que le fait de s’inscrire dans un mouvement cyclique, donc dans un mouvement qui se répète, ça permet d’atténuer l’angoisse d’un temps linéaire. Atténuer, ça veut dire adoucir, rendre quelque chose moins fort, moins important.
He explains that the fact of being part of a cyclical movement, i.e. a movement that repeats itself, attenuates the anguish of linear time. To attenuate means to soften, to make something less strong, less important.
The above translation from Deepl. Source
What do “atténuer” and “adoucir” mean?
“Atténuer” and “adoucir” are both French verbs that convey the idea of reducing or softening the intensity, severity, or impact of something. While they share a similar meaning, there are slight differences in their usage and nuances:
- Atténuer:
- Meaning: “Atténuer” means to lessen, mitigate, or alleviate the severity or intensity of something. It is often used in the context of reducing the impact or effect of a negative or undesirable situation, emotion, or consequence.
- Example: “Les mesures prises ont contribué à atténuer les effets de la crise” (The measures taken helped to mitigate the effects of the crisis).
- Adoucir:
- Meaning: “Adoucir” means to soften, make milder, or make less harsh or intense. It is often used in the context of making something more pleasant, gentle, or agreeable.
- Example: “Il a adouci ses propos pour éviter les conflits” (He softened his words to avoid conflicts).
While both verbs involve reducing the intensity or severity, “atténuer” tends to focus on mitigating the negative or undesirable aspects, while “adoucir” emphasizes making something more gentle or pleasant.
It’s worth noting that both verbs can be used in various contexts, including physical sensations, emotions, language, and actions, to describe the process of making something less intense, severe, or harsh.
In summary, “atténuer” and “adoucir” are French verbs used to convey the idea of reducing or softening the intensity, severity, or impact of something, with “atténuer” emphasizing mitigating negative aspects and “adoucir” emphasizing making something more gentle or pleasant.
What does “ça veut dire” mean?
“Ça veut dire” is a common French expression that translates to “it means” in English. It is used to explain or clarify the meaning of something. “Ça veut dire” is often used to introduce a definition, explanation, or interpretation of a word, phrase, or concept. It is commonly used in conversation, informal writing, and everyday communication.
The phrase “ça veut dire” is followed by the word, phrase, or concept that is being explained.
For example,
- “Ça veut dire que…” (It means that…),
- “Ça veut dire quoi ?” (What does it mean?),
- “Ça veut dire que tu es d’accord” (It means that you agree).
Here are some examples of how “ça veut dire” can be used in sentences:
- “Il a raté l’avion, ça veut dire qu’il sera en retard” (He missed the plane, which means he will be late).
- “Ça veut dire ‘bonjour’ en anglais” (It means ‘hello’ in English).
- “Si tu échoues encore une fois, ça veut dire que tu devrais essayer autre chose” (If you fail again, it means you should try something else).
“Ça veut dire” is a straightforward expression that simply conveys the meaning of something. It is not necessarily associated with deeper or philosophical interpretations, but rather serves as a tool for clarification.
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What does “ça veut dire” mean? Hear it in this clip of French in real life. Choose your level then fill in the blanks of the transcript while you listen. Improve your French listening skills with French as it’s spoken in the wild.
I just tried this for the first time. And it was a very fun challenging way to improve my listening skills. I’m going to make a point of continuing to use this through my french learning journey.