This expression reminds me of my daughter’s French ex-boyfriend. He opened his heart and explained he had had a ‘coup de foudre’ when he saw my daughter across Bergerac airport. A francophile’s dream – a potential real French person in the family! Sadly they split up after 18 months but seeing this expression still made me smile
April 1, 2010 at 7:49 am
(2) PapaMus says:
Can you say: J’attends toujours un coup de foudre!
May 31, 2010 at 11:14 pm
(3) John Cowan says:
In the game of Milles Bornes, it means an immediate counterattack.
August 22, 2012 at 3:27 am
(4) Ricard says:
Gee you guys make me feel like a dummy, I knew the figurative meaning but always thought the “foudre” alluded to foolishness. Although that’s not far off the mark in my experience of coups de foudre. So what would the French equivalent be for a brainstorm? Some sort of coup, but involving a creative spark not associated with infatuation?
August 22, 2012 at 4:02 am
(5) LKL - French Guide says:
Good thought, Ricard, but no. A brainstorm is just une idée géniale in French.
Comments
This expression reminds me of my daughter’s French ex-boyfriend. He opened his heart and explained he had had a ‘coup de foudre’ when he saw my daughter across Bergerac airport. A francophile’s dream – a potential real French person in the family! Sadly they split up after 18 months but seeing this expression still made me smile
Can you say: J’attends toujours un coup de foudre!
In the game of Milles Bornes, it means an immediate counterattack.
Gee you guys make me feel like a dummy, I knew the figurative meaning but always thought the “foudre” alluded to foolishness. Although that’s not far off the mark in my experience of coups de foudre. So what would the French equivalent be for a brainstorm? Some sort of coup, but involving a creative spark not associated with infatuation?
Good thought, Ricard, but no. A brainstorm is just une idée géniale in French.