journée farniente
The English phrase "lazy day" is translated into French as journée farniente.
This phrase describes a day spent relaxing and doing nothing productive.
Which one should you use?
When describing this experience, use journée rather than jour. journée emphasizes the duration and the experience of the day passing, which is appropriate for describing how a day was spent.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In France, the informal phrase journée de flemme is used to describe a lazy day.
Did you know?
- The phrase journée farniente uses the Italian words far niente, meaning 'doing nothing'. This is a direct loan from the Italian expression dolce far niente, or 'the sweetness of doing nothing'.
- In French, the word flemme is often used in the expression avoir la flemme, which describes the physical feeling of being too lazy to move. It is more common than saying one is 'lazy' as a personality trait.
- The word fainéant, which shares a root with the idea of a lazy day, is often used as a stinging insult for someone who is perceived as useless or shiftless in a professional setting.
Examples in context
- Je prévois de passer un jour de farniente à la plage.I plan to spend a lazy day at the beach.
- Aujourd'hui, c'est une journée pépère. Je vais rester à la maison et regarder des films.Today is a lazy day. I'm going to stay home and watch movies.
- Nous avons décidé de profiter d'une journée de farniente après une semaine bien chargée.We decided to enjoy a lazy day after a busy week.
Example conversation
Nathan and Chloé are planning their weekend.
- NathanQu'est-ce qu'on fait samedi ?What are we doing on Saturday?
- ChloéMoi, je veux une journée farniente.Me, I want a lazy day.
- NathanOn reste juste à la maison alors ?So we just stay at home?
- ChloéOui, c'est exactement l'idée.Yes, that's exactly the idea.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries farniente, journée, CC BY-SA 4.0.
