tondre la pelouse
To mow the lawn in French is tondre la pelouse.
The phrase tondre la pelouse refers specifically to the act of cutting grass in a yard using a machine, such as a lawnmower, which is called une tondeuse.
What does it mean word for word?
The expression is composed of the verb tondre, which means 'to mow' or 'to shear' and the noun phrase la pelouse, which means 'the lawn'.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using the verb in different contexts, you may see its conjugation in the present tense as in Je tonds la pelouse (I mow the lawn). The past participle of the verb is tondu, meaning 'mown'. If you need to express a requirement, you can say Je dois tondre les pelouses to mean 'I have to mow the lawns'.
Did you know?
- The verb tondre is used for both mowing a lawn and shearing sheep. This means the same word is used whether you are using a lawnmower or a pair of shears on an animal.
- The word pelouse comes from a root meaning 'hairy' or 'thickset', because a lawn is seen as a thick carpet of hair covering the earth.
- In French slang, the expression être tondu can be used to describe someone who has had their head shaved very short, mirroring the action of mowing a lawn.
Examples in context
- Ma mère m'a dit de tondre la pelouse.My mother told me to mow the lawn.This sentence shows how to use tondre la pelouse when reporting what someone told you to do.Tatoeba #1362118 by sacredceltic, translation #1362113 by CK
- Vas-tu tondre la pelouse aujourd'hui ?Are you going to mow the lawn today?This sentence uses tondre la pelouse to ask about a future intention.Tatoeba #4050029 by mouche, translation #3114042 by CK
- Ma mère m'a demandé de tondre la pelouse.Mother told me to mow the lawn.This sentence uses tondre la pelouse to express a request from a mother.Tatoeba #15700 by sacredceltic, translation #320748 by sundown
- Aujourd'hui, je dois tondre la pelouse de mon jardin.Today, I have to mow the lawn in my garden.
- Il est nécessaire de faucher l'herbe régulièrement pour maintenir un jardin soigné.It is necessary to mow the lawn regularly to maintain a well-kept garden.
- Eh mec, t'as oublié de tondre la pelouse encore une fois !Hey, dude, you forgot to mow the lawn again!
- J'ai passé toute la matinée à couper l'herbe du jardin avec une tondeuse électrique.I spent the whole morning mowing the lawn with an electric mower.
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Nathan and Manon are talking in their garden on a sunny afternoon.
- NathanIl faut tondre la pelouse bientôt.We need to mow the lawn soon.
- ManonTu peux le faire maintenant, Nathan ?Can you do it now, Nathan?
- NathanD'accord, je vais tondre la pelouse tout de suite.Okay, I will mow the lawn right away.
- ManonMerci, c'est très gentil de ta part.Thanks, that is very kind of you.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries la, pelouse, tondre, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
