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Être le dindon de la farce (To be taken for a ride)

“Être le dindon de la farce” is a comical French expression that translates literally to “to be the turkey in the joke”. “Une farce” can actually translate better to practical joke. Here’s the English meaning:

  • to be taken for a ride
  • to be duped

The expression really mean to be had in a business deal. Here’s an example sentence:

  • Il m’a vendu la voiture pour huit-cent dollars mais elle est tombée en panne le lendemain. J’ai été le dindon dans la farce! He sold me the car for $800 but it but it broke down the next day. I was taken for a ride!

Here are some synonymous expressions and verbs:

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David Issokson Founder & French Teacher at FrenchLearner.com
David Issokson is the founder of FrenchLearner.com, where he’s been helping students master French through vocabulary, grammar, and cultural lessons since 2012.

    David Issokson

    About the Author – David Issokson David Issokson is an online French teacher and the founder of FrenchLearner.com (established 2012). He has been teaching French online since 2014 and brings over 30 years of experience as a passionate French learner and fluent speaker. David creates clear, structured lessons supported by native audio recorded by Marie Assel Cambier, a professional voice artist and native French speaker. A graduate of McGill University in Montreal, he has taught hundreds of learners worldwide and publishes daily French lessons for more than 12,000 email subscribers. 📘 About David » 🌐 David’s personal site » 👍 Follow on Facebook »

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