Bedeutung
To steal money from a cash register or deplete funds.
Kultureller Hintergrund
The 'Affaire Cahuzac' (a major tax fraud scandal) led many journalists to use the term 'vider les caisses de l'État' to describe the loss of public tax money. In Quebec, 'la caisse' often refers to the 'Caisse de dépôt et placement' or 'Caisse populaire' (credit unions). 'Vider la caisse' there can have a very specific local financial sting. Belgian French uses the idiom identically, often in the context of the many small independent 'friteries' where cash transactions are still common. In countries like Senegal or Ivory Coast, 'la caisse' can refer to the 'tontine' (a communal savings group). Vider la caisse is the ultimate social betrayal in these communities.
Context Matters
Only use this for significant amounts of money. Using it for a few coins sounds hyperbolic or sarcastic.
Journalistic Style
If you are writing a story or a report, use this phrase to make your French sound more native and less like a textbook.
Bedeutung
To steal money from a cash register or deplete funds.
Context Matters
Only use this for significant amounts of money. Using it for a few coins sounds hyperbolic or sarcastic.
Journalistic Style
If you are writing a story or a report, use this phrase to make your French sound more native and less like a textbook.
Trust
Remember that this phrase carries a heavy connotation of 'betrayal of trust' (abus de confiance).
Teste dich selbst
Complétez la phrase avec la forme correcte du verbe 'vider'.
Le comptable a été arrêté après avoir ___ la caisse de l'entreprise.
After 'avoir', we use the past participle 'vidé'.
Quelle expression signifie 'voler tout l'argent' ?
Hier, un homme a...
'Vidé la caisse' is the idiom for stealing the funds.
Associez la situation à l'expression appropriée.
Un employé part avec toutes les économies de la société.
This is the classic definition of the idiom.
Complétez le dialogue.
— Pourquoi le magasin est-il fermé ? — Parce que des cambrioleurs ont ___ hier soir.
Burglars empty the till, they don't fill it.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Visuelle Lernhilfen
Vider vs. Faire la caisse
Where can you 'vider la caisse'?
Commerce
- • Boulangerie
- • Supermarché
- • Boutique
Finance
- • Banque
- • Association
- • Entreprise
Aufgabensammlung
4 AufgabenLe comptable a été arrêté après avoir ___ la caisse de l'entreprise.
After 'avoir', we use the past participle 'vidé'.
Hier, un homme a...
'Vidé la caisse' is the idiom for stealing the funds.
Un employé part avec toutes les économies de la société.
This is the classic definition of the idiom.
— Pourquoi le magasin est-il fermé ? — Parce que des cambrioleurs ont ___ hier soir.
Burglars empty the till, they don't fill it.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Häufig gestellte Fragen
10 FragenTechnically yes, but it sounds like you are accusing yourself of a crime or being very reckless. Better to say 'j'ai vidé mon compte'.
90% of the time, yes. Occasionally it means spending all the money in a fund legally but foolishly.
There isn't one perfect idiom, but 'remplir les caisses' or 'renflouer les caisses' are the closest.
Yes, 'caisse' is the short, common form of 'caisse enregistreuse' (cash register).
No, but it is an accusation. Don't use it lightly about someone unless you mean it!
Only if you are talking about how you *prevented* someone from doing it! It's too informal for general professional talk.
Yes, modern French uses it for bank transfers and digital embezzlement too.
'Voler' is general theft. 'Vider la caisse' specifically means taking all the money from a business or fund.
Yes, it is universally understood across the Francophonie.
Yes, in slang 'une caisse' is a car, but 'vider la caisse' never means 'to empty a car'.
Verwandte Redewendungen
faire la caisse
contrastTo count the daily earnings.
faire un trou dans la caisse
similarTo embezzle some money.
partir avec la caisse
synonymTo run away with the money.
renflouer les caisses
contrastTo put money back into a business.
être près de ses sous
specialized formTo be stingy.
