“Des Ingrédients Bien Français” Nos Masters, Quiz 2: Qu’est-ce que ça tape ici

The above audio sample and transcription is from the Burger Kind advert “Des Ingredients Bien Français”. We do not own the content. See the full ad here.

What’s happening here?

I’m continuing with this Burger King ad. It’s a series of 5, each are 20 seconds long, this is number 2. Hope you like it as much as I do. The ad for learning, I mean, not Burger King.

Again, like yesterday’s we get some slang and colloquial expressions. I still found it tough. Yesterday’s quiz was tough for me with the expressions (and speed), today’s is tough because I’m not sure I totally get the humor. I’m all for dark humor, but maybe this one is too culturally specific? Those gaps in cultural understanding, I believe, are key to becoming truly fluent. What do you think?

How much of this French advertisement can you understand?

Please note, this is for educational purposes: this is not sponsored by Burger King, supporting Burger King, or affiliated with the company in any way. I’m just interested in advertisements as they show a country’s culture and they’re a tool to get natural listening comprehension practice.

Here’s the full ad for your reference, but follow along over the coming quizzes as we dive into it.

How did you find this snippet?

The snippet in English

Find a translation of this snippet here, how much of this did you hear?

The above translation from Deepl. Source

What does “qu’est-ce que ça tape ici” mean?

“Qu’est-ce que ça tape ici” is a French phrase that can be translated to “What’s going on here” or “What’s happening here” in English.

It is a casual way of expressing surprise or curiosity about a situation, often used to ask for an explanation of something unexpected or unusual. The phrase “Qu’est-ce que” is a way of asking “What is” or “What’s” and “ça” means “that” or “it” and “tape” is a colloquial term that means “happening” or “going on” and “ici” means “here”.

Together, the phrase “Qu’est-ce que ça tape ici” implies that the speaker is expressing surprise or curiosity about a situation, and asking for an explanation of something unexpected or unusual that is happening here.

It is a colloquial phrase, it’s often used in spoken language, and it’s not used in formal or written language.

What does “j’te le dis” mean?

“J’te le dis” is a colloquial French phrase that is used informally in conversation. It is used to emphasize the importance or truthfulness of what is being said, similar to “I’m telling you” in English.

It is derived from the verb “dire” which means “to say” in French, and the pronoun “te” which is the informal singular form of “you”.

Synonyms include “Je te jure” (I swear to you), “Je te promets” (I promise you), “Crois-moi” (Believe me)

It’s appropriate to use “J’te le dis” in informal and friendly conversation with someone you know well. It would be less appropriate to use it in formal situations or with people you don’t know well.

It would be considered inappropriate to use this phrase in a formal setting, such as a business meeting or in professional correspondence. It would also be considered rude or impolite to use it in a confrontational or aggressive manner.

“J’te” is a common contraction in French. It is a shortened form of “je te”, which is the informal singular form of “I” and “you”. In spoken French, contractions like “j’te” are very common and are used to make speech more fluid and informal.

This contraction is more common in casual conversation and informal setting, especially in spoken French. It is considered less formal than “je te”, but it is still considered informal. In formal settings, it is more appropriate to use the full form “je te” instead of the contraction “j’te”.

What words did I look up in this snippet?

Find keywords for this snippet below

• “Ffff” – an onomatopoeia representing a sigh or exclamation
• “qu’est-ce que” – phrase meaning “what” (part of speech: conjunction)
• “ça tape” – phrase meaning “it’s hitting” or “it’s striking” (verb)
• “ici” – adverb meaning “here”
• “On cuit” – phrase meaning “we’re cooking” (verb)
• “littéralement” – adverb meaning “literally”
• “c’est quoi ça” – phrase meaning “what is that”
• “Mais quoi” – phrase meaning “but what”
• “Ben” – slang for “well”
• “t’as” – contraction of “tu as” meaning “you have”
• “marque” – noun meaning “brand”
• “j’te le dis” – phrase meaning “I’m telling you”

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