seconde main
The English phrase "second hand" can be translated into French as seconde main.
seconde main is used to describe an item that has been owned and used by someone else before. It is a relatively modern expression often used in the context of fashion and sustainable consumption trends.
Which one should you use?
While seconde main is used, the more traditional and common way to describe used goods is d'occasion. Additionally, D'occase is an informal abbreviation of d'occasion.
How does it change in a sentence?
When using seconde main as an adjective to describe a noun, it is almost always preceded by the preposition de.
Did you know?
- In France, the concept of seconde main is heavily tied to the 'circular economy' movement, making it a political and ecological term rather than just a description of a used item.
- In French, the word seconde is often used specifically when there are only two items in a series, whereas deuxième is used for any number in a sequence.
- If a French speaker wants to emphasize that a used item is of extremely high quality, they might avoid seconde main entirely and use the term vintage instead.
Examples in context
- Elle n'achète que des vêtements de seconde main.She only buys second-hand clothing.This sentence shows how to use seconde main to describe clothing.Tatoeba #11915663 by lbdx, translation #2884095 by Hybrid
- Porter des vêtements de seconde main est désormais répandu chez les jeunes.Wearing second-hand clothes is now popular among young people.This sentence demonstrates the popularity of wearing seconde main clothing among young people.Tatoeba #749384 by Erwan29200, translation #265804 by sundown
- J'ai acheté une voiture d'occasion à un prix avantageux.I bought a second-hand car at a good price.
- J'ai trouvé un vélo d'occase génial sur Leboncoin.I found a great second-hand bike on Leboncoin.
Example conversation
Lucas and Manon are looking at a vintage lamp.
- LucasTu aimes cette lampe de seconde main ?Do you like this second hand lamp?
- ManonOui, elle est magnifique et pas chère.Yes, it is beautiful and not expensive.
- LucasOn devrait acheter plus d'objets de seconde main.We should buy more second hand items.
- ManonJe suis d'accord, c'est mieux pour la planète.I agree, it's better for the planet.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
