de mon mieux
To say "my hardest" in the sense of making the greatest effort possible in French, use de mon mieux.
This phrase is used to describe the greatest amount of effort a person can possibly make to achieve a goal or complete a task.
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, de mon mieux translates to "of my best".
Did you know?
- If a French speaker says je fais de mon mieux with a sigh, it can sometimes imply that they suspect they will still fail despite the effort.
- The word mon in de mon mieux likely didn't just come from Latin, but was influenced by the Gaulish word mon 'my'.
- While de mon mieux expresses effort, French speakers use a different structure, à fond, to describe doing something with maximum intensity or 'at full blast'.
Examples in context
- Le plus difficile pour moi a été de terminer ce projet à temps.The hardest thing for me was to complete this project on time.
- Ma plus grande difficulté est de parler en public.My biggest difficulty is speaking in public.
- Mon truc le plus dur est de faire du sport tous les jours.My hardest thing is exercising every day.
- Le plus compliqué pour moi est de comprendre les mathématiques.The most complicated thing for me is understanding mathematics.
- Je ferai de mon mieux.I will do my best / I will try my hardest.
Example conversation
Nathan is nervous about his job interview.
- ChloéTu es très nerveux pour ton entretien, Nathan.You are very nervous for your interview, Nathan.
- NathanOui, mais je vais faire de mon mieux.Yes, but I will do my best.
- ChloéC'est tout ce qui compte, mon ami.That is all that matters, my friend.
- NathanMerci pour ton soutien, Chloé.Thanks for your support, Chloé.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries de, mieux, mon, CC BY-SA 4.0.
