faire face
In French, coping is expressed as faire face.
The term refers to the process of managing taxing circumstances, expending effort to solve personal and interpersonal problems and seeking to master, minimize, reduce or tolerate stress or conflict.
Meaning: the process of managing taxing circumstances, expending effort to solve personal and interpersonal problems, and seeking to master, minimize, reduce or tolerate stress or conflict. (noun)
Which one should you use?
While faire face emphasizes the endurance or confrontation of a difficult situation, the verb gérer is used more for the active management or administration of a problem or stress.
Did you know?
- While faire face is used for coping with challenges, French speakers often use the word débrouillardise to describe the specific cultural trait of 'coping through resourcefulness' or 'making do' with what is available.
- If you are coping with a situation in a very informal or colloquial way, you might hear someone say they are se démerder, which is a much more vulgar, slang version of 'getting by'.
- When a person is coping in the sense of simply surviving a crisis, they often use the phrase s'en sortir, which literally means 'to get oneself out of it'.
Examples in context
- Je dois gérer cette situation difficile.I have to cope with this difficult situation.
- Il faut faire face aux problèmes avec courage.We must face problems with courage.
- Il apprend à gérer son stress.He is learning to cope with his stress.
- Elle s'adapte facilement aux nouvelles circonstances.She adapts easily to new circumstances.
- Nous faisons face aux difficultés ensemble.We face difficulties together.
- Je me débrouille avec mes problèmes.I cope with my problems.
- Je me débrouille toujours, peu importe les obstacles.I always cope, regardless of the obstacles.
- Malgré les difficultés, elle s'en sort toujours.Despite the difficulties, she always copes.
- Tu t'en sors beaucoup mieux que tu ne le penses.You cope much better than you think.
- Je suis fatigué, mais je tiens le coup.I'm tired, but I'm coping.
- Ça va aller, tiens le coup !It's going to be okay, hang in there!
- Il doit faire face à ses responsabilités.He has to cope with his responsibilities.
- Il lui est difficile de faire face à ce stress.It is difficult for him to cope with this stress.
- Elle apprend à faire face à ses problèmes personnels.She is learning to cope with her personal problems.
- Nous devons faire face à cette situation complexe.We must cope with this complex situation.
Example conversation
Emma and Gabriel are talking about a difficult workload at their office.
- GabrielC'est dur de faire face à tout ce travail.It's hard to cope with all this work.
- EmmaJe comprends, Gabriel, c'est vraiment épuisant.I understand, Gabriel, it is truly exhausting.
- GabrielTu as une méthode pour faire face ?Do you have a method for coping?
- EmmaOui, je fais de petites pauses régulièrement.Yes, I take small breaks regularly.
