“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:
- se faire avoir – to be had
- mener en bateau – to take for a ride
- se faire rouler dans la farine – to be taken for a ride, get ripped off
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David Issokson is a lifelong language enthusiast. His head is swimming with words and sounds as he speaks over six languages. Of all the languages he speaks, he's the most passionate about French! David has helped hundreds of students to improve their French in his private online lessons. When procrastinating working on his site, FrenchLearner.com, David enjoys his time skiing and hiking in Teton Valley, Idaho.
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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.
