En revanche
Example: J'aime le thé, en revanche, je déteste le café.
Definition
"En revanche" is a French expression used to introduce a contrast or an opposing idea to what has been previously mentioned, similar to 'on the other hand' or 'however' in English. For example, in the phrase 'J'aime le thé, en revanche, je déteste le café,' it highlights the contrast between liking tea and disliking coffee.
Etymology
The expression "en revanche" comes from the French words 'en' meaning 'in' and 'revanche' meaning 'revenge' or 'return.' Originally, 'revanche' referred to the idea of returning or reciprocating something. Over time, "en revanche" developed into a phrase used to indicate a counterpoint or contrast, much like 'in return' or 'on the other hand.' Did you know it literally translates to 'in return' but is used figuratively to balance contrasting statements?
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"En revanche" appears in the Vocaplus list "", containing 119 commonly used expressions.
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