• Home
  • OffQc
  • About
  • Start
  • Off-quoi?
  • Listen to Québécois French

OffQc | Québécois French Guide

For lovers of French + diehard fans of all things québécois!

Feeds:
Posts
Comments
« Expression québécoise : C’t’en plein ça! (#524)
Using the expression SE TANNER DE in Quebec French (#526) »

Je file pas! An informal expression from Québec (#525)

21 January 2013 by OffQc

Overheard on the radio yesterday — a woman speaking about a friend qui file pas ce soir.

That was her informal way of saying that he wasn’t feeling well. Y file pas.

Many sources affirm that this expression is a borrowing from the English verb “to feel.” In French, you might even see it spelled feel (je feel pas) in informal writing.

Je file pas. Je file pas ben.
= je me sens mal

Je file pas fort ce matin.
I don’t feel great this morning.

Just remember that this expression is informal. It would appear out of place in careful writing.

If you needed to avoid all informality, you could try je me sens mal or je ne me sens pas bien or ça ne va pas. These last two expressions can be made informal by dropping the ne (je me sens pas bien, ça va pas).

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)

Posted in Entries #501-550 | Tagged feeler, filer, français québécois, Québécois French | 2 Comments

2 Responses

  1. on 26 January 2013 at 00:01 Kevin Hawkins

    Bonjour, ma femme est québécoise et je suis américain, et j’ai passé du temps au Québec. J’ai fait mes études universitaires en français. Je peux vous dire avec certitude qu’il est vrai que cet usage du mot ‘filer’ est emprunté à l’anglais ‘to feel’.


  2. on 23 March 2013 at 12:16 Kastor-o-rama

    I totally agree with Kevin and do not think that the verb “filer” is related to this expression. The only link I can see from an anglophone point of view is that it might be more pronounced that way though! 😉

    Have a good day!



Comments are closed.

  • Books

    The OffQc bookshop is always open. See all titles here.

    Contracted French Put an end to not understanding spoken French by learning the most important contractions used in speech

    C’est what? Overview of common features of spoken Québécois French; pave the way for further independent study

    1000 Learn or review a large amount of everyday words and expressions used in Québécois French in condensed form

  • Follow OffQc by email. It's free. Enter your email address in the box below.

    Join 1,553 other followers

  • Read a random entry
    OffQc bookshop
    OffQc on Twitter
    OffQc on Pinterest
    • Listen to Québécois French: Almost 100 videos + transcripts
  • Number

    • Entries #1151-1200
    • Entries #1101-1150
    • Entries #1051-1100
    • Entries #1001-1050
    • Entries #951-1000
    • Entries #901-950
    • Entries #851-900
    • Entries #801-850
    • Entries #751-800
    • Entries #701-750
    • Entries #651-700
    • Entries #601-650
    • Entries #551-600
    • Entries #501-550
    • Entries #451-500
    • Entries #401-450
    • Entries #351-400
    • Entries #301-350
    • Entries #251-300
    • Entries #201-250
    • Entries #151-200
    • Entries #101-150
    • Entries #51-100
    • Entries #1-50
  • Month

    • June 2017
    • September 2016
    • August 2016
    • July 2016
    • June 2016
    • May 2016
    • April 2016
    • March 2016
    • February 2016
    • January 2016
    • December 2015
    • November 2015
    • October 2015
    • September 2015
    • August 2015
    • July 2015
    • June 2015
    • May 2015
    • April 2015
    • March 2015
    • February 2015
    • January 2015
    • December 2014
    • November 2014
    • October 2014
    • September 2014
    • August 2014
    • July 2014
    • June 2014
    • May 2014
    • April 2014
    • March 2014
    • February 2014
    • January 2014
    • December 2013
    • November 2013
    • October 2013
    • September 2013
    • August 2013
    • July 2013
    • June 2013
    • May 2013
    • April 2013
    • March 2013
    • February 2013
    • January 2013
    • December 2012
    • November 2012
    • September 2012
    • August 2012
    • July 2012
    • June 2012
    • May 2012
    • April 2012
    • March 2012
    • February 2012
    • January 2012
    • December 2011
    • November 2011
    • October 2011
    • September 2011
    • August 2011
    • July 2011
    • June 2011
    • May 2011
    • April 2011
    • March 2011
    • February 2011
    • January 2011
    • December 2010

Blog at WordPress.com.

WPThemes.