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 – 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
- La phrase – sentence
- Draguer – to hit on
- Actuellement – currently
- La librairie – bookstore
- Blessé – injured
- La location – rental
References
Word of the Day archive | Lessons by David Issokson
