در ۱۵ ثانیه
- To suffer a humiliating failure or rejection.
- Commonly used when someone is rejected romantically.
- Equivalent to 'striking out' or 'crashing and burning'.
معنی
Actually, this phrase doesn't mean to wait around. It means to suffer a humiliating failure, especially when trying to seduce someone or failing an exam.
مثالهای کلیدی
3 از 6Talking about a failed date attempt
Je suis allé lui parler, mais je me suis pris une veste monumentale.
I went to talk to her, but I was totally shot down.
Discussing a job interview with a friend
L'entretien s'est mal passé, j'ai peur de prendre une veste.
The interview went badly; I'm afraid I'll get rejected.
Texting a friend about a party
Il a essayé de draguer la DJ et il a pris une veste.
He tried to flirt with the DJ and got rejected.
زمینه فرهنگی
The phrase has roots in 19th-century gaming, where losing 'capot' meant scoring zero. Over time, it shifted from the card table to the social sphere, specifically romantic rejection. It reflects the French flair for using clothing metaphors to describe social status and ego.
The 'Râteau' Alternative
If you want to sound even more modern and casual, use 'se prendre un râteau' (to hit a rake). It's like a cartoon where someone steps on a rake and it hits them in the face!
Don't be literal
If you literally take your jacket from a coat rack, just say 'Je prends ma veste'. The idiom usually drops the 'ma' (my) for 'une' (a).
در ۱۵ ثانیه
- To suffer a humiliating failure or rejection.
- Commonly used when someone is rejected romantically.
- Equivalent to 'striking out' or 'crashing and burning'.
What It Means
Imagine you walk up to someone at a bar. You give your best line. They turn away immediately. That sting you feel? That is prendre une veste. It literally means 'to take a jacket.' In French, it signifies a total flop or a stinging rejection. It is most common in dating contexts. However, it applies to any public failure. Think of it as 'striking out' or 'crashing and burning.'
How To Use It
You use it just like a normal verb. The subject is the person who failed. You can say j'ai pris une veste (I failed). It is usually used in the past tense. Why? Because you usually realize it happened after the embarrassment hits. It is a very visual way to describe a bruised ego.
When To Use It
Use it when sharing stories with friends. It is perfect for recounting a disastrous job interview. It is the go-to phrase for a failed romantic approach. If you applied for a promotion and got a hard 'no,' you took a jacket. It adds a bit of self-deprecating humor to a sad situation. It makes the failure feel like a shared human experience.
When NOT To Use It
Do not use this in a formal business report. It is too colorful for professional documentation. Avoid using it for serious tragedies. If someone loses a house, they didn't 'take a jacket.' That would be insensitive. Also, don't use it if you simply waited for a bus. That is a different kind of frustration! Stick to moments where pride was on the line.
Cultural Background
The expression dates back to the 19th century. It originally comes from the world of gambling and billiards. If a player lost without scoring a single point, they were 'capot.' This evolved into the idea of leaving with nothing but your jacket. You came for the prize, but you left with just your clothes. It captures that lonely walk away from a failed attempt.
Common Variations
You might hear se prendre une veste. Adding the se makes it feel more personal and sudden. Some people also use ramasser une veste (to pick up a jacket). This implies the failure was so big you had to go gather your things. In very slang terms, you might hear se prendre un râteau (to hit a rake). That one is even more painful to imagine!
نکات کاربردی
This is an informal idiom. It is perfect for social settings and casual storytelling but should be avoided in formal writing or when discussing serious personal tragedies.
The 'Râteau' Alternative
If you want to sound even more modern and casual, use 'se prendre un râteau' (to hit a rake). It's like a cartoon where someone steps on a rake and it hits them in the face!
Don't be literal
If you literally take your jacket from a coat rack, just say 'Je prends ma veste'. The idiom usually drops the 'ma' (my) for 'une' (a).
Political Jackets
French journalists love this phrase. When a famous politician loses an election unexpectedly, headlines often scream about them 'taking a jacket'.
مثالها
6Je suis allé lui parler, mais je me suis pris une veste monumentale.
I went to talk to her, but I was totally shot down.
The adjective 'monumentale' emphasizes the scale of the rejection.
L'entretien s'est mal passé, j'ai peur de prendre une veste.
The interview went badly; I'm afraid I'll get rejected.
Used here for a professional failure rather than romantic.
Il a essayé de draguer la DJ et il a pris une veste.
He tried to flirt with the DJ and got rejected.
Perfect for quick, gossipy updates between friends.
C'est dur de prendre une veste quand on a tant travaillé.
It's hard to fail so publicly after working so much.
Shows the emotional weight of a public failure.
Si on ne gagne pas ce contrat, on va prendre une veste.
If we don't win this contract, we're going to look like fools.
Semi-professional but still very colorful language.
Alors, tu as encore pris une veste avec cette fille ?
So, did you get rejected by that girl again?
Playful teasing within a family context.
خودت رو بسنج
Choose the correct verb to complete the idiom.
Marc a tenté sa chance, mais il a ___ une veste.
The idiom is 'prendre une veste', meaning to take/receive a rejection.
Which situation best fits the use of 'prendre une veste'?
Julie a ___ après avoir demandé une augmentation à son patron grincheux.
Asking for a raise and being rejected is a classic 'veste' scenario.
🎉 امتیاز: /2
ابزارهای بصری یادگیری
Formality of 'Prendre une veste'
Se prendre un râteau
Je me suis pris un râteau.
Prendre une veste
Il a pris une veste.
Subir un échec
Il a subi un échec.
When to use 'Prendre une veste'
At a bar
Failed flirting
Job Hunt
Rejected application
Elections
Losing a vote
School
Failing an oral exam
بانک تمرین
2 تمرینهاMarc a tenté sa chance, mais il a ___ une veste.
The idiom is 'prendre une veste', meaning to take/receive a rejection.
Julie a ___ après avoir demandé une augmentation à son patron grincheux.
Asking for a raise and being rejected is a classic 'veste' scenario.
🎉 امتیاز: /2
سوالات متداول
10 سوالNo, that's a common mistake! To wait around is poireauter. Prendre une veste is strictly about failure or rejection.
It's usually for something a bit more public or embarrassing. If you drop a spoon, you didn't 'take a jacket.' If you fail a big audition, you did.
It's not vulgar, but it is informal. You wouldn't say it to your CEO about their own failure, but you can say it to a friend.
Actually, yes! Mettre une veste à quelqu'un means you were the one doing the rejecting.
Dating is number one. If you ask for a number and get a 'no,' you've officially pris une veste.
Not really. Even if you fail many times, we usually talk about each instance as une veste.
Not at all. It's a classic that is still used daily by all generations in France.
Use j'attends or the more colorful je fais le poireau (I'm acting like a leek).
Yes! If a team loses by a huge margin without scoring, they ont pris une veste.
Usually, yes, or an institution like a school or a company. It's about the social sting of being told 'no'.
عبارات مرتبط
Se prendre un râteau
To be rejected romantically (slang)
Prendre un bide
To fail completely (usually a joke or a show)
Faire chou blanc
To come up empty-handed
Tomber à l'eau
To fall through (for plans or projects)
