French Expression of the Day: Dernière ligne droit
This common French expression is widely used in many areas of French life - but especially in politics.
Why do I need to know dernière ligne droite?
Because the final hurdle is often the hardest.
What does it mean?
Dernière ligne droite, pronounced dern-ee-yay lean dwat, literally translates as last straight line.
But this is expression is more commonly used to mean: the final hurdle, the home straight, last phase, final push or final stretch.
It is often used in a political context:
À quelques jours du scrutin, c'est la dernière ligne droite - With just a few days until the final vote, we're into the home straight
Tout le monde doit tout donner dans cette dernière ligne - Everyone must give everything in this final push
C'est la dernière ligne droite. Il peut gagner ! - It is the final hurdle. He can win!
It is thought that the expression comes from the world of sport. Athletes running around the track will generally finish the race running in a straight line, or ligne droite, towards the finishing point.
Ils tentent de dépasser les autres concurrents dans la dernière ligne droite - They try to overtake other competitors on the home stretch
Other expressions with ligne
The French language has multiple expressions with the word ligne.
Here is a selection:
Garder la ligne - To stay in shape
Ligne politique - Political line/programme/ideology
La ligne de vie - Lifeline [used by climbers] or the lines on your hand interpreted by palm readers
Tirer des lignes - Deliberately writing in long complex sentences [used by writers who are paid per line of text]
En première ligne - At the forefront/on the frontline
Faire bouger les lignes - To shift or shake up a situation [often used in politics]
Lire entre les lignes - To read between the lines
Comments
See Also
Why do I need to know dernière ligne droite?
Because the final hurdle is often the hardest.
What does it mean?
Dernière ligne droite, pronounced dern-ee-yay lean dwat, literally translates as last straight line.
But this is expression is more commonly used to mean: the final hurdle, the home straight, last phase, final push or final stretch.
It is often used in a political context:
À quelques jours du scrutin, c'est la dernière ligne droite - With just a few days until the final vote, we're into the home straight
Tout le monde doit tout donner dans cette dernière ligne - Everyone must give everything in this final push
C'est la dernière ligne droite. Il peut gagner ! - It is the final hurdle. He can win!
It is thought that the expression comes from the world of sport. Athletes running around the track will generally finish the race running in a straight line, or ligne droite, towards the finishing point.
Ils tentent de dépasser les autres concurrents dans la dernière ligne droite - They try to overtake other competitors on the home stretch
Other expressions with ligne
The French language has multiple expressions with the word ligne.
Here is a selection:
Garder la ligne - To stay in shape
Ligne politique - Political line/programme/ideology
La ligne de vie - Lifeline [used by climbers] or the lines on your hand interpreted by palm readers
Tirer des lignes - Deliberately writing in long complex sentences [used by writers who are paid per line of text]
En première ligne - At the forefront/on the frontline
Faire bouger les lignes - To shift or shake up a situation [often used in politics]
Lire entre les lignes - To read between the lines
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