French phrase of the day: Se plier en quatre
If you really want to show someone you care in France, there's a very acrobatic way of doing so (figuratively).
Why do I need to know se plier en quatre ?
Because translating it directly from English doesn't really make any sense. Plus, this expression is easily confused with a similar one that means something very different.
What does it mean?
Se plier en quatre directly translates as 'to fold oneself into four', which sounds like an awfully dangerous thing to do unless you are a circus performer.
But se plier en quatre is a mere figure of speech, a metaphor for going through an enormous effort - literally bending one's body four times - to please someone.
Another way of saying it is se mettre en quatre, directly translated as 'putting oneself into four'. It means the same, but seems to be the original version. According to French online dictionary l'Internaute, se mettre en quatre originated sometime in the middle of the 17th century.
A good English equivalent to se plier en quatre is 'to bend over backwards' - although the French version seems even more strenuous. Another alternative is 'to spare no effort' or 'going out of one's way'.
Just don't confuse se plier en quatre with être plié en deux (to be folded in half), which means to be doubled up with laughter.
Use it like this
Je me plie en quatre sans arrêt pour toi. - I'm always bending over backwards for you.
Lorsqu'elle est revenue de l'hôpital toute sa famille s'est pliée en quatre pour s'assurer qu'elle ait tout ce qu'il lui fallait. - When she came back from the hospital her whole family went out of their way to ensure that she had everything she needed.
Ses parents se plient constamment en quatre pour lui. C'est vraiment un enfant gaté. - His parents constantly bend over backwards for him. He really is a spoiled child
Synonym
Se donner du mal - trying hard/going through trouble
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See Also
Why do I need to know se plier en quatre ?
Because translating it directly from English doesn't really make any sense. Plus, this expression is easily confused with a similar one that means something very different.
What does it mean?
Se plier en quatre directly translates as 'to fold oneself into four', which sounds like an awfully dangerous thing to do unless you are a circus performer.
But se plier en quatre is a mere figure of speech, a metaphor for going through an enormous effort - literally bending one's body four times - to please someone.
Another way of saying it is se mettre en quatre, directly translated as 'putting oneself into four'. It means the same, but seems to be the original version. According to French online dictionary l'Internaute, se mettre en quatre originated sometime in the middle of the 17th century.
A good English equivalent to se plier en quatre is 'to bend over backwards' - although the French version seems even more strenuous. Another alternative is 'to spare no effort' or 'going out of one's way'.
Just don't confuse se plier en quatre with être plié en deux (to be folded in half), which means to be doubled up with laughter.
Use it like this
Je me plie en quatre sans arrêt pour toi. - I'm always bending over backwards for you.
Lorsqu'elle est revenue de l'hôpital toute sa famille s'est pliée en quatre pour s'assurer qu'elle ait tout ce qu'il lui fallait. - When she came back from the hospital her whole family went out of their way to ensure that she had everything she needed.
Ses parents se plient constamment en quatre pour lui. C'est vraiment un enfant gaté. - His parents constantly bend over backwards for him. He really is a spoiled child
Synonym
Se donner du mal - trying hard/going through trouble
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