Kilo Lingo

le

masculine

/pɔt/

Line drawing of pote
Coloured illustration of pote
#637 of 5,000 Core 1000

Translation

mate, pal, buddy

Word origin

A nineteenth-century French slang word for a friend, of uncertain origin. It is often linked to poteau ('post'), used figuratively of a reliable person you can lean on.

Origin
Old French
Root
poteau

Grammar

Gendermasculine

Examples

cet .

My mate and I decided to go travelling together this summer.

, preter euros ? J' .

Hey mate, can you lend me five euros? I forgot my wallet.

, .

They are true mates, there for you in the good times and the bad.

sors .

I'm going out tonight with a mate from secondary school.

.

My mate lives right next to the big park.

est un nom familier masculin designe un ami proche, un camarade. Sa forme feminine pote est identique et rare. Il est frequent dans le langage des jeunes et dans les dialogues de films. Equivalent de copain mais souvent avec une connotation de complicite masculine.

Les potes (the mates, the lads) designe le groupe d'amis proches. Bande de potes (bunch of mates) est une expression courante. Dans un registre plus soutenu, on prefere ami ou ami proche. Poterie et pot (jar) sont des homophones sans rapport semantique.

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French · Free printables

pote: worksheet, infographic and listicle

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This word is part of lesson 13.