profite de la vie
In French, "enjoy your life" is said as profite de la vie.
This phrase is used as a wish or piece of advice to tell someone to make the most of their time and experiences.
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, profite de la vie means "make use of life" or "take advantage of life", suggesting that one should seize the opportunities that life offers.
Which one should you use?
The form profite de la vie uses the "tu" imperative, which is used when speaking to one person informally. In contrast, profitez de la vie is used when addressing a group or when speaking to a single person in a formal manner.
How does it change in a sentence?
When you want to say "to enjoy life" in an infinitive sense, use profiter de la vie. To address more than one person or to use the polite "vous" form with a single person, use profitez de la vie.
Did you know?
- While profiter is positive in this phrase, using it in other contexts can imply taking unfair advantage of a person or a situation.
- If you tell a French person profite bien, you do not even need to mention 'life' for them to understand you are telling them to enjoy their current situation, vacation or free time.
- While English speakers 'enjoy' life, the French verb profiter implies actively extracting value or utility from it, much like one 'profits' from a good investment.
Examples in context
- Profitez de la vie et que chaque jour vous apporte son lot de bonheurEnjoy life, and may each day bring you happiness
- Profite de la vie pendant tes vacances.Enjoy life during your holidays.
Example conversation
Chloé is giving advice to Hugo before his long trip.
- ChloéBon voyage, Hugo !Have a good trip, Hugo!
- HugoMerci, je vais essayer.Thanks, I will try.
- ChloéSurtout, profite de la vie là-bas.Above all, enjoy life there.
- HugoC'est promis, Chloé.I promise, Chloé.
