/de.kɔ.ne/
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to talk rubbish, to muck about (informal and mildly coarse, fine among friends but not at work)
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Word origin
A nineteenth-century French formation on the vulgar noun con, with the prefix dé-. It has softened a great deal since: in everyday speech it now means little more than talking nonsense or messing about, though it stays firmly informal.
- Origin
- French
- Root
- con
- English cognates
- connerie
Grammar
Conjugation
Regular -er conjugation. Pronouns: je, tu, il/elle, nous, vous, ils/elles.
Indicative
| Person | Present | Imperfect | Past historic | Future | Conditional |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| je | déconne | déconnais | déconnai | déconnerai | déconnerais |
| tu | déconnes | déconnais | déconnas | déconneras | déconnerais |
| il/elle | déconne | déconnait | déconna | déconnera | déconnerait |
| nous | déconnons | déconnions | déconnâmes | déconnerons | déconnerions |
| vous | déconnez | déconniez | déconnâtes | déconnerez | déconneriez |
| ils/elles | déconnent | déconnaient | déconnèrent | déconneront | déconneraient |
Subjunctive
| Person | Present | Imperfect |
|---|---|---|
| je | déconne | déconnasse |
| tu | déconnes | déconnasses |
| il/elle | déconne | déconnât |
| nous | déconnions | déconnassions |
| vous | déconniez | déconnassiez |
| ils/elles | déconnent | déconnassent |
Imperative
| Person | Affirmative |
|---|---|
| tu | déconne |
| nous | déconnons |
| vous | déconnez |
Non-finite
- Gerund / present participle
- déconnant
- Past participle
- déconné · déconnée · déconnés · déconnées
Examples
, .
Stop mucking about, we are already late.
? ?
You are joking? He really said that?
.
We spent the evening larking about with the neighbours.
, .
Do not mess about with that ladder, it is not secured properly.
.
My computer has been playing up since this morning.
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French · Free printables
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Free printable study downloads for the French word "déconner" (to talk rubbish, to muck about (informal and mildly coarse, fine among friends but not at work)): a worksheet with the answer key built in, an infographic, and a sentence listicle. Open any one to view, print or save.
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Start your free week (no card)This word is taught in chapter 34, lesson 2: The mild end.