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French expression of the day: Rien n'est joué

The Local France
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French expression of the day: Rien n'est joué
Photo: Annie Spratt/Unsplash/Nicolas Raymond

Politics, sports and even issuing a warning to the kids - this is handy French expression when things are uncertain.

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Why do I need to know Rien n'est joué?

Because you’re going to hear it a lot over the next two weeks. 

What does it mean? 

Rien n'est joué, pronounced ree-en nay joo-ay, literally translates as ‘nothing is played’ but it means ‘nothing is decided’, 'nothing is guaranteed' or 'nothing is set in stone'.

It's become almost an unofficial catchphrase of Emmanuel Macron's team, as he faces what is expected to be a very close second round contest with far-right rival Marine Le Pen.

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They are using it as a rallying call in a bid to get supporting voters to the polls on April 24th and ensure their candidate wins a second term in office.

It's not just a political term though, it’s a handy catch-all when your sports team has just fallen behind with 15 minutes to go, or you’re trying to work out permutations for the end-of-season run-in.

Or, you can use it on your children if they are getting on your nerves ahead of a special treat.

Use it like this

Rien est joué et tout reste à faire - Nothing is decided and there’s everything to play for

Rien n'est joué, ne ménageons pas nos efforts d'ici le 24 avril - Nothing is guaranteed, let's not spare our efforts between now and April 24th

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