surfer sur internet
To surf the internet in French is surfer sur internet.
This phrase is used to describe the act of spending time looking at various websites on the internet.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In France, you may encounter the expressions naviguer sur le net or surfer sur la toile. In Québec, it is common to hear the expression faire du surfing.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb surfer is a borrowed English term used in a colloquial sense in French.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often forget the preposition sur (on) and mistakenly say surfer internet instead of surfer sur internet.
Did you know?
- While surfer is borrowed from English, the way the French use it is an example of an 'anglicisme'. Some linguistic purists in France and Québec historically fought against using it to protect the language.
- French has two completely different words spelled sur. While one means 'on' as in surfer sur internet, the other means 'sour' or 'bitter'.
- In Québec, the phrase faire du surfing treats the act of browsing the internet like a sport or a hobby, similar to how one would say 'go swimming' or 'do some skiing'.
Examples in context
- J'aime surfer sur internet.I like to surf the internet.This sentence shows how to express a preference for using surfer sur internet.Tatoeba #3556021 by fleur74, translation #5696496 by erixa82
- Je dois naviguer sur Internet pour trouver des informations pour mon projet.I have to surf the Internet to find information for my project.
- J'adore surfer sur Internet pendant mes heures de détente.I love to surf the Internet during my leisure time.
- Je passe trop de temps à naviguer sur le web.I spend too much time surfing the web.
- Il adore surfer sur internet toute la nuit.He loves to surf the internet all night.
- Je vais surfer sur internet pour trouver des idées.I am going to surf the internet to find some ideas.
Example conversation
Léa and Nathan are sitting in a cafe.
- NathanTu fais quoi pour te détendre, Léa ?What do you do to relax, Léa?
- LéaJ'aime bien surfer sur internet.I like to surf the internet.
- NathanMoi aussi, je peux surfer sur internet pendant des heures.Me too, I can surf the internet for hours.
- LéaC'est vrai, c'est très relaxant.It's true, it is very relaxing.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries internet, sur, surfer, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
