Do you know how to say: “So I said to myself,” in French? Hear it in this clip from Manger, with 44 words in just 10 seconds. Start at any level and improve your French listening skills with our transcription quiz!
This clip is from Manger Episode 1. Listen and fill in what you hear below. Read more and find a translation below. Listen to the full episode here.
The above audio sample and transcription is from Manger ep. 1. We do not own the content. Listen to the entire episode here.
Stuff like that
Another clip with Simon speaking and another boatload of colloquial French. I didn’t even need to count some of his repeated words and phrases and we’re at 258 words per minute. This one really feels fast, especially the second half about his decision to collect these items. “Et je me suis dit : Tiens,” goes really quick.
What’s opening up for you in this clip?
The snippet in English
Find a translation of this snippet here, how much of this did you hear?
Je me suis vraiment aperçu que j’aimais bien tout ce qui était le branding tu vois, les logos, les mascottes, les trucs comme ça. Et je me suis dit : “Tiens, je vais les collectionner, je vais tous les découper et tous les garder”.
I really found that I liked all the branding stuff, you know, logos, mascots, stuff like that. And I thought, “Here, I’m going to collect them, I’m going to cut them all out and keep them.
The above translation from Deepl. Source
What does “tu vois” mean?
The phrase “tu vois” in French is a conversational expression that is used to check if the listener understands what the speaker is trying to convey. It can be translated to “you see” or “you know” in English. In the context of the sentence “j’aimais bien tout ce qui était le branding tu vois,” it is used to emphasize the speaker’s point of view and to connect with the listener on a more personal level. The expression “tu vois” is often used in informal conversations and is considered a friendly way of communicating.
“Tu vois” can be considered a filler phrase in French, similar to “you know” or “like” in English. It is often used to indicate a hesitation or to give the listener a chance to follow the speaker’s thoughts. However, it can also be used to emphasize a point or to engage the listener in the conversation.
Which is it here, do you think?
What does “les trucs comme ça” mean?
“Les trucs comme ça” is a French expression that translates to “things like that” or “stuff like that” in English. It is a colloquial phrase used in informal conversations to refer to various things, actions, or situations without being specific.
The expression is versatile and can be used in a variety of contexts, such as discussing everyday occurrences, personal preferences, or random topics. For example, someone might say, “J’aime bien les films d’horreur, les thrillers, et les trucs comme ça” (I like horror movies, thrillers, and things like that) when talking about their movie preferences.
“Les trucs comme ça” can also be used to avoid providing specific details or to express uncertainty about something. For instance, if someone asks about a complicated topic, the other person might say, “Je ne suis pas sûr, ça dépend de plusieurs facteurs, les trucs comme ça” (I’m not sure, it depends on several factors, things like that) to avoid giving a definite answer.
Overall, “les trucs comme ça” is a casual, informal expression that is commonly used in everyday French conversations to refer to a variety of things, situations, or ideas.
What does “je me suis dit” mean?
“Et je me suis dit” is a common French phrase that translates to “And I thought to myself” or “And I said to myself.” It’s often used to express an internal thought or reflection that someone has had. For example, “Et je me suis dit que j’avais vraiment besoin de vacances” (And I thought to myself that I really needed a vacation). It can also be used to introduce a new idea or plan, such as “Et je me suis dit que je devrais peut-être apprendre une nouvelle langue” (And I thought to myself that maybe I should learn a new language). The phrase is a way of indicating that the speaker is sharing a personal thought or decision that they have made.
What does “tiens” mean?
In the context you provided, “tiens” is used to express a sudden idea or decision. It can be translated to “hey” or “you know what” in English. So, “tiens, je vais les collectionner” means “hey, I’m going to collect them.”
In general, “tiens” is a French interjection that is often used to express surprise, attention, or sometimes annoyance. It can also be used to indicate that you’re handing something over to someone, similar to “here you go” in English.
In the context of your example, it’s likely that the speaker had a sudden thought or idea about collecting something and decided to do so on the spot, expressing this thought with the interjection “tiens.”
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