15초 만에
- A non-standard phrase often confused with 'jouer la montre'.
- Literally means 'to play the hour' in a whimsical sense.
- Best avoided in formal speech to prevent confusion.
뜻
This phrase isn't actually a standard French expression; it likely stems from a misunderstanding of 'jouer la montre' or simply 'demander l'heure'. In a literal sense, it would mean to 'play the hour' as if time were a game or a musical piece.
주요 예문
3 / 6Writing a surrealist poem
Dans mon rêve, je décide de jouer l'heure sur un vieux violon.
In my dream, I decide to play the hour on an old violin.
Joking with a friend about being late
Arrête de jouer l'heure et dépêche-toi !
Stop playing with the time and hurry up!
Describing a child playing with a toy clock
L'enfant s'amuse à jouer l'heure avec sa pendule en bois.
The child is having fun playing the hour with his wooden clock.
문화적 배경
In French football culture, 'jouer la montre' is often criticized by fans of the losing team as 'antijeu' (unsportsmanlike conduct), but it is a standard part of professional strategy. While 'jouer la montre' is understood, Quebecers might also use 'staller' or 'faire du temps', influenced by English, though 'jouer la montre' remains the 'proper' term. The term is a staple in political journalism, especially during 'l'obstruction parlementaire' where the opposition uses every rule in the book to delay a law. In some regions, the concept of time is more fluid ('l'heure africaine'), but 'jouer la montre' is still used in formal business and sports contexts to denote intentional delay.
Avoid 'l'heure'
Never say 'jouer l'heure'. It's the most common sign of an English-speaking beginner.
Sports Context
Use this phrase when watching a match with French friends to sound like a native commentator.
15초 만에
- A non-standard phrase often confused with 'jouer la montre'.
- Literally means 'to play the hour' in a whimsical sense.
- Best avoided in formal speech to prevent confusion.
What It Means
To be honest, jouer l'heure is a bit of a linguistic ghost. You won't find it in a standard French dictionary because it's usually a mistake. People often mix it up with jouer la montre. That phrase means to waste time on purpose to win a game. If you say jouer l'heure, a French person might look at you funny. They might think you're trying to perform a song about time. Or maybe you're treating the clock like a toy. It sounds poetic but doesn't have a fixed definition in daily life.
How To Use It
Since it's not a standard idiom, you use it creatively. You might use it in a song or a poem. It implies an artistic interaction with time itself. You would conjugate jouer like any regular -er verb. For example, je joue, tu joues, or nous jouons. Just remember that you are venturing into 'creative French' territory here. It’s like saying 'to dance the clock' in English. People get the vibe, but it's not a set phrase. Use it when you want to sound whimsical or mysterious.
When To Use It
Use it when you are feeling particularly artsy or philosophical. Maybe you are watching a sunset and feel like you're 'playing' with the remaining daylight. It could work in a very casual, joking setting with close friends. You might say it if you are pretending to control time. It’s a great way to see if your French friends are paying attention. If they correct you to jouer la montre, you’ve sparked a conversation. It’s a 'happy accident' phrase for moments of levity.
When NOT To Use It
Avoid this phrase in any professional or formal setting. Don't use it in a job interview or a business meeting. Your boss will think you've forgotten your basic vocabulary. Never use it when you actually mean to ask for the time. For that, stick to Quelle heure est-il ?. Also, don't use it in sports to mean 'stalling'. That is strictly the territory of jouer la montre. Using it there will just confuse the referee and your teammates.
Cultural Background
French culture is very protective of its 'idiomatismes'. Expressions like jouer la montre come from sports, specifically soccer and rugby. The idea is to 'play the clock' to ensure a victory. Jouer l'heure sounds like a surrealist version of this. It feels like something out of a Jean Cocteau film or a Dali painting. It represents the thin line between a mistake and a poetic invention. In France, playing with language is a national pastime, even if it's accidental.
