French Word of the Day: Astuce
This is a common and highly versatile French word - it is always good to have an astuce up your sleeve.
Why do I need to know astuce?
Because energy flows in the path of least resistance.
What does it mean?
Astuce, pronounced ass-stoos, is a noun that is generally used to refer to tips, tricks or skills that make something easier.
We would like to think that our journalism is full of astuces to help you navigate life in France.
You can also use it to describe a short-cut or work-around, particularly for technical difficulties (for example if a French form is demanding your département number but you don't live full time in France, you can fill in 99 to indicate that you live overseas).
In this sense of the word, you could use astuce like this:
Cette fille est pleine d'astuce - This girl is full of tricks
Ce livre est plein d'astuces pour confectionner le gâteau parfait - This book is full of tips to make the perfect cake
Astuce can also be used to mean ingenuity.
J'ai fait preuve d'astuce en résolvant le problème - I proved my ingenuity by solving the problem.
An astuce is not always positive however. If said in a certain tone of voice, it can be used disparagingly to suggest that something is a gimmick or facade.
Il est considéré comme une astuce pour gagner l'élection - It is considered a trick to win the election
La politique environmental d'Emmanuel Macron est une astuce - Emmanuel Macron's environmental policy is a gimmick.
Sometimes the word astuce is also used with the verb faire (to do) to describe word-play or pun-making.
Je n'ai pas fait des astuces dans mon article - I didn't make any puns in my article
Synonyms
Astuce has various synonyms depending on which meaning of the word you are looking for.
Tip/trick: raccourci (short cut), conseil (advice), competence (skill)
Ingenuity: ingéniosité, inventivité (inventiveness), génie (genius)
Gimmickry/trickery: supercherie, tromperie, escroquerie, tricherie, artifice
Pun-making: jeu de mot (play on words), calembour (pun), plaisanterie (joking)
Comments
See Also
Why do I need to know astuce?
Because energy flows in the path of least resistance.
What does it mean?
Astuce, pronounced ass-stoos, is a noun that is generally used to refer to tips, tricks or skills that make something easier.
We would like to think that our journalism is full of astuces to help you navigate life in France.
You can also use it to describe a short-cut or work-around, particularly for technical difficulties (for example if a French form is demanding your département number but you don't live full time in France, you can fill in 99 to indicate that you live overseas).
In this sense of the word, you could use astuce like this:
Cette fille est pleine d'astuce - This girl is full of tricks
Ce livre est plein d'astuces pour confectionner le gâteau parfait - This book is full of tips to make the perfect cake
Astuce can also be used to mean ingenuity.
J'ai fait preuve d'astuce en résolvant le problème - I proved my ingenuity by solving the problem.
An astuce is not always positive however. If said in a certain tone of voice, it can be used disparagingly to suggest that something is a gimmick or facade.
Il est considéré comme une astuce pour gagner l'élection - It is considered a trick to win the election
La politique environmental d'Emmanuel Macron est une astuce - Emmanuel Macron's environmental policy is a gimmick.
Sometimes the word astuce is also used with the verb faire (to do) to describe word-play or pun-making.
Je n'ai pas fait des astuces dans mon article - I didn't make any puns in my article
Synonyms
Astuce has various synonyms depending on which meaning of the word you are looking for.
Tip/trick: raccourci (short cut), conseil (advice), competence (skill)
Ingenuity: ingéniosité, inventivité (inventiveness), génie (genius)
Gimmickry/trickery: supercherie, tromperie, escroquerie, tricherie, artifice
Pun-making: jeu de mot (play on words), calembour (pun), plaisanterie (joking)
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