Bon marché is a French phrase meaning "good market," which translates to inexpensive, cheap, or good value. It is commonly used to describe items with a low or reduced price, or to indicate a bargain. Historically, it is associated with the famous Parisian department store, Le Bon Marché, founded in 1838.
Usage notes: Everyone's always looking for a good deal, and when you find it, you can say it's bon marché. The French expression can be positive, like "inexpensive" or "reasonable," or it can be negative, like "cheap" or "tacky."
Under the leadership of a dedicated team of professionals, the Bon Marché continues to innovate while preserving its unique heritage. From a business perspective, the Bon Marché is a key pillar in the luxury world, blending tradition and modernity, and enhancing LVMH's global influence in the sector.
More formally, when somebody is thanked we used to say "Je vous en prie" in a form of "you're welcome" or "it's my pleasure. Nowadays, the response to "merci" is often the casual "de rien", meaning "it's nothing" or like the spanish "de nada". More formally, we say "ca fait plaisir" meaning "it was my pleasure".
Usage notes: Ask 10 people if they know any French phrases, and probably 9 of them will say c'est la vie. Funnily enough, this fatalistic expression is used far more in English than in its native French, though the meaning is the same in both: c'est la vie acknowledges a less-than-ideal situation even as it accepts it.
You might also hear it from servers when you've finished ordering, although probably not in fancy or formal restaurants. In this context it means 'Coming up' or 'Coming right up'. You can also use it as a question. So, by saying to someone 'Ça marche ?'
In informal spoken French, we often skip pronouncing 'ne' with negated verbs. So if I was speaking in a casual context, I'd say, “Je sais pas.” To go even further, many French speakers blend the je and sais into something that might sound like “jsais pas” of even “shay pas.” This is how I say it!
While sacré bleu is certainly a real French expression, it's NOT commonly used in everyday conversation. In fact, many French people would probably find it a bit outdated and silly.
To respond to "Je t'aime" (I love you) in French, use "Je t'aime aussi" or "Moi aussi, je t'aime" (I love you too) for a reciprocal feeling, or "Je t'adore" (I adore you) if you're not quite ready for "I love you," while adding "bien" (e.g., "Je t'aime bien") signals strong friendship rather than romance. For a platonic response, "Je t'aime bien" (I like you as a friend) clearly sets boundaries.
French: nickname from le beau 'the handsome', a variant of Beau 1, with fused masculine definite article le. It is also found in England, as a surname of Huguenot origin. See also Lebel .
