Monday, December 30, 2019

En vouloir à quelquun Using the French Expression

The French verb  vouloir  (to want) takes on whole new meaning with the addition of the  adverbial pronoun  en. Expression En vouloir à   quelquun / Ne men veux pas Pronunciation   [a(n) voo lwa ra kel koo(n)] / [neu ma(n) veu pa] Meanings to be mad/angry at, hold a grudge against someone / dont be mad at me Literal Translations to want some from someone / dont want some from me Register informal Notes 1.  When used with a person,  en vouloir à  Ã‚  means to be mad at (someone) or to hold a grudge against (someone). Note that the normal grammar rules apply: the verb  vouloir  must be conjugated for the appropriate grammatical person and tense/mood, and  Ãƒ  Ã‚  may be followed by a noun or replaced by an  indirect object pronoun. A few possibilities: Ne men veux pas. / Ne men voulez pas.Dont be mad at me, Dont hold it against me.Ne nous / lui en veux pas.Dont be mad at us / him, Dont hold it against us / him.Nen voulez pas à   Arlette.Dont be mad at Arlette, Dont hold it against Arlette.Jespà ¨re que tu ne men voudras pas.I hope you wont hold it against me.Tu men veux ? / Tu ne men veux pas  ?Are you mad at me? / No hard feelings? You can specify what the person is mad about with  de  plus a noun or the  past infinitive: Jen veux à   Pierre de sa tromperie.Im mad at Pierre for his deception.Il men veut davoir menti.Hes mad at me for lying. 2.  Less commonly,  en vouloir à  Ã‚  can be used with a thing, to mean to want, to be after (that thing). Il en veut à   notre argent.Hes after our money.Elle en voulait à   ce poste.She wanted this job.

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