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# Final French translations for Giovanni’s Room
- URL: https://there-might-be-cupcakes-podcast.ghost.io/final-french-translations-for-giovannis/
- Published: 2023-06-25T01:58:34.000Z
- Updated: 2023-06-25T01:58:34.000Z
- Description: Chapter 4 of Part 2 to the end of the novel
- Author: Carla Pettigrew
- Tags: Newsletter, #Migrated-1738597973835, #Import 2025-02-03 15:53

[Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin](https://bookshop.org/a/6560/9780345806567)

Eh bien, t’embrasse pas ta femme?: Well, don’t you kiss your wife?

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tout de suite, “That’s French for pronto.”: at once

“‘Tiens’, he cried. ‘Here you are!’”: = “Here’s” shorthand/slang

“Je suis ravi, mademoiselle”—Jacques v. “Enchanté, mademoiselle”—Giovanni p. 128 and p. 129:

Interestingly, Giovanni’s response was appropriate—he said “Nice to meet you, ma’am”, appropriately and politely. Jacques said “I am delighted, ma’am”, but in the way you would say you are delighted by a present or a good meal; it‘s a rude greeting to a person, especially a new person.

Tu n’est pas chic du tout.: You aren’t chic at all. (stylish, cool, etc.)

À tout à l’heure: see you later

À la prochaine: see you next time

Qui est là?: Who is there?

Chéri. Mon très cher.: Darling. My dear.

Bon: in context p. 142–slang (usu. means “good/well”) here is a sarcastic “well” or “well, then”

Un séparation de corps v. divorce: p. 143: literally translated as a separation of bodies; a formal marital separation

Conversation with policeman, p. 145:

- Ça va?: You okay?
- Toujours.: Always.
- C’est ça.: That’s it.

Carte d’identité: basically, one’s passport/identification that allows one to move freely

Les goûts particulars: referring to people, means the special tastes—in this context, it’s used pejoratively, at the very least like that scene in St. Elmo’s Fire where every scary word is whispered. Like *those* people.

Débrouillard: resourceful

Le jeune Américain: the young American guy

You can find the two previous installments of French for James Baldwin’s novel Giovanni’s Room here in my Substack posts. I hope I have helped with the play on words, slurs, and such subtleties. It’s been fun!

There Might Be Cupcakes Podcast is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.