PLAIN SPEAKING - Translation from English into French | PONS

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Oxford-Hachette French Dictionary

plain speaking N U

plain speaking: franchise f

there was plenty of plain speaking: tout le monde a eu son franc-parler

Oxford-Hachette French Dictionary

English

English

French

French

can't you speak in plain English?: tu ne peux pas parler en termes simples?

French

French

English

English

être sans détours (personne): to be plain-speaking

Oxford-Hachette French Dictionary

I. plain [Brit pleɪn, Am pleɪn] N

1. plain GEOG:

plain: plaine f

on the plain: dans la plaine

the (Great) Plains Am: les Grandes Plaines

2. plain (knitting stitch):

plain: maille f à l'endroit

a row of plain: un rang à l'endroit

II. plain [Brit pleɪn, Am pleɪn] ADJ

1. plain (simple):

plain dress, decor, food, living, language: simple

plain building, furniture: sobre

plain cooking: cuisine f simple

she's a good plain cook: elle fait une bonne cuisine simple

a plain man: un homme simple

2. plain (of one colour):

plain background, fabric: uni

plain envelope: sans inscription

a sheet of plain paper (unheaded): une feuille de papier libre

a sheet of plain paper (unlined): une feuille de papier non reglé

a plain blue dress: une robe toute bleue

under plain cover (of a letter): sous pli discret

3. plain (unattractive) euph:

plain woman: quelconque

she's rather plain: elle a un visage quelconque, elle n'a rien d'une beauté

4. plain (clear):

plain line, marking: net/nette

in plain view of sb: sous les yeux de qn

5. plain (obvious):

plain: évident, clair

it was plain to everyone that he was lying: il était évident pour tout le monde qu'il mentait

it's a plain fact that …: il est bien clair que …

it is plain from this report that …: il est clair d'après ce rapport que …

she's jealous, it's plain to see: elle est jalouse, ça saute aux yeux

her suffering was plain to see: on ne pouvait pas ignorer sa souffrance

to make it plain to sb that …: faire comprendre clairement à qn que …

let me make myself quite plain, I'm not going: que ce soit bien clair, je n'y vais pas

do I make myself plain?: suis-je bien clair?

she made her irritation quite plain: elle n'a pas caché son irritation

6. plain (direct):

plain answer, language: franc/franche

can't you speak in plain English?: tu ne peux pas parler en termes simples?

in plain English, this means that …: en clair, ceci veut dire que …

the plain truth of the matter is that …: la vérité est que …

7. plain (downright):

plain tjrs attr common sense: simple

plain attr ignorance, laziness: pur et simple

8. plain (ordinary):

I knew him when he was plain Mr Spencer: je l'ai connu quand il s'appelait M. Spencer tout court

9. plain (unflavoured):

plain yoghurt, crisps, rice: nature

10. plain (in knitting):

plain: à l'endroit

III. plain [Brit pleɪn, Am pleɪn] ADV

1. plain (completely):

plain stupid, wrong: tout bonnement, tout simplement

plain lazy: tout bonnement paresseux

2. plain (directly):

I can't put it any plainer than that: je ne peux pas être plus clair

IV. plain [Brit pleɪn, Am pleɪn]

to be as plain as day: être clair comme l'eau de roche

to be plain sailing project, task etc:: marcher comme sur des roulettes

I. speaking [Brit ˈspiːkɪŋ, Am ˈspikɪŋ] N

speaking (elocution): élocution f

speaking (pronunciation): prononciation f

II. -speaking COMP

English-/French-speaking person: anglophone/francophone, parlant anglais/français

English-/French-speaking area, country: anglophone/francophone, de langue anglaise/française

I. -speak COMP

-speak: jargon m

computer-/management-speak: jargon informatique/de gestion

II. speak <pret spoke; pp spoken> [Brit spiːk, Am spik] VB trans

1. speak language:

speak: parler

can you speak English?: parlez-vous (l')anglais?

‘French spoken’ (sign): ‘on parle français’

English as it is spoken: l'anglais tel qu'on le parle

people who speak the same language lit, fig: des gens qui parlent le même langage

2. speak (tell, utter):

speak truth, poetry: dire

speak word, name: prononcer

to speak one's mind: dire ce qu'on pense

III. speak <pret spoke, pp spoken> [Brit spiːk, Am spik] VB intr

1. speak (talk):

speak: parler (to à, about, of de)

to speak in a soft/deep voice: parler bas/d'une voix profonde

to speak in German/Russian: parler (en) allemand/russe

to speak in a whisper: parler tout bas, chuchoter

to speak ill/well of sb: dire du mal/du bien de qn

to speak through medium, interpreter: parler par l'intermédiaire de

to speak with one's mouth full: parler la bouche pleine

speak when you're spoken to!: réponds quand on te parle!

