The many uses of “Coup”
I know French isn’t an easy language to learn. Conjugations, word gender, long sentences… You will learn so many rules, so much vocabulary, and then realize that one word, used in different situations, will have multiple meanings… I know, it’s a lot… but you know what matters the most: it’s to try to have fun while we learn!
Today, we’ll take the example of “coup” and discover new, common expressions so you can impress your French friend at your next conversation!
Un coup (masc. noun) in French means a bang, or a knock. In English, you borrowed the word “Coup” to refer to the overthrowing of an existing government. We say “un coup d’Etat” in French. In that same vein, you combine “coup” with another word to give it a totally new meaning.
Here are some ‘coup de’ combos I can think of:
Coup de soleil (sun): sunburn. We would say “prendre un coup de soleil” or “avoir un coup de soleil.”
Coup de vent (wind): “Il est venu en coup de vent” meaning he came and left as fast as the wind, he didn’t stay very long.
Coup de foudre (lightning bolt): love at first sight. “Ils ont eu le coup de foudre au premier regard”
Coup de fil (wire): a phone call. This expression is old, and alludes to the time when we had wired home phones. (There was one in my house when I was little!) We would say “je dois passer un coup de fil à ma mère” (give a call to my mom)
Coup de barre (bar): attack of exhaustion, low energy. This one requires some imagination. I guess you have to visualize yourself being hit by a metal bar? Also, coup de mou (slow / soft) and coup de fatigue (tiredness) mean the same.
Coup de bol: stroke of luck. “Elle a eu un coup de bol” meaning it was all luck.
Coup de baguette magique (magic wand): wave of a magic wand. This one is handy when you’re playing princess and fairy with your kid!
Coup de coeur (heart): a favorite, a heart-stopper. Sometimes it can also means “highlights” like in the sentence “coups de coeur de mon séjour en Provence” (highlights from my Provence trip)
Coup de gueule (mouth / mug - slang): rant. When something upset you and you’re speaking up about it. We would say “pousser un coup de gueule.”
Coup de main (hand): commonly use with the verb “donner”, it means “to give a hand.”
Coup d’oeil (eye): quick glance. “Jeter un petit coup d’oeil” is how we would use it.
Lastly, boire un coup: to have a drink. It’s a way to invite people over for the apéro: “vous venez boire un coup à la maison ?”
Did you learn something new?
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