hoche la tête
To nod your head in French is hoche la tête.
To move your head up and down to show agreement or to say yes.
How does it change in a sentence?
The infinitive form of the verb is hocher la tête. The form hoche la tête is the third-person singular present indicative conjugation, meaning it translates to 'nods (his/her) head'.
Did you know?
- The Latin root of tête, 'testa', means 'brick' or 'pot', which explains why the older term 'chef' is now mostly reserved for a 'boss'.
- In some regions of France and neighboring Mediterranean cultures, a slight upward movement of the head can actually signify 'no' instead of 'yes'.
- While hocher la tête usually means nodding for agreement, it can also be used to describe a slow shake of the head to express disbelief or doubt.
Examples in context
- Vous pouvez hocher la tête en signe d'approbation.You can nod your head as a sign of approval.
- Veuillez hocher la tête si vous êtes d'accord.Please nod your head if you agree.
- Si tu comprends, hoche simplement la tête.If you understand, just nod your head.
- Il hoche la tête pour dire oui.He nods his head to say yes.
- Elle hoche la tête en signe d'accord.She nods her head in agreement.
Example conversation
Emma is checking if Gabriel understands the instructions.
- EmmaEst-ce que tu comprends tout, Gabriel ?Do you understand everything, Gabriel?
- GabrielOui, je comprends parfaitement.Yes, I understand perfectly.
- EmmaHoche la tête pour confirmer une dernière fois.Nod your head to confirm one last time.
- GabrielC'est fait, je suis prêt !Done, I am ready!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries la, tête, CC BY-SA 4.0.
