moi plus jeune
The English phrase "younger self" is translated into French as moi plus jeune.
This phrase is used to refer to the person the speaker was during an earlier stage of their life.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the pronoun moi (me), the comparative plus (more) and the adjective jeune (young).
How does it change in a sentence?
To refer to your own younger self as a noun phrase, you can add the possessive adjective mon before the phrase to get mon moi plus jeune. You can also replace the pronoun moi with toi to refer to the listener's younger self, forming toi plus jeune.
Did you know?
- In psychological contexts, French uses the term le moi to translate the Freudian 'the ego', making mon moi plus jeune sound subtly more clinical or philosophical than its English equivalent.
- While English speakers often use 'younger self' as a single concept, a French speaker might more naturally use the phrase l'enfant que j'étais (the child that I was) to evoke nostalgia.
- In French, when using the phrase mon moi plus jeune, the word moi functions as a noun, which is a rare grammatical shift where a pronoun is treated as a substantive.
Examples in context
- Moi plus jeune, j'étais beaucoup plus timide.My younger self used to be much more shy.
Example conversation
Manon and Nathan are looking through an old photo album.
- ManonRegarde cette photo de moi plus jeune !Look at this photo of my younger self!
- NathanTu étais vraiment mignonne, Manon.You were really cute, Manon.
- ManonJe me demande ce que moi plus jeune penserait.I wonder what my younger self would think.
- NathanElle serait sûrement très fière de toi.She would surely be very proud of you.
