gagner de l'argent
To make money in French is to gagner de l'argent.
The phrase gagner de l'argent is a common way to say "make money" in French.
Meaning: make a profit (verb)
Which one should you use?
While English uses the verb "make" to describe generating profit, French uses gagner, which is more closely related to "to earn" or "to win".
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid using faire de l'argent. While this is a literal translation of "to make money", it is an incorrect way to express earning or profiting in French. Instead, use gagner de l'argent.
Did you know?
- If you want to speak about making a lot of money informally, you might hear the term se faire de l'oseille, where oseille is a type of sorrel plant.
- The word argent, which means 'money', also literally means 'silver' in French.
- The word gagner comes from the Frankish word *waiþanōn, which relates to the idea of acquiring or gaining something.
Examples in context
- Tom sait comment gagner de l'argent.Tom knows how to make money.This sentence shows how to use gagner de l'argent to describe someone's ability to earn.Tatoeba #11379024 by felix63, translation #5206933 by CK
- C'est une occasion de gagner de l'argent.This is an opportunity to make money.This sentence uses gagner de l'argent to describe an opportunity for earning.Tatoeba #12197625 by lbdx, translation #8953403 by CK
- Pour gagner de l'argent il serait prêt à tout.He will do anything to make money.This sentence uses gagner de l'argent to describe the lengths someone will go to for earning.Tatoeba #638355 by qdii, translation #18490 by Zifre
- Je souhaite gagner de l'argent pour renforcer ma sécurité financière.I want to make money to strengthen my financial security.
- Je trime pour me faire du fric en vendant mes créations artisanales sur Internet.I work hard to make some cash by selling my handmade creations online.
- 8 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Manon and Nathan are discussing their new business venture.
- ManonEst-ce qu'on peut gagner de l'argent avec ce projet ?Can we make money with this project?
- NathanOui, je pense que c'est une bonne idée.Yes, I think it is a good idea.
- ManonTu as raison, Nathan.You are right, Nathan.
- NathanOn va gagner de l'argent rapidement !We are going to make money quickly!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries de, gagner, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
