sans alcool
The French phrase for "no alcohol" is sans alcool.
sans alcool is used to describe a drink or a product that does not contain any alcohol.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the preposition sans meaning "without" and the noun alcool meaning "alcohol".
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase sans alcool, the word alcool remains in the singular form because it refers to the substance in a general sense.
When do people say it?
If someone offers you a drink and you wish to politely decline, you can say C'est gentil de votre part, mais je ne bois pas (It is kind of you, but I don't drink). To emphasize your preference, you can respond with Vraiment, je préfère ne pas boire d'alcool (Really, I prefer not to drink alcohol).
Did you know?
- The word alcool traces its history back to the Arabic word al-kuḥl, which originally referred to 'kohl', a fine powder used as eye cosmetic.
- In France, non-alcoholic beverages are commonly referred to as softs, a direct loanword from the English 'soft drinks'.
- French labels sans alcool can sometimes appear on 'dealcoholized' drinks that originally contained alcohol before it was removed.
Examples in context
- Lors de ces occasions, je m'abstiens de boire de l'alcool.During these occasions, I refrain from drinking alcohol.
- Merci, mais je préfère ne pas consommer d'alcool.Thank you, but I prefer not to consume alcohol.
- J'ai décidé de ne plus boire d'alcool, mais je suis partant pour un jus de fruits.I have decided to no longer drink alcohol, but I am up for a fruit juice.
- Non, merci. Vraiment, je préfère ne pas boire d'alcool.No, thank you. Really, I prefer not to drink alcohol.
- C'est gentil de votre part, mais je ne bois pas. Un verre d'eau serait parfait, merci.It is kind of you, but I don't drink. A glass of water would be perfect, thank you.
- une bière sans alcoolA non-alcoholic beer
- Je voudrais un cocktail sans alcool, s'il vous plaît.I would like an alcohol-free cocktail, please.
- Est-ce que ce soda est sans alcool ?Is this soda alcohol-free?
- Il existe de la bière sans alcool ici.There is alcohol-free beer here.
Example conversation
Emma and Gabriel are at a restaurant.
- EmmaQu'est-ce que tu veux boire, Gabriel ?What do you want to drink, Gabriel?
- GabrielJe vais prendre un mojito sans alcool.I will have a non-alcoholic mojito.
- EmmaC'est un bon choix pour conduire.That is a good choice for driving.
- GabrielOui, je préfère rester sans alcool ce soir.Yes, I prefer to stay alcohol-free tonight.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries alcool, sans, CC BY-SA 4.0.
