French Expression of the Day: coup de grâce
The Local France - [email protected]
Published: 9 Apr, 2019 CET.
Updated: Tue 9 Apr 2019 13:03 CET
You will probably have heard this expression in English, and may have even said it yourself, but do you know exactly what it means?
Why do I need to know coup de grâce?
You might have heard this expression used in English but no doubt you'll have guessed that it's French.
It's a very useful expression that you'll see quite often used in France.
So, what does coup de grâce mean?
A coup de grâce literally translates to a 'blow of mercy' and when used in conversation it means a 'death blow' or 'mercy killing' to end the suffering of a severely wounded person or animal.
For example, Le vétérinaire donna le coup de grâce au vieux chien. -- The vet gave the coup de grâce to the old dog.
However it can also be used in a figurative sense to mean an action that finally puts an end to a situation.
For example, Cette dispute fut le coup de grâce du repas. -- This dispute was the coup de grâce of the meal.
It is often used in this way to describe the parting shot which puts an end to an argument.
Pronunciation
This expression is pronounced very differently in English and French.
Here's a helpful video from YouTube which demonstrates how to say coup de grâce just like a French person.
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Why do I need to know coup de grâce?
You might have heard this expression used in English but no doubt you'll have guessed that it's French.
It's a very useful expression that you'll see quite often used in France.
So, what does coup de grâce mean?
A coup de grâce literally translates to a 'blow of mercy' and when used in conversation it means a 'death blow' or 'mercy killing' to end the suffering of a severely wounded person or animal.
For example, Le vétérinaire donna le coup de grâce au vieux chien. -- The vet gave the coup de grâce to the old dog.
However it can also be used in a figurative sense to mean an action that finally puts an end to a situation.
For example, Cette dispute fut le coup de grâce du repas. -- This dispute was the coup de grâce of the meal.
It is often used in this way to describe the parting shot which puts an end to an argument.
Pronunciation
This expression is pronounced very differently in English and French.
Here's a helpful video from YouTube which demonstrates how to say coup de grâce just like a French person.
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