I decided to write down all the words and phrases I could, from looking at the subtitles. This proved to be really useful, especially for learning phrases in context. Here is a smattering...
| un pot-de-vin | a bribe |
| un trêve | a truce |
| les menottes | handcuffs |
| le grand manitou | the bigshot |
| cache-cache | hide-and-seek |
| une chèque en bois | a bad check (literally, a check made of wood) |
| défoncé | high (on drugs) |
| mal | evil |
| sniffer | to snort (cocaine) |
| tenir parole | to keep one's word |
| "ça s'écrit comment?" | "how do you spell that?" |
| "ça va pas" | "what the f*** is your problem?" |
| "je vais y aller" | "I think I'll go back for a visit" |
| "je t'emmerde" | "f*** you" |
| "où étais tu?" | "where have you been?" |
| "descends" | "get out of the car" |
| "moi aussi je t'aime" | "I love you too" |
| "fais voir" | "let me see that" |
| "trop tard" | "you're late" (as a taunt) |
| "qu'y a-t-il?" | "what's wrong?" |
| "il ment forcément" | "he must be lying" |
| "qu'est-ce que tu fous là?" | "what the f*** are you doing?" |
| "je peux?" | "may I?" |
You can see how useful the phrases will be. I was in particular surprised to see that "ça va pas," literally 'that doesn't go,' was used so often to translate phrases that had swear words in them. And "je peux?" and "fais voir" will surely come in handy. Also, "je vais y aller" is interesting because it shows that the French go-future is not the same as the English go-future (you couldn't say "I'm going to go there" if you had just decided it, which the English phrase makes clear is the case. Or maybe it's just ineffable in French, but I don't think so).
Must see more films! This is great fun and very educational!
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