Meaning
Secretly, privately, away from public view or knowledge.
Cultural Background
In French politics, 'les coulisses du pouvoir' is a common journalistic term used to describe the private interactions between politicians and lobbyists. In Quebec, the phrase is used similarly to France, but you might also hear 'en arrière-scène' in more formal or technical contexts. The 'coulisses' were historically places of social mixing where wealthy patrons could meet actresses, leading to a slightly scandalous reputation in the 19th century. The term is used in 'agile' project management to describe the 'backlog' or the work that isn't yet visible on the 'front-end'.
Use it in Business
When presenting a project, use 'en coulisses' to talk about the hard work your team did. It sounds very professional and appreciative.
Plural only!
Always keep 'coulisses' in the plural. 'En coulisse' is a common mistake even for some natives, but 'en coulisses' is the standard.
Meaning
Secretly, privately, away from public view or knowledge.
Use it in Business
When presenting a project, use 'en coulisses' to talk about the hard work your team did. It sounds very professional and appreciative.
Plural only!
Always keep 'coulisses' in the plural. 'En coulisse' is a common mistake even for some natives, but 'en coulisses' is the standard.
Journalism
If you watch French news (like BFMTV or France 2), listen for this phrase during political segments. It's used constantly.
Test Yourself
Complétez la phrase avec l'expression correcte.
Le ministre refuse de parler aux journalistes, mais il négocie activement ___.
In politics, secret negotiations happen 'en coulisses'.
Quelle phrase utilise l'expression de manière figurative ?
Choisissez la bonne option :
Testing software 'en coulisses' means it was done privately before the public release.
Associez le contexte à la signification de 'en coulisses'.
Faites correspondre :
All these are valid uses of the phrase.
Complétez le dialogue.
A: Comment ont-ils réussi à organiser ce festival en si peu de temps ? B: Ils ont une équipe formidable qui a travaillé ___.
The phrase highlights the unseen effort of the team.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Practice Bank
4 exercisesLe ministre refuse de parler aux journalistes, mais il négocie activement ___.
In politics, secret negotiations happen 'en coulisses'.
Choisissez la bonne option :
Testing software 'en coulisses' means it was done privately before the public release.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
All these are valid uses of the phrase.
A: Comment ont-ils réussi à organiser ce festival en si peu de temps ? B: Ils ont une équipe formidable qui a travaillé ___.
The phrase highlights the unseen effort of the team.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsYes, it is correct, especially for the literal theater meaning. However, 'en coulisses' is more common for figurative meanings.
It is neutral to formal. You can use it in a business meeting or a newspaper article.
A 'coulisse' is a groove or a sliding mechanism (like on a trombone or a sliding door).
Yes, it is the direct equivalent in almost every context.
It's a bit too formal/theatrical. 'En secret' or 'en cachette' would be more natural for romance.
Not necessarily. It just implies something private. It could be a surprise party or a peace treaty.
The 's' in 'coulisses' is pronounced like a sharp 's' (ss), not a 'z'.
No, but you can use 'manœuvrer en coulisses' (to maneuver behind the scenes).
Yes, it's a great way to describe 'back-end' processes in a non-technical way.
Yes, to talk about transfer negotiations or locker room talk.
Related Phrases
dans l'ombre
synonymIn the shadows
en cachette
similarIn secret
sous le manteau
specialized formUnder the cloak
en plein jour
contrastIn broad daylight
les dessous de
builds onThe underpinnings of
