Glossary entry (derived from question below)
French term or phrase:
Tu peux te brosser, Martine
English translation:
I wouldn't hold your breath, Martine
- The asker opted for community grading. The question was closed on 2012-12-20 06:54:48 based on peer agreement (or, if there were too few peer comments, asker preference.)
Dec 16, 2012 07:28
11 yrs ago
French term
France
Tu peux te brosser, Martine
Homework / test
French to English
Other
General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
L'autre, Martine donc, les veux ou veux savoir où les acheter et l'autre lui rétorque la phrase magique : "Tu peux te brosser, Martine !".
C'est une pub, je ne sais pas comment rendre cette expression en Anglais....
C'est une pub, je ne sais pas comment rendre cette expression en Anglais....
Proposed translations
(English)
References
| se brosser |
Roy vd Heijden
|
Proposed translations
+3
9 hrs
Selected
I wouldn't hold your breath, Martine
Hello,
That's how I like to say it, although there are many choices. This is not a specific country choice; that is, it'd be clearly understood in all the anglophone world.
That's how I like to say it, although there are many choices. This is not a specific country choice; that is, it'd be clearly understood in all the anglophone world.
Note from asker:
| merci |
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Selected automatically based on peer agreement."
+3
1 hr
Elsa Chesnel
Canada
Canada
Native in French
Specializes in field
Canada
elsachesnel.com
Native in: French (Variant: Standard-France) 
Works in: English to French, French to English
Forget about it
Ou quelqu'autre expression anglaise fera l'affaire.
Il n'y a pas vraiment d'équivalent en anglais, alors il faut juste rendre le sentiment que tu éprouverai si on te disait "tu peux te brosser".
Il n'y a pas vraiment d'équivalent en anglais, alors il faut juste rendre le sentiment que tu éprouverai si on te disait "tu peux te brosser".
Note from asker:
| Merci |
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Jonathan MacKerron
: wishful thinking/whistling dixie/get over it/dream on/no way
17 mins
|
| agree |
Salih YILDIRIM
34 mins
|
| agree |
James Perry
1 day 7 hrs
|
+1
1 hr
French term (edited):
Tu peux te brosser
You can just forget about that/it
It very much depends on the context and the tone with which it is said.
If, for example, the speaker knows that this object is never, ever going to be available to Martine, then the above might do.
More succinct could be "Forget it!", if perhaps Martine had been pestering and the other person simply doesn't intend to give in (including something of the sense of 'laisse tomber !')
There is a colloquial expression in EN that can have the same meaning, but again, depending on context and tone; however, it is more commonly found in the third person, and could sound odd here: we say "s/he can go sing for it!" — in other words, they have no chance of obtaining it
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Note added at 1 hr (2012-12-16 09:11:18 GMT)
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I like Jonathan's 'dream on' — but again, it all depends on whether or not it fits the tone.
If, for example, the speaker knows that this object is never, ever going to be available to Martine, then the above might do.
More succinct could be "Forget it!", if perhaps Martine had been pestering and the other person simply doesn't intend to give in (including something of the sense of 'laisse tomber !')
There is a colloquial expression in EN that can have the same meaning, but again, depending on context and tone; however, it is more commonly found in the third person, and could sound odd here: we say "s/he can go sing for it!" — in other words, they have no chance of obtaining it
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Note added at 1 hr (2012-12-16 09:11:18 GMT)
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I like Jonathan's 'dream on' — but again, it all depends on whether or not it fits the tone.
Note from asker:
| Merci |
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Marianne Kavanagh
: I was thinking of he/she can go sing for it.
23 hrs
|
|
Thanks, Marianne! So dependent on the context/tone, though, isn't it?
|
+1
9 hrs
Verginia Ophof
Belize
Belize
Native in English
Specializes in field
Belize
Near Native Proficiency in Source langua
Native in: English
Works in: Portuguese to English, Dutch to English, French to English
Related KudoZ points
:
53
you wish !/in your dreams
just another suggestion
Note from asker:
| merci |
| Merci |
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Tony M
: Could be good too! As ever, depending on exact context / tone
3 mins
|
|
Thank you Tony ! Just throwing suggestions out there....
|
+2
11 hrs
Jean-Luc Dumont
France
France
Native in French
France
Accuracy, Ability, Availability
Native in: French
Works in: English to French, French to English, Spanish to French, and 3 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
4
Fat chance, Martine!
No way, Martine! dans le genre : tu peux toujours courir !
Nothing doing, Martine!
Nothing doing, Martine!
Note from asker:
| Merci |
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Tony M
: Could be good too! As ever, depending on exact context / tone
3 mins
|
|
Way! Thank you, Tony!
|
|
| agree |
MatthewLaSon
: Oui, ça marcherait très bien aussi!
21 hrs
|
|
Merci Matthew!
|
1 day 16 hrs
No way, Martine!
One of many possibilities.
2 days 9 hrs
Robert Frankling
Native in English
BA in Translation/Dipl
Native in: English
Works in: French to English, English to French
"You're outta luck" or "Tough luck, Martina."
That would mean "this product is sold out, because it's so much in demand...tough luck, eh?"
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Note added at 2 days9 hrs (2012-12-18 16:36:25 GMT)
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"I wouldn't count on finding one, if I were you."
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Note added at 2 days9 hrs (2012-12-18 16:36:25 GMT)
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"I wouldn't count on finding one, if I were you."
Reference comments
24 mins
Roy vd Heijden
Belgium
Belgium
Belgium
modo possem penitus deliberare
Native in: Dutch (Variant: Netherlands)
Works in: French to Dutch
Reference:
se brosser
« Être obligé de se passer de quelque chose que l'on désire. »
(http://www.expressio.fr/expressions/se-brosser.php)
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Note added at 26 min (2012-12-16 07:54:51 GMT)
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« se brosser pouvoir se brosser ; il peut se brosser ; tu peux brosser ; se le brosser
Refus, non ; ne pas en avoir, se passer d'une chose, quand on ne bénéficie pas de qqchose, se passer de, se priver de, manquer de ; jeûner, ne pas manger ; [attendre??] »
(http://www.languefrancaise.net/bob/liste.php?motsclef=se bro...
(http://www.expressio.fr/expressions/se-brosser.php)
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Note added at 26 min (2012-12-16 07:54:51 GMT)
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« se brosser pouvoir se brosser ; il peut se brosser ; tu peux brosser ; se le brosser
Refus, non ; ne pas en avoir, se passer d'une chose, quand on ne bénéficie pas de qqchose, se passer de, se priver de, manquer de ; jeûner, ne pas manger ; [attendre??] »
(http://www.languefrancaise.net/bob/liste.php?motsclef=se bro...
Note from asker:
| Merci |
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