در ۱۵ ثانیه
- To have enough money to survive until the next paycheck.
- Literally means 'joining the two ends' of the month.
- Used to describe financial struggle or tight budgeting.
معنی
This phrase actually means to have just enough money to pay your bills and survive until the end of the month. It is about financial survival and making your income stretch to cover your expenses.
مثالهای کلیدی
3 از 6Discussing the cost of living with a neighbor
Avec l'inflation, il devient difficile de joindre les deux bouts.
With inflation, it's becoming hard to make ends meet.
Explaining why you can't go out to dinner
Désolé, ce mois-ci je n'arrive pas à joindre les deux bouts.
Sorry, I can't make ends meet this month.
A news report on the economy
De plus en plus de Français peinent à joindre les deux bouts.
More and more French people are struggling to make ends meet.
زمینه فرهنگی
The phrase is deeply linked to the concept of 'pouvoir d'achat' (purchasing power), which is a major political issue. French people often use this phrase to express solidarity with the working class. In Quebec, the phrase is used identically to France, but you might also hear 'arriver dans ses prix' or 'boucler son budget' in similar contexts. Belgians use the phrase frequently, often in the context of the high cost of heating and taxes. Despite the high salaries, the extremely high cost of living in cities like Geneva makes this phrase very common among students and service workers.
Use with 'arriver à'
Native speakers almost always say 'arriver à joindre les deux bouts' rather than just 'joindre les deux bouts'. It adds the nuance of 'managing' to do it.
Don't say 'faire'
Even though English says 'make ends meet', 'faire les deux bouts' is a dead giveaway that you are translating from English.
در ۱۵ ثانیه
- To have enough money to survive until the next paycheck.
- Literally means 'joining the two ends' of the month.
- Used to describe financial struggle or tight budgeting.
What It Means
Imagine you have a piece of string representing your money. One end is the start of the month. The other end is the last day before your next paycheck. Joindre les deux bouts means you are trying to make those two ends meet. If they touch, you survived. If there is a gap, you are in trouble. It is a very common way to talk about living paycheck to paycheck. It implies a bit of a struggle. You aren't necessarily poor, but you aren't comfortable either.
How To Use It
You use it just like a regular verb. The verb is joindre. You can say je joins, tu joins, or nous joignons. It usually appears in the negative or with adverbs of difficulty. For example, you might say it's hard to do it. It sounds very natural in conversation. You can use it when talking about your own budget. You can also use it to describe the economy in general. It is a vivid image that every French person understands immediately.
When To Use It
Use this when discussing finances with friends or family. It is perfect for complaining about the rising cost of baguettes. You can use it at a café while looking at a bill. It works well when discussing why you can't go on a fancy vacation. It is also appropriate in a professional setting if discussing a company's tight budget. It feels honest and relatable. Everyone has had a month where the 'ends' didn't want to meet.
When NOT To Use It
Do not use this if you are actually wealthy. It will sound like you are 'poor-mouthing' or being insincere. If you just bought a Ferrari, don't say you struggle to joindre les deux bouts. Also, avoid it in very formal legal documents. It is a colorful idiom, not a technical financial term. Don't use it to mean 'finishing a task.' It is strictly about money and time cycles. It is not about 'blaming' someone, despite what some old mistranslations might suggest.
Cultural Background
This expression dates back to the 16th century. Originally, it referred to 'joining the two ends of the year.' In the past, people lived on harvests. If your food lasted until the next harvest, you were safe. Today, the 'year' has been replaced by the 'month.' It reflects the French value of being sensible with money. There is a certain dignity in 'joining the ends.' It shows you are managing your life despite the challenges. It is a deeply rooted part of the French social vocabulary.
Common Variations
You will often hear avoir du mal à joindre les deux bouts. This means 'having a hard time' making ends meet. Another one is ne plus joindre les deux bouts. This implies you have officially run out of money. Sometimes people say boucler son budget, which is a more modern, business-like version. However, the 'two ends' remains the most poetic and common version. It perfectly captures the circular nature of the monthly struggle.
نکات کاربردی
This is a neutral-to-informal idiom. It is safe to use with your boss, your grandmother, or your friends, as long as the topic is financial struggle.
Use with 'arriver à'
Native speakers almost always say 'arriver à joindre les deux bouts' rather than just 'joindre les deux bouts'. It adds the nuance of 'managing' to do it.
Don't say 'faire'
Even though English says 'make ends meet', 'faire les deux bouts' is a dead giveaway that you are translating from English.
مثالها
6Avec l'inflation, il devient difficile de joindre les deux bouts.
With inflation, it's becoming hard to make ends meet.
A very common social observation in France.
Désolé, ce mois-ci je n'arrive pas à joindre les deux bouts.
Sorry, I can't make ends meet this month.
A polite and honest way to decline an expensive invitation.
De plus en plus de Français peinent à joindre les deux bouts.
More and more French people are struggling to make ends meet.
Used here in a more serious, journalistic tone.
Mon petit job me permet juste de joindre les deux bouts.
My little job just lets me make ends meet.
The word 'juste' emphasizes the tightness of the budget.
Si j'achète ces chaussures, je ne joindrai plus les deux bouts !
If I buy these shoes, I won't make ends meet anymore!
Using the future tense for a humorous warning.
On fait attention pour pouvoir joindre les deux bouts.
We are careful so we can make ends meet.
Teaching the importance of financial management.
خودت رو بسنج
Complete the sentence with the correct form of the verb 'joindre'.
Nous ne _________ plus les deux bouts depuis que le loyer a augmenté.
The subject is 'Nous', so the verb 'joindre' becomes 'joignons' in the present tense.
Which sentence is the most natural way to say someone is struggling financially?
Comment dit-on 'He struggles to make ends meet'?
'Peiner à' means to struggle to, which perfectly captures the difficulty implied.
Match the register with the correct sentence.
Match the following:
These are all correct matches for the respective registers.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Tu viens au resto ? B: Non, désolé, avec mes factures ce mois-ci, je _________.
This is the standard idiomatic way to decline due to budget constraints.
🎉 امتیاز: /4
ابزارهای بصری یادگیری
بانک تمرین
4 تمرینهاNous ne _________ plus les deux bouts depuis que le loyer a augmenté.
The subject is 'Nous', so the verb 'joindre' becomes 'joignons' in the present tense.
Comment dit-on 'He struggles to make ends meet'?
'Peiner à' means to struggle to, which perfectly captures the difficulty implied.
هر مورد سمت چپ را با جفتش در سمت راست مطابقت دهید:
These are all correct matches for the respective registers.
A: Tu viens au resto ? B: Non, désolé, avec mes factures ce mois-ci, je _________.
This is the standard idiomatic way to decline due to budget constraints.
🎉 امتیاز: /4
سوالات متداول
2 سوالNot at all. It's a very common, polite way to discuss financial difficulties without being overly graphic about your bank account.
Yes, small business owners often use it to describe a month where they just broke even.
عبارات مرتبط
boucler la fin de mois
synonymTo close the end of the month (budget-wise).
tirer le diable par la queue
similarTo pull the devil by the tail.
être dans le rouge
similarTo be in the red (overdrawn).
vivre au-dessus de ses moyens
contrastTo live above one's means.
