En 15 segundos
- To trap someone in a long, boring conversation.
- Used when you can't escape a talkative person.
- Informal but very common in daily French life.
Significado
Actually, this phrase doesn't mean to be exhausted! It means to corner someone and talk their ear off, preventing them from leaving a conversation.
Ejemplos clave
3 de 6Explaining why you are late to a dinner
Désolé, mon voisin m'a tenu la jambe pendant vingt minutes !
Sorry, my neighbor talked my ear off for twenty minutes!
Complaining about a boring colleague
J'espère que Paul ne va pas me tenir la jambe à la pause café.
I hope Paul isn't going to corner me at the coffee break.
In a professional but relaxed office setting
Le client m'a tenu la jambe au téléphone, j'ai pris du retard.
The client kept me on the phone forever, I've fallen behind.
Contexto cultural
In France, social 'bavardage' (small talk) is common, but 'tenir la jambe' is seen as a lack of 'savoir-vivre'. It's a common theme in French comedies. In Quebec, the expression is well-understood but sometimes competed with 'pogner les nerfs' (if the talking makes you angry) or 'jaser' (simply to chat). Belgian French uses the phrase identically to France, often in the context of long 'apéros' where one guest won't let another leave. In countries like Senegal or Ivory Coast, social interaction is very important. 'Tenir la jambe' might be seen as less negative because long conversations are a sign of respect, though the idiom is still used for 'bores'.
Use it as an excuse
It's the perfect polite-but-honest way to explain why you're late to a casual meeting.
Grammar Trap
Don't say 'tenir MA jambe'. Use 'ME tenir LA jambe'. This is a classic mistake for English speakers.
En 15 segundos
- To trap someone in a long, boring conversation.
- Used when you can't escape a talkative person.
- Informal but very common in daily French life.
What It Means
Imagine you are at a party. You want to grab a drink. Suddenly, a neighbor stops you. They talk for thirty minutes about their cat. You are stuck. You cannot move. This is exactly what tenir la jambe feels like. It is when someone monopolizes your time. They talk and talk while you just want to escape. It is not about being tired. It is about being a captive audience to a chatterbox.
How To Use It
You use this phrase to describe the person talking. You can say someone me tient la jambe. This means they are currently trapping you in a boring conversation. It is a transitive verb structure. You always hold *someone's* leg. Use it when you are complaining to a friend later. Or use it as an excuse for being late to a meeting. It is a very visual way to describe social entrapment.
When To Use It
Use it when a colleague stops you in the hallway. Use it when your uncle tells the same story for the third time. It is perfect for those awkward social moments. You can use it in a text to explain why you are running late. "Sorry, my neighbor m'a tenu la jambe!" It works best in casual or semi-professional settings. It adds a bit of flavor to your frustration.
When NOT To Use It
Do not use this in a very formal job interview. It is a bit too colorful for a CEO. Also, do not say it *to* the person talking. That would be very rude! It is a phrase used to describe the situation to someone else. If someone is just asking a quick question, this phrase is too strong. Save it for the true talkers who never let you go.
Cultural Background
This expression dates back to the 19th century. Think of it like a physical barrier. If you literally hold someone's leg, they cannot walk away. It implies a lack of social awareness from the speaker. In French culture, polite conversation is an art. But even the French know that some people take it too far. It captures that universal feeling of being socially kidnapped.
Common Variations
You might hear un tienneur de jambe for a person who does this. However, the verb form is much more common. Some people might use barber or raser for being boring. But tenir la jambe specifically focuses on the physical act of being stuck. It is a classic idiom that every native speaker knows and uses regularly.
Notas de uso
This is a common idiomatic expression that sits comfortably in the informal/neutral register. It is highly effective for explaining delays caused by social interactions.
Use it as an excuse
It's the perfect polite-but-honest way to explain why you're late to a casual meeting.
Grammar Trap
Don't say 'tenir MA jambe'. Use 'ME tenir LA jambe'. This is a classic mistake for English speakers.
The 'Fâcheux'
This phrase is the best way to describe a 'fâcheux' (a bore) in French society.
Ejemplos
6Désolé, mon voisin m'a tenu la jambe pendant vingt minutes !
Sorry, my neighbor talked my ear off for twenty minutes!
A classic excuse for tardiness involving a chatty neighbor.
J'espère que Paul ne va pas me tenir la jambe à la pause café.
I hope Paul isn't going to corner me at the coffee break.
Expressing dread about a known chatterbox.
Le client m'a tenu la jambe au téléphone, j'ai pris du retard.
The client kept me on the phone forever, I've fallen behind.
Using the idiom to explain a delay in work.
Au secours, ma tante me tient la jambe avec ses histoires de chat !
Help, my aunt is trapping me with her cat stories!
Hyperbolic and humorous use in a private message.
C'était sympa, mais un inconnu m'a tenu la jambe toute la soirée.
It was nice, but a stranger cornered me all evening.
Reflecting on a night where one person dominated your time.
Fais attention, si tu lui poses une question, il va te tenir la jambe.
Be careful, if you ask him a question, he'll never let you go.
Giving advice on how to avoid a long conversation.
Ponte a prueba
Complete the sentence with the correct pronoun and the idiom.
J'ai croisé mon ancien prof et il ___ a ___ la jambe pendant 20 minutes.
In the passé composé, 'me' becomes 'm'' before the auxiliary 'ai'. The idiom is 'tenir la jambe'.
Which situation best describes 'tenir la jambe'?
Quelle situation correspond à l'expression ?
The idiom means to monopolize someone's time with talk, preventing them from leaving.
Choose the best response for the dialogue.
A: Pourquoi es-tu en retard ? B: _________
The person who talks is the subject, and the listener is the indirect object (m').
Match the register to the sentence.
Match the sentences:
These are the correct register matches for the concept.
🎉 Puntuación: /4
Ayudas visuales
Banco de ejercicios
4 ejerciciosJ'ai croisé mon ancien prof et il ___ a ___ la jambe pendant 20 minutes.
In the passé composé, 'me' becomes 'm'' before the auxiliary 'ai'. The idiom is 'tenir la jambe'.
Quelle situation correspond à l'expression ?
The idiom means to monopolize someone's time with talk, preventing them from leaving.
A: Pourquoi es-tu en retard ? B: _________
The person who talks is the subject, and the listener is the indirect object (m').
Empareja cada elemento de la izquierda con su par de la derecha:
These are the correct register matches for the concept.
🎉 Puntuación: /4
Preguntas frecuentes
10 preguntasIt's not a swear word, but it is critical. You use it *about* someone, not *to* them, unless you're joking.
Not really. It's almost exclusively for spoken or face-to-face interaction where you are physically or socially 'stuck'.
'Bavarder' is just chatting (neutral/positive). 'Tenir la jambe' is one-sided and annoying (negative).
Use 'avoir': 'Il m'a tenu la jambe.'
Yes, you could say 'monopoliser la parole' or 's'éterniser dans une conversation'.
No, the idiom is fixed in the singular: 'la jambe'.
No! 'Pulling my leg' means joking/lying. 'Tenir la jambe' means talking too much. To say 'pulling my leg', use 'mener en bateau'.
Yes, it's a standard idiom across the Francophonie.
Yes, if a child is talking non-stop and you can't leave, you can say they are holding your leg.
Usually an excuse like 'Je dois filer' (I have to run) or 'On m'attend' (Someone is waiting for me).
Frases relacionadas
scier la jambe
similarTo be incredibly boring or annoying.
un moulin à paroles
similarA chatterbox.
lâcher la grappe
contrastTo leave someone alone.
faire le poireau
relatedTo wait for a long time.
