choses sales
The English phrase "dirty things" is translated into French as choses sales.
The phrase is used to describe items that are not clean and require washing.
What does it mean word for word?
The expression is composed of choses, which means "things" and sales, which means "dirty".
How does it change in a sentence?
Because choses is a feminine noun, the adjective sales must also be in its feminine plural form to agree with it. To refer to a single dirty thing, use the singular form chose sale.
Did you know?
- In some French slang contexts, calling something sale can actually be a compliment, similar to how English speakers might say something is 'filthy good' or 'wicked'.
- In French, if you want to talk about 'dirty laundry' metaphorically, you would use the expression laver son linge sale en famille, which literally means 'to wash one's dirty laundry in the family'.
- The adjective sale can also be used to describe someone who is 'low-class' or 'shady' in a social or moral sense, rather than just physically unclean.
Example conversation
Chloé and Gabriel are cleaning the kitchen together.
- ChloéGabriel, peux-tu trier toutes ces choses sales ?Gabriel, can you sort all these dirty things?
- GabrielOui, je m'en occupe tout de suite.Yes, I'll take care of it right away.
- ChloéMerci, mets-les dans le lave-vaisselle.Thanks, put them in the dishwasher.
- GabrielC'est fait, la cuisine est presque propre.It's done, the kitchen is almost clean.