I've spoken to them severely and they've apologized: je leur ai parlé sévèrement et ils se sont excusés

who's speaking please? (on phone): qui est à l'appareil s'il vous plaît?

(this is) Camilla speaking: c'est Camilla, Camilla à l'appareil

‘is that Miss Durham?’—‘speaking!’: ‘Mademoiselle Durham?’—‘c'est moi!’

I'm speaking from a phone box: j'appelle d'une cabine téléphonique

this is your captain speaking AVIAT: ici le commandant de bord

speaking of which, have you booked a table?: tiens, ça m'a fait penser, as-tu réservé une table?

speaking of lunch, Nancy…: à propos du déjeuner, Nancy…

she is well spoken of in academic circles: elle est bien considérée dans le milieu universitaire

he spoke very highly of her/her talents: il a parlé d'elle/de ses talents en termes très élogieux

he spoke of selling the house/leaving the country: il a parlé de vendre la maison/de quitter le pays

to speak as sth: (parler) en tant que qc

speaking as a layman…: en tant que non-spécialiste…

speaking personally, I hate him: personnellement, je le déteste

speaking personally and not for the company: parlant en mon nom et pas en celui de l'entreprise

generally speaking: en règle générale

roughly speaking: en gros

strictly speaking: à proprement parler

relatively speaking: relativement parlant

ecologically/politically speaking: écologiquement/politiquement parlant, sur le plan écologique/politique

metaphorically speaking: pour employer une métaphore

we've had no trouble to speak of: nous n'avons pas eu de problème spécial

they've got no money to speak of: ils n'ont pour ainsi dire pas d'argent

‘what did you see?’—‘nothing to speak of’: ‘qu'est-ce que vous avez vu?’—‘rien de spécial’

not to speak of his poor mother/the expense: sans parler de sa pauvre mère/du coût

so to speak: pour ainsi dire

2. speak (converse):

speak: parler (about, of de, to, with à)

they're not speaking (to each other): ils ne se parlent pas

I can't remember when we last spoke: je ne me rappelle plus quand nous nous sommes parlé pour la dernière fois

I know her by sight but not to speak to: je la connais de vue mais je ne lui ai jamais parlé

3. speak:

speak (make a speech): parler

speak (more formal): prendre la parole

to speak from the floor POL: parler or prendre la parole de sa place

to speak about or on topic: parler de

to speak for view, opinion, party: parler en faveur de

4. speak (express) liter:

to speak of suffering, effort, emotion: témoigner de

all creation spoke to me of love: toute la création me parlait d'amour

that look spoke louder than words: ce regard était plus expressif que des mots

the poem/music speaks to me in a special way: le poème/la musique me touche profondément

5. speak (make noise) fig:

speak gun:: parler

this clarinet speaks/does not speak easily: il est facile/difficile de faire sortir un son de cette clarinette

in the PONS Dictionary

I. speaking N no pl

speaking: parler m

public speaking: art m oratoire

II. speaking ADJ a. fig

speaking: parlant(e)

to be no longer on speaking terms with sb: ne plus adresser la parole à qn

english-speaking: de langue anglaise

I. speak <spoke, spoken> [spi:k] VB intr

1. speak (articulate):

speak: parler

to speak to each other: se parler

to speak to sb about sth: parler à qn à propos de qc

to speak in jargon/dialect: parler en jargon/dialecte

to speak for/against sth: être en faveur/opposé à qc

to speak into sth: parler dans qc

to speak for oneself: parler pour soi

speaking for oneself: pour sa part

facts speak for themselves: les faits parlent d'eux-mêmes

to speak over a loudspeaker: parler dans un haut-parleur

to speak through a megaphone: parler dans un porte-voix

to speak in a whisper: chuchoter

speak when you're spoken to: tu réponds quand on te parle

2. speak (from a specified point of view):

sth speaking: d'un point de vue de qc

geographically speaking: d'un point de vue géographique

speaking of sth: à propos de qc

so to speak: pour ainsi dire

3. speak (make a formal speech):

speak: faire un discours

to speak in public: parler en public

4. speak (communicate on the phone):

speak: être à l'appareil

Phrases:

actions speak louder than words prov: les actes sont plus éloquents que les paroles

to speak the lingo inf: baragouiner

II. speak <spoke, spoken> [spi:k] VB trans

1. speak (say):

speak: dire

speak language: parler

to speak the truth: dire la vérité

to speak one's mind: donner son opinion

to not speak a word: ne pas dire un mot

2. speak (reveal):

speak: révéler

I. plain [pleɪn] ADJ

1. plain (one colour):

plain: uni(e)

