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Licencier – to fire

Licencier – to fire

Today’s lesson covers the faux ami (false cognate) verb licencier, which means to fire or to lay off. We’ll also look at the reflexive se faire licencier (to get fired). Licencier comes from licentiare in Latin.

licencier

to fire, dismiss, lay off, make redundant

Pronunciation [lisɑ̃sje]

Licencier - French verb meaning to fire, to lay off, to sack, make redundant.

Licencier – to fire

Example sentences

This first example sentence uses être en train de + infinitive, which is used for a progressive present tense (verb+ing). Des milliers de (thousands of) is an example of an approximate number.

Le gouvernement est en train de licencier des milliers d’employés.

The government is currently firing thousands of employees.

This sentence uses the reflexive from se faire licencier (to get fired or laid off). The false cognate la société means both company or firm and society.

Après vingt ans dans la même société, Guillaume s’est fait licencier.

Guillaume got fired after 20 years in the same company.

Another informal verb for “to fire” is virer.

Mon dernier patron m’a viré en 2008.

My last boss fired me in 2008.

More false cognates

References

Word of the Day archive | Lessons by David Issokson

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David Issokson
David Issokson is a lifelong language learner and speaks over seven 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 lessons. When not teaching or writing his French Word of the Day lessons, David enjoys his time skiing, hiking and mountain biking in Victor, Idaho.

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David Issokson

David Issokson is a lifelong language learner and speaks over seven 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 lessons. When not teaching or writing his French Word of the Day lessons, David enjoys his time skiing, hiking and mountain biking in Victor, Idaho.

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