la
/ɡaf/
Translation
blunder, gaffe; (in faire gaffe) to watch out, to be careful
Word origin
Originally a boat hook, from Provençal gaf ('hook'), from the verb gafar ('to seize, to hook'). The sense of a clumsy mistake grew out of nineteenth-century slang, and the fixed phrase faire gaffe ('to watch out') comes from the sailor keeping watch with the hook.
- Origin
- Occitan
- Root
- gaf
- English cognates
- gaffe
Grammar
Examples
, glissante.
Watch out, the step is slippery.
J' .
I made a blunder by mentioning her ex in front of her.
.
Keep an eye on your things on the underground.
Quelle ! .
What a gaffe! The whole office talked about it for a week.
multiplié l'.
The minister made one gaffe after another during the interview.
Where this fits
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gaffe: worksheet, infographic and listicle
Free printable study downloads for the French word "gaffe" (blunder, gaffe; (in faire gaffe) to watch out, to be careful): 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 weekThis word is part of lesson 38.