2. plain (unflavoured):

plain yoghurt: nature

plain chocolate: chocolat m noir

3. plain (uncomplicated):

plain clothes, cookery: très simple

a plain wooden table: une table en bois toute simple

plain and simple: pur(e) et simple

4. plain (clear, obvious):

plain: clair(e)

in plain language: en langage clair

it's plain that ...: il est clair que ...

to be plain enough: être assez clair

to make sth plain: ne pas faire mystère de qc

to make oneself plain to sb: se rendre clair à qn

to be plain with sb: être clair avec qn

5. plain (mere, pure):

plain truth, torture: pur(e)

it's plain selfishness: c'est de l'égoïsme pur

6. plain (unattractive):

plain: sans attraits

Phrases:

to be as plain as the nose on your face: se voir comme le nez au milieu de la figure

II. plain [pleɪn] ADV

1. plain (done in unadorned style):

plain: clairement

2. plain inf (downright):

plain: vraiment

III. plain [pleɪn] N

1. plain GEO:

plain: plaine f

the plains: la prairie

2. plain (knitting stitch):

plain: maille f

in the PONS Dictionary

I. speak <spoke, spoken> [spik] VB intr

1. speak (articulate):

speak: parler

to speak to each other: se parler

to speak to sb about sth: parler de qc à qn

to speak in jargon/dialect: parler en jargon/dialecte

to speak for/against sth: être en faveur/opposé à qc

to speak into sth: parler dans qc

to speak for oneself: parler pour soi

speaking for oneself: pour sa part

the facts speak for themselves: les faits parlent d'eux-mêmes

to speak over a loudspeaker: parler dans un haut-parleur

to speak through a megaphone: parler dans un porte-voix

to speak in a whisper: chuchoter

speak when you're spoken to!: tu réponds quand on te parle!

2. speak (from specified point of view):

geographically speaking: d'un point de vue géographique

speaking of sth: à propos de qc

so to speak: pour ainsi dire

3. speak (make formal speech):

speak: faire un discours

to speak in public: parler en public

4. speak (communicate on phone):

speak: être à l'appareil

Phrases:

actions speak louder than words prov: les actes sont plus éloquents que les paroles

II. speak <spoke, spoken> [spik] VB trans

1. speak (say):

speak: dire

speak language: parler

to speak the truth: dire la vérité

to speak one's mind: donner son opinion

to not speak a word: ne pas dire un mot

2. speak (reveal):

speak: révéler

I. speaking N

speaking: parler m

public speaking: art m oratoire

II. speaking ADJ a. fig

speaking: parlant(e)

to be no longer on speaking terms with sb: ne plus adresser la parole à qn

English-speaking: de langue anglaise

I. plain [pleɪn] ADJ

1. plain (clear, obvious):

plain: clair(e)

in plain language: en langage clair

it's plain (to see) that ...: il est clair que ...

to be plain enough: être assez clair

to make sth plain: ne pas faire mystère de qc

to make oneself plain to sb: se rendre clair à qn

to be plain with sb: être clair avec qn

2. plain (unflavored):

plain yogurt, bagel: nature inv

3. plain (uncomplicated):

plain clothing, envelope: très simple

a plain wooden table: une table en bois toute simple

plain and simple: pur(e) et simple

4. plain (mere, pure):

plain truth, torture: pur(e)

it's plain selfishness: c'est de l'égoïsme pur

5. plain (one color):

plain fabric: uni(e)

6. plain (unattractive):

plain: sans attrait

II. plain [pleɪn] ADV

1. plain (clearly):

plain: clairement

2. plain inf (downright):

plain: vraiment

III. plain [pleɪn] N

1. plain GEO:

plain: plaine f

the plains: la prairie

2. plain (knitting stitch):

plain: maille f

Present
I	plain
you	plain
he/she/it	plains
we	plain
you	plain
they	plain

Past
I	plained
you	plained
he/she/it	plained
we	plained
you	plained
they	plained

Present Perfect
I	have	plained
you	have	plained
he/she/it	has	plained
we	have	plained
you	have	plained
they	have	plained

Past Perfect
I	had	plained
you	had	plained
he/she/it	had	plained
we	had	plained
you	had	plained
they	had	plained

See further verb tables

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Monolingual examples (not verified by PONS Editors)

When he tries to speak to them, he can only emit a high-pitched noise.

en.wikipedia.org

The birds remain in their cage, and remain mostly unflappable, so to speak, throughout the sporadic blitzkriegs of their feathered kin.

Burton could line up only two lawmakers to speak in his favor.

en.wikipedia.org

Even travellers in their forties can not speak ("roker") full Romany.

en.wikipedia.org

She was unable to speak, read or write and her memory had gone.

en.wikipedia.org

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