mener en bateau
The English phrase 'lead you on' is translated into French as mener en bateau.
This phrase is used to describe the act of deceiving someone by making them believe something that is not true.
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, mener en bateau means 'to lead into a boat'.
Which one should you use?
While mener en bateau implies general deception or trickery, the phrase faire espérer is more specific to the romantic sense of 'leading someone on' by giving them false hope.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The expression mener en bateau is an idiomatic and colloquial way to express deception.
How does it change in a sentence?
To use this phrase with 'you', you must replace the indefinite pronoun with a direct object pronoun like te or vous before the verb.
Did you know?
- The word bateau in this phrase is a linguistic 'loan' from Old English bāt that entered French via Anglo-Norman, rather than being a purely Latin-derived word.
- In French culture, being mené en bateau implies a certain naivety on the part of the victim, as if they were a passive passenger being steered by someone else.
- Unlike English where 'leading someone on' often implies a slow process, mener en bateau can describe a single, elaborate lie used to distract someone.
Examples in context
- Il/Elle m'a donné de faux espoirs.He/She led me on.
- Il/Elle joue avec mes sentiments.He/She is leading me on.
- Il ne te mène pas en bateau.He is not leading you on.
- Je ne veux pas te mener en bateau.I don't want to lead you on.
- Arrête de les mener en bateau avec tes promesses.Stop leading them on with your promises.
Example conversation
Léa and Nathan are discussing a mutual friend's suspicious behavior.
- LéaTu crois qu'il est sincère avec elle ?Do you think he is sincere with her?
- NathanNon, je pense qu'il veut la mener en bateau.No, I think he wants to lead her on.
- LéaC'est vraiment méchant de sa part.That is really mean of him.
- NathanOui, Nathan ne supporte pas ça.Yes, Nathan cannot stand that.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bateau, en, mener, CC BY-SA 4.0.
