Capitaine Krabs
The English name Mr. Krabs is translated into French as Capitaine Krabs.
This phrase refers to the name of the crab character who owns the Krusty Krab in the animated show SpongeBob SquarePants.
What does it mean word for word?
The name is composed of the title Capitaine, meaning Captain and the surname Krabs.
Which one should you use?
While the English name uses the honorific Mr., the French localization uses the title Capitaine. For more formal address, one may use Monsieur Krabs or the abbreviated M. Krabs.
When do people say it?
In the French dub of SpongeBob SquarePants, the character's name is localized as Capitaine Krabs.
Did you know?
- The French title Capitaine shares a linguistic root with the English word 'chieftain', as both derive from the Latin word caput meaning 'head'.
- In French, the abbreviation for Monsieur is M, whereas Mr. is the standard abbreviation used in English.
- While 'Mr.' is a neutral honorific in English, choosing 'Capitaine' in French gives the character an immediate sense of nautical authority not present in the original name.
Examples in context
- Bonjour, Monsieur Krabs, comment ça va aujourd'hui ?Hello, Mr. Krabs, how are you today?
- M. Krabs, je vous présente mes sincères condoléances.Mr. Krabs, please accept my sincere condolences.
- Salut, Monsieur Krabs, tu viens à la fête ce soir ?Hey, Mr. Krabs, are you coming to the party tonight?
- Krabs, t'as pas vu les clés de la voiture ?Krabs, have you seen the car keys?
- Capitaine Krabs est très radin.Mr. Krabs is very stingy.
- J'aime bien le Capitaine Krabs.I really like Mr. Krabs.
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing their favorite cartoons.
- GabrielEst-ce que tu regardes Bob l'éponge ?Do you watch SpongeBob?
- LéaOui, j'adore le Capitaine Krabs !Yes, I love Mr. Krabs!
- GabrielLui aussi, il est très drôle.Him too, he is very funny.
- LéaC'est vrai, il est génial.It's true, he is great.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries capitaine, CC BY-SA 4.0.