Common Variations
The most common 'correct' variation is jouer la montre. This is what people usually intend to say. Another related one is tuer le temps, which means 'to kill time'. If you want to talk about the passing hours, use filer l'heure. You might also hear chercher l'heure if someone is lost in time. If you want to be musical, you 'play an instrument', not an hour. Stick to jouer du piano instead of jouer l'heure unless you're a time traveler.
사용 참고사항
This is a non-standard collocation. It is almost always a mistake for 'jouer la montre'. Use it only if you are trying to be intentionally poetic or surreal.
Avoid 'l'heure'
Never say 'jouer l'heure'. It's the most common sign of an English-speaking beginner.
Sports Context
Use this phrase when watching a match with French friends to sound like a native commentator.
Politeness
Be careful using this with a boss; it implies they are being sneaky or avoiding their duties.
예시
6Dans mon rêve, je décide de jouer l'heure sur un vieux violon.
In my dream, I decide to play the hour on an old violin.
Used here as a creative, poetic metaphor.
Arrête de jouer l'heure et dépêche-toi !
Stop playing with the time and hurry up!
A humorous, non-standard way to tell someone to stop stalling.
L'enfant s'amuse à jouer l'heure avec sa pendule en bois.
The child is having fun playing the hour with his wooden clock.
Literal use of playing with a physical object representing time.
Pardon ? Tu veux dire 'jouer la montre' ?
Pardon? Do you mean 'to stall'?
A colleague correcting the non-standard phrase.
On joue l'heure ici, le train est très en retard.
We're 'playing the hour' here, the train is very late.
Slangy, invented usage to describe waiting around.
Peut-on vraiment jouer l'heure comme on joue une partition ?
Can we really play the hour like we play a score?
Using the phrase to ponder the nature of time.
셀프 테스트
Choose the correct form of the phrase.
L'équipe gagne, alors les joueurs commencent à ________.
The standard idiom is 'jouer la montre'. 'Heure' is incorrect, and 'montre' is feminine.
Fill in the missing word.
Arrête de jouer ____ montre et réponds à ma question !
The definite feminine article 'la' is required for this idiom.
Match the situation to the meaning of 'jouer la montre'.
Un politicien qui ne veut pas voter une loi.
In politics, playing the watch means stalling to delay a vote or decision.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Pourquoi tu marches si lentement ? B: Je ne veux pas arriver trop tôt à mon rendez-vous, alors je ________.
The speaker is intentionally being slow to manage their arrival time.
🎉 점수: /4
시각 학습 자료
연습 문제 은행
4 연습 문제L'équipe gagne, alors les joueurs commencent à ________.
The standard idiom is 'jouer la montre'. 'Heure' is incorrect, and 'montre' is feminine.
Arrête de jouer ____ montre et réponds à ma question !
The definite feminine article 'la' is required for this idiom.
Un politicien qui ne veut pas voter une loi.
In politics, playing the watch means stalling to delay a vote or decision.
A: Pourquoi tu marches si lentement ? B: Je ne veux pas arriver trop tôt à mon rendez-vous, alors je ________.
The speaker is intentionally being slow to manage their arrival time.
🎉 점수: /4
자주 묻는 질문
7 질문Not necessarily. In sports, it's a valid (if annoying) tactic. In business, it's often seen as clever strategy.
No, 'jouer le temps' is not a standard expression. Use 'gagner du temps' instead.
There isn't a single idiom, but you could say 'presser le pas' (to hurry up) or 'jouer l'attaque' (to play offensively).
Because the referee carries a 'montre' (watch) on their wrist, not an 'horloge' (large clock).
Yes, it is standard French and used throughout the Francophonie.
No. If you are late, you are 'en retard'. 'Jouer la montre' is a choice to be slow.
Yes, it is frequently used in high-level political and economic journalism.
관련 표현
gagner du temps
synonymTo gain time
faire traîner
similarTo make something drag on
tuer le temps
contrastTo kill time
passer le temps
contrastTo pass the time
