This is a late-eighties commercial for St. Hubert, a Canadian fast food chain. The guy in the add talks with the funny accent of an English speaker who pretends to want to buy the company. He can’t so in the mean time he’ll enjoy the great taste of the food. See how much you can understand. Text of the video is written out below.
Text from the commercial with translation:
- Merci mon petit Robert!
Thank you my little Robert! - C’est fou mais c’est clair.
It’s crazy but it’s clear. - St. Hubert n’est pas à vendre.
St. Hubert isn’t for sale. - Ok, ok, j’ai perdu la bataille mais pas la guerre!
Okay, okay, I lost the battle but not the war! - En attendant je peux toujours avoir ce bon goût qui me rend fou! Mmm!
While waiting I can still have the taste that drives me crazy. Mmm! - Un bon goût St. Hubert! Je le veux!
A good St. Hubert taste. I want it! - Musique: St. Hubert tu me donne le goût!
Music: St. Hubert you give me the taste. - Je l’aurai!
I’ll have it!
Vocabulary and words of interest
donner le goût de + infinitive is French Canadian slang for “makes one want to” or “desire to”. It could also translate to “motivates to”. Here it’s a play on words because “goût” means taste. St. Huber gives the guy in the commercial the taste.
Ce bon goût qui me rend fou – Here “me rend” means “drives me”. One of the meanings of rendre means to drive or make. Tu me rends fou. You drive me crazy.
En attendant – Good usage of the gerund. While waiting.
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About David Issokson
Bonjour! My name is David Issokson. I'm based in Victor, Idaho (near Jackson, Wyoming) and have helped hundreds of students to learn French online since 2013.
