Day 509 (Monday)

It was 19 degrees this morning and cloudy and it poured down nearly all day. I know the trees and parks need it but it can stop now.

The rain kept us indoors today so I thought I’d share a few more French fillers with you…

Comme

The word “comme” means “like” or “such as” and its use as a verbal filler is extremely similar to when English speakers use the word “like” in the middle of a sentence. It functions as quite an informal filler and while it will usually break up a sentence, it can sometimes appear at the end as well.

Much like with its English equivalent, “comme” is predominantly used by younger people and can sometimes be looked down upon by older generations, especially in formal settings. However, this is in the process of changing and “comme” is now gaining greater acceptance, as well as usage, even among older French speakers.

 

Bah

The filler “bah” is tricky to translate or give an appropriate English equivalent, although the closest comparison would be when an English speaker says “well…” at the beginning of a sentence. Among French speakers, “bah” is used frequently and can sometimes be elongated to “baaaaaaah” when a longer pause is required.

More specifically, a French speaker may use “bah” at the beginning of a response to a question they feel has an obvious answer. So, to give an example, they may say: “Bah oui,” instead of using “oui” on its own to say “yes”. Mastering the use of “bah” is a great way of fitting in and appearing as though you have native speaking ability.

 

C’est-à-dire

An extremely useful way of beginning a clarification, or signifying that you intend to expand upon a point, “c’est-à-dire” translates to “what I mean is” and can be used at either the beginning or middle of a sentence.

Using this filler informs the other people involved in the conversation that you have not finished speaking, and that you intend to provide further detail. It also simultaneously provides you with a helpful pause, in which you can think of exactly how you want to articulate yourself.