6 fun French expressions that can brighten up a speech or prose piece  

Language is not merely a medium of communication- it is so much more. It functions as a blend of culture, words and history which may not be perceived at the first glance. Hundreds of words in the English language are actually borrowed from other languages, and have an extremely intriguing etymology behind them. Using words and phrases from other languages are a great way to inject colour into one’s speech and writing, and break free from the expected monotony. The French language is filled with an array of interesting phrases which work as the perfect alternatives for their usual English counterparts. Read on to learn a few of them.   

Au contraire  
This two-word French phrase is translated to “on the contrary” in English. It is pronounced as oh- kawn- trehr, and is a polite way to present a contradiction to a statement or a belief.  
Sentence: “Au contraire, she is actually not a very gifted dancer.” 

Avant garde 
Avant garde refers to something that is ahead of its time and experimental. It is pronounced as ah-von-gard, and is usually used in context of fashion or art.  
Sentence: “Have you seen the new art installation at the museum? It is quite avant garde.” 

Déjà vu  
This is one of, if not the most popular French phrases used by English speakers. Pronounced as day-jah-voo, it refers to the distinct, uncanny feeling of having experienced a particular moment before.   
Sentence: “When I walked into the classroom, I had an intense déjà vu. It felt like being a kid again.” 

Hors d’oeuvres 
There are a few memes floating about on social media in terms of the pronunciation of this phrase. As complex as it might look, it is simply pronounced as or-derve. This is a food-related phrase and is used to refer to the dishes served prior to the main course, also known as appetisers.  
Sentence: “Don’t fill yourself up too much with these hors d’oevres, the main course is still about to arrive.” 

Joie de vivre 
If you know someone who is particularly bubbly, cheerful and optimistic, this is the perfect phrase to describe him/ her. It is pronounced as jwa-d’veev, and directly translates to English as “joy of living.” But the meaning is not interpreted literally.  
Sentence: “No matter how terrible the situation, Mark always exudes joie de vivre.” 

Pièce de résistance 
This is a great way to refer to something that stands out, or is the most remarkable feature- especially in context of a creative project. It is pronounced as pyes-duh-rey-zee-stahns.  
Sentence: “The pièce de résistance of the fashion show was the purple glittery gown.”