Pour ainsi dire
Example: Il est mon ami, pour ainsi dire, presque un frère.
Definition
"Pour ainsi dire" is a French expression meaning 'so to speak' or 'in a manner of speaking,' used to indicate that a statement is not to be taken literally but rather figuratively or approximately, as in the example 'Il est mon ami, pour ainsi dire, presque un frère.'
Etymology
The expression "Pour ainsi dire" literally translates to 'to thus say' in English. It combines 'pour' meaning 'for' or 'to,' 'ainsi' meaning 'thus' or 'so,' and 'dire' meaning 'to say.' It has been used in French to soften or clarify statements by indicating a figurative or approximate sense.
Learn to use this expression actively
"Pour ainsi dire" appears in the Vocaplus list "", containing 105 commonly used expressions.
Would you like to not only understand these expressions, but also remember them and use them actively? Create a free account and select French as the language you want to learn.
Create a free account
