In today’s lesson we’ll learn the fun informal expression se prendre un râteau which translates literally to “to take yourself a rake” and means to get turned down, blown off, shot down or rejected. A French definition is échouer dans une tentative pour séduire quelqu’un (to fail in an attempt to seduce somebody).
se prendre un râteau
to get turned down, to get blown off
Pronunciation [sə pʀɑ̃dʀ œ̃ ʀɑto]
Example sentences
For this first sentence, demander à quelqu’un de + infinitive means “to ask somebody to do something”. La boîte means box or can and boîte de nuit means nightclub. The reflexive verb se prendre in this sentence is in the passé composé, which requires être as an auxiliary verb.
J’ai demandé à Marie de sortir en boîte de nuit avec moi mais je me suis pris un râteau.
I asked Marie to go to a nightclub with me but I got turned down.
For this sentence, n’oublie pas (don’t forget) is oublier in the imperative mood. The commonly used expression ce n’est pas grave means “it’s no big deal”.
N’oublie pas que si tu te prends un râteau, ce n’est pas grave.
Don’t forget, if you get shot down it’s no big deal.
Origin
This expression dates back to the 1990s. It evokes the difficult feelings of frustration when one steps on a rake and gets hit in the face.
Related lessons
- Draguer – to hit on, to pick up
- Sortir – to go out
- Terms of endearment
- Prendre (to take) expressions
Reference
Word of the Day archive | Lessons by David Issokson
