Le coin des branchés
(Feb.-March 08)

N’être plus tout jeune = to be not so young any more. Je ne suis plus tout jeune, tu sais !
Prendre de l’âge = to get older, to age.
Prendre de la graine = to learn from experience, usually with age.
Prendre de la bouteille = to gain experience while aging. Je crois qu’on commence à prendre de la bouteille !
Le doyen/la doyenne = the oldest in a group/an association/a village.
Se faire vieux = to become or look old.
Prendre un sacré coup de vieux = to look much older, usually over a short period of time.
Vieillir mal = to change in the wrong way when growing old. Literally, to age poorly. Il vieillit mal = he is not aging well, is not changing for the best.
Un homme/une femme d’un certain âge = a relatively old person
Un homme/une femme d’un grand âge = an elderly person
Les personnes âgées = old people.
Les anciens = old persons, but a bit old fashioned, mainly used as: les anciens combattants (war veterans).
Les aînés = the oldest. Usually used to designate a group of retired persons. Some social clubs call themselves “club des aînés”.
Les vieux = old persons (more pejorative than personnes âgées).

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Mes vieux = my folks (parents).
Salut mon vieux/ma vieille ! = Hello my buddy! (a very common term of friendship, paradoxically, usually used for younger persons).
Une vieille branche = an old friend. Comment elle va, ma vieille branche?
Un vieux con = a stupid old man. Can also mean a dirty old man. It is quite pejorative.
Les vieux de la vieille = always the same (and not necessary old people). Chaque samedi au bistrot se retrouvent les vieux de la vieille.
Une vieille fille/un vieux garcon = an old maid/old bachelor.
Etre vieux jeu = to be old-fashioned.
Le bon vieux temps = the good times from the past/the good old times (often used by older persons).
Les vieillards = very old persons (not very commonly used, a bit pejorative).
Le troisième âge = the retirement time of life, usually starting around 65.
Le quatrième âge = the oldest part of life, usually starting around 80.
Les ancêtres = ancestors; mainly used when one refers to one’s family genealogy.
Les seniors = a modern expression used (mainly for marketing purposes) for every person older than 50-55.

Roger Stevenson
French Accent Magazine - Feb.-March 08

Deux dictées aux choix

We provide two dictées to chose according to your level in French:
one for beginners, and another one for intermediate level French .
Click on the link below to listen to each of them. Then try and write it without making any mistakes. You can compare it to the original text on page 37 of the magazine.


N.B.: It would be a good idea to read all the articles of this issue of French Accent before doing the dictation, as you will recognize many expressions.

L’âge de la retraite = retirement age (usually 60 years old in France)
La retraite = pension.
La pension (de retraite) = pension (but less used than retraite).
La retraite de la Sécu / Sécurité sociale = the basic retirement pension, from the Social Security.
La retraite de base = idem.
La retraite complémentaire = complementary pension.
Le plafond de retraite = the maximum pension one can receive (for example for the retraite de la sécu one cannot get more than 50% of an amount determined by the Social Security).
Un régime de retraite = a retirement scheme.
Toucher sa retraite = to receive one’s pension.
Avoir une petite retraite = to get a small pension.
Le départ en retraite = retirering – the point that one actually retires 
Prendre sa retraite = To retire.
Un(e) retraité(e) = A retired person
La pré-retraite = an early retirement possibility offered by French companies and Social Security, that many French people use (usually at around 52-55 years old, sometimes even earlier).
Une maison de retraite = a retirement home.
Un club de retraités = a private leisure, social, sports or activities club whose members are retired persons. Communities usually make their municipal meeting halls available for meetings/activities.
Un club du 3e âge = idem.
Un club des aînés = idem.

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