étudier dur
The English phrase 'study hard' is translated into French as étudier dur.
The phrase is used to describe putting a lot of effort and time into learning a subject.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use the adverb durement to mean 'hard' in the sense of 'with great effort', but durement actually means 'harshly' or 'severely'.
Did you know?
- To describe someone who studies excessively hard, the French use the term un bourreau de travail, which literally translates to 'a work executioner'.
- The French have a specific verb, bachoter, which means to study hard by cramming large amounts of information right before an exam.
- In many French-speaking regions, a student might say they are bosser dur instead of étudier dur to sound more casual, much like saying 'to grind' in English.
Examples in context
- Vous devez étudier dur pour rattraper votre classe.You have to study hard to catch up with your class.This sentence shows how to use étudier dur when discussing the need to catch up with a class.Tatoeba #2804316 by littlejohn_75, translation #16727 by CM
- Les étudiants doivent travailler assidûment pour obtenir de bons résultats.Students must study hard to achieve good results.
- T'es en retard pour la fête parce que tu bosses dur pour les examens ?Are you late for the party because you're studying hard for your exams?
Example conversation
Two students are talking about their upcoming finals.
- ChloéEs-tu prêt pour le test demain, Nathan ?Are you ready for the test tomorrow, Nathan?
- NathanPas encore, je dois étudier dur ce soir.Not yet, I have to study hard tonight.
- ChloéMoi aussi, c'est un cours très difficile.Me too, it is a very difficult course.
- NathanBonne chance, Chloé !Good luck, Chloé!
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
