Em 15 segundos
- Used when someone fails to show up to an appointment.
- Equivalent to 'standing someone up' or 'flaking' on plans.
- Combines the idea of a 'false' move with a 'leap'.
Significado
This phrase is used when someone lets you down by not showing up to a planned meeting or event. It is the French way of saying someone 'stood you up' or 'flaked' on you at the last minute.
Exemplos-chave
3 de 6A friend doesn't show up for coffee
J'ai attendu Julie pendant une heure, mais elle m'a fait faux bond.
I waited for Julie for an hour, but she stood me up.
A business partner misses a meeting
Le fournisseur nous a fait faux bond au dernier moment.
The supplier let us down at the last minute.
A car failing to start in winter
Ma vieille voiture m'a encore fait faux bond ce matin.
My old car failed me again this morning.
Contexto cultural
In France, 'faire faux bond' is often used in political journalism to describe a minister who cancels a visit to a local region at the last minute, which is seen as a sign of disrespect to local officials. In Quebec, while 'faire faux bond' is understood, you might also hear 'foxer' (from the English 'fox') to mean skipping something, though 'faire faux bond' remains the standard idiomatic choice for being stood up. Belgians use this phrase exactly like the French, but they might also use 'planter' more frequently in casual settings to describe the same event. In Swiss French, punctuality is extremely important. Making a 'faux bond' is considered a very serious social error, more so than in some parts of Southern France.
The 'À' Rule
Always remember the 'à'. If you say 'Il m'a fait faux bond', the 'm'' stands for 'à moi'.
Not for Objects
Don't use it for your computer crashing. Use 'planter' or 'tomber en panne' instead.
Em 15 segundos
- Used when someone fails to show up to an appointment.
- Equivalent to 'standing someone up' or 'flaking' on plans.
- Combines the idea of a 'false' move with a 'leap'.
What It Means
Imagine you are waiting at a café. Your friend promised to be there at 2 PM. It is now 2:30 PM. They aren't answering texts. That feeling of being let down is faire faux bond. It means failing to meet an obligation. You expected someone to show up. They simply did not. It is more than just being late. It is a no-show. It implies a broken promise or a missed appointment.
How To Use It
You use this phrase with the person who was stood up. You say faire faux bond à [someone]. For example, Il m'a fait faux bond. This means 'He stood me up.' You can use it for people or even things. Sometimes a car battery might faire faux bond on a cold morning. It just means something failed you when you needed it most. It is a very versatile and common expression.
When To Use It
Use it when a friend cancels five minutes before dinner. Use it when a colleague misses a crucial Zoom call. It works perfectly for romantic dates that never happen. It is great for venting to other friends. You can use it in professional settings too. Just keep the tone slightly more serious there. It highlights the disappointment of the situation clearly.
When NOT To Use It
Do not use it if someone is just five minutes late. That is just being en retard. Do not use it if the person canceled weeks ago. That is a standard cancellation. This phrase needs that 'sting' of a sudden letdown. Avoid using it for very tragic or heavy life events. It is a bit too light for a major betrayal. Keep it for social and professional flakiness.
Cultural Background
The phrase comes from the world of sports and hunting. Specifically, it refers to a ball or an animal's movement. A bond is a leap or a bounce. A faux bond is an irregular, unpredictable bounce. Think of a tennis ball hitting a rock. It goes the wrong way. In the 17th century, it moved into social life. It described someone whose behavior was unpredictable. Today, it is the ultimate 'flaker' phrase.
Common Variations
You might hear poser un lapin as well. That is the more slang version of standing someone up. Faire faux bond is slightly more elegant. You can also say faire défection. That sounds much more formal and political. If you want to be very casual, just say il m'a planté. That means 'he ditched me.' Stick to faire faux bond for the perfect middle ground.
Notas de uso
The phrase is neutral and widely understood across all age groups. It is less slangy than 'poser un lapin' but less formal than 'faire défection'. It requires the indirect object pronoun (me, te, lui, nous, vous, leur) before the verb 'fait'.
