pente
Monday, July 17, 2006
Apartment airing in a little French town.
une pente (pahnt) noun, feminine
1. slope (of a roof), incline
2. tendency
La vie offre toujours deux pentes. On grimpe ou on se laisse glisser.
Life always offers two slopes. We climb or we let ourselves slide.--Pierre Hebey
A Day in a French Life...
Did I mention my children are on vacation? Things are a little "en pente," or sloping, around here and I feel I am sliding, trying to keep up with word weaving and kid wrestling. The two pint-sized giggle machines stop by my keyboard every five minutes with: "Can you fix Elodie's hair?" (that would be Jackie, handing me a doll with knotted locks) or "My soccer ball is stuck on the roof. Tu peux me le chercher?--Can you get it for me?" (that would be Max, aiming high).
Yesterday I took a break from the giglet and the ball-toting Gaul to snap a few more photos of our village. I hope you like today's shot, with its mingle-mangle of old stones and inconsistent patterns.
By the way, Max and Jackie--who are leaning in so close to this keyboard that the keys are now coated with a humid layer of kid breath--would like to add "Salut!"
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References: Salut! = Hi!
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French synonyms for "pente":
la descente, une inclinaison, un escarpement, la montée, la côte
Expressions:
en pente = sloping, inclined
avoir la dalle en pente = to love to drink; to be a boozer
descendre la pente = to let oneself slide (morally)
être sur une mauvaise pente (also: filer un mauvais coton) = to be going downhill
remonter la pente = to get back on one's feet again
suivre sa pente = to follow one's (natural) bent or inclination
être sur la pente glissante (or) savonneuse = to be on the skids; to be on a slippery slope
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Language learning books and CDs:
Mastering French Vocabulary : A Thematic Approach
Also in books: How To Pronounce French, German, and Italian Wine Names
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