French Expression of the Day: Ça gaze?
This word has nothing to do with soaring gas prices or all those Brussel sprouts you've been eating.
Why do I need to know ça gaze?
To be down with the kids.
What does it mean?
As a question, ça gaze? (pronounced sa gaz) means how are you?
As a response, ça gaze means that things are good.
In that sense it's similar to ça va, which can be either a question - how's it going? or a response - it's all good.
One of the principal theories put forward for the etymology of ça gaze dates back to WWI.
Back then, French pilots operating in the early days of aviation would have to really mettre les gaz (push the throttle) for their rickety aircraft to take off.
Following a flight, mettre les gaz would be shortened to ça gaze? as a way of asking whether it had been a successful mission.
This military slang eventually trickled down to the civilian population and remains popular, even among young people, in France today.
Ça gaze mon frérot? - How's it going bro?
Oui, ça gaze chef - Yeah, all good boss
It's not rude, but it's certainly casual. You probably wouldn't greet your bank manager in this way.
Other uses of gaz
In French, the word gaz means gas. It is used in a number of expressions.
À plein gaz - Full throttle, full power
Un gaz - A fart
Gaz à effet de serre - Greenhouse gas
Gaz hilarant - Nitrous oxide/laughing gas
For American readers, gaz refers to household gas and not the stuff that you put in your car, that's essence.
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Why do I need to know ça gaze?
To be down with the kids.
What does it mean?
As a question, ça gaze? (pronounced sa gaz) means how are you?
As a response, ça gaze means that things are good.
In that sense it's similar to ça va, which can be either a question - how's it going? or a response - it's all good.
One of the principal theories put forward for the etymology of ça gaze dates back to WWI.
Back then, French pilots operating in the early days of aviation would have to really mettre les gaz (push the throttle) for their rickety aircraft to take off.
Following a flight, mettre les gaz would be shortened to ça gaze? as a way of asking whether it had been a successful mission.
This military slang eventually trickled down to the civilian population and remains popular, even among young people, in France today.
Ça gaze mon frérot? - How's it going bro?
Oui, ça gaze chef - Yeah, all good boss
It's not rude, but it's certainly casual. You probably wouldn't greet your bank manager in this way.
Other uses of gaz
In French, the word gaz means gas. It is used in a number of expressions.
À plein gaz - Full throttle, full power
Un gaz - A fart
Gaz à effet de serre - Greenhouse gas
Gaz hilarant - Nitrous oxide/laughing gas
For American readers, gaz refers to household gas and not the stuff that you put in your car, that's essence.
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