poker face
The English phrase "poker face" can be expressed in French as poker face.
In French, the English loanword poker face is commonly used in informal French to describe an expression that reveals no emotion. To describe the action of maintaining a poker face, one might use the verb phrase ne pas se livrer (to not reveal oneself).
Meaning: any similar expression preventing giving away one's motives etc. (noun)
Which one should you use?
While poker face is a common loanword, you may encounter different expressions depending on the context. For a more formal or standard French way to express the concept of a poker face, use un visage impassible (an impassive face). In a serious or academic context, the term détachement émotionnel can be used to discuss the concept of a poker face.
Did you know?
- The French word face is a doublet of the word faciès, which is used in French medicine and criminology to describe a person's characteristic facial features.
- If you are describing someone who is impossible to read, you might say they have un visage de marbre, which translates to 'a marble face'.
- The word impassible used in un visage impassible comes from the Latin word for 'incapable of suffering'.
Examples in context
- Pendant la partie, il n'a jamais montré d'émotion sur son visage impassible.During the game, he never showed any emotion on his impassive face.
- Elle maintenait une expression neutre tout au long de la partie, ce qui déconcertait ses adversaires.She maintained a neutral expression throughout the game, which baffled her opponents.
Example conversation
Emma and Nathan are playing a board game.
- EmmaJe pense que tu as les cartes.I think you have the cards.
- NathanTu ne peux pas savoir, j'ai une poker face.You can't know, I have a poker face.
- EmmaC'est vrai, tu ne montres rien.It's true, you aren't showing anything.
- NathanC'est mon secret pour gagner.That's my secret for winning.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries face, poker, CC BY-SA 4.0.
