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tenir la jambe à quelqu’un

The French expression “tenir la jambe à quelqu’un” translates literally to “to hold somebody’s leg”.

English meanings:

  • to buttonhole
  • to accost, force to converse
  • to have somebody in a corner
  • to not let somebody go (in conversation)

French meanings:

  • retenir quelqu’un en lui parlant longtemps – Lit: to hold or detain somebody speaking to him or her for a long time

Example sentence:

  • Je suis arrivé à la réunion en retard parce que j’ai croisé mon ami dans la rue et il m’a tenu la jambe. I arrived to the meeting late because I bumped into my friend in the street and wouldn’t let me go.

Synonyms:

  • aborder/accoster quelqu’un au sujet de quelque chose – Lit: to start or accost somebody on a subject

more expressions

David Issokson

David Issokson is the founder and French teacher of Frenchlearner.com. With over 30 years of experience as a French learner and speaker, he is passionate about making the language accessible and enjoyable for everyone. David is dedicated to providing clear, practical, and effective resources to help you master French. Learn more about FrenchLearner on our about us page. Visit davidissokson.com, David's personal website.

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