The 'À' Rule
Always remember the 'à'. If you say 'Il m'a fait faux bond', the 'm'' stands for 'à moi'.
Not for Objects
Don't use it for your computer crashing. Use 'planter' or 'tomber en panne' instead.
Poser un lapin vs. Faux bond
Use 'poser un lapin' with friends, but stick to 'faire faux bond' with your boss or teacher.
Abstract Usage
You can use it for 'la chance' (luck) or 'la mémoire' (memory) to sound more native.
Exemplos
6J'ai attendu Julie pendant une heure, mais elle m'a fait faux bond.
I waited for Julie for an hour, but she stood me up.
Standard social usage for a friend flaking.
Le fournisseur nous a fait faux bond au dernier moment.
The supplier let us down at the last minute.
Professional context where a commitment was broken.
Ma vieille voiture m'a encore fait faux bond ce matin.
My old car failed me again this morning.
Personification of an object that is unreliable.
Tu crois qu'il va encore nous faire faux bond ce soir ?
Do you think he's going to flake on us again tonight?
Expressing doubt about someone's reliability.
C'était notre premier rendez-vous et il m'a fait faux bond.
It was our first date and he stood me up.
Emotional weight of being let down on a date.
Ma santé m'a fait faux bond, je ne pourrai pas venir.
My health let me down, I won't be able to come.
Using the phrase to explain an involuntary absence.
Teste-se
Complete the sentence with the correct indirect object pronoun.
Marie devait venir à 20h, mais elle ___ a fait faux bond.
We use 'm'' (me) because 'faire faux bond' takes an indirect object.
Which sentence is grammatically correct?
Choose the correct option:
The idiom is 'faire faux bond à quelqu'un' without the article 'un'.
Match the phrase to the most appropriate situation.
When would you say 'Ma mémoire m'a fait faux bond'?
This is a common figurative use for when your memory 'betrays' you at a critical moment.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Pourquoi tu es en colère ? B: Parce que mon frère ___.
This correctly uses the pronoun and the context of a broken commitment.
🎉 Pontuação: /4
Recursos visuais
Register Comparison
Banco de exercicios
4 exerciciosMarie devait venir à 20h, mais elle ___ a fait faux bond.
We use 'm'' (me) because 'faire faux bond' takes an indirect object.
Choose the correct option:
The idiom is 'faire faux bond à quelqu'un' without the article 'un'.
When would you say 'Ma mémoire m'a fait faux bond'?
This is a common figurative use for when your memory 'betrays' you at a critical moment.
A: Pourquoi tu es en colère ? B: Parce que mon frère ___.
This correctly uses the pronoun and the context of a broken commitment.
🎉 Pontuação: /4
Perguntas frequentes
10 perguntasThe phrase itself isn't rude, but the action it describes is! It's a neutral way to describe a rude behavior.
Yes! 'Il va nous faire faux bond' is a common way to express doubt about someone's reliability.
'Annuler' is just to cancel. 'Faire faux bond' implies you didn't show up or canceled so late it caused a problem.
No, the 'd' is silent. It sounds like /bɔ̃/.
It's better to omit the 'un'. 'Faire faux bond' is the standard idiomatic form.
Yes, it is universally understood in the Francophonie.
No, for a train you would say 'le train a du retard'.
You can humorously say 'Je me suis fait faux bond' if you skipped your own plans, like going to the gym.
Yes, 'faire faux bond' is neutral/formal, while 'poser un lapin' is informal/slang.
No, because 'bond' is masculine, it always stays 'faux'.
Frases relacionadas
poser un lapin
synonymTo stand someone up (informal)
lâcher quelqu'un
similarTo let someone down
faire défection
specialized formTo drop out
manquer à sa parole
builds onTo break one's word
planter quelqu'un
synonymTo leave someone hanging
