English to French translation

To be eaten up

June 2, 2005

Thanks to Max for providing me with an entry, as I struggle to get back into work after a few days on the beautiful île de Ré. He asks me how I would translate the expression “it is eating me up”. I would say ça me mine (it is eating away at me) ou ça me ronge (it is gnawing at me). Any better ideas?

Comments

Ah, Ile de Ré! What a lovely place!

I once cycled across the island - three hours in one direction, then five hours back in a terrible head wind so strong that I nearly didn't make it all.

Isn't the cycle path network brilliant? Well worth getting a very sore bum (is it ever going to stop hurting?).

"Ca me bouffe ?" literally "it's eating me up", but it's colloquial and I'm not sure "eating me up" is as colloquial, is it ?

DId you see Jospin?

"ça me ronge" is fine, depending on the context. Never heard of "ça me bouffe" (I'm French and a translator -former English teacher).

I can assure you that "ça me bouffe" is used by French speakers. (I'm also French - and English - and a teacher ;-) )

Well, what do you know! Thanks Jenny 'for the heads up!' Maybe people of my generation don't use it (I'm 58). I must say, it sounds a pretty ugly phrase to me, so it's just as well I never hear it around me!
My other pet hates are:
-c'est pas évident
-c'est la cata
-j'ai galéré
-j'hallucine
-c'est trop top
- c'est super pas bon (this one - can you believe anyone could ACTUALLY say that!! - courtesy of my 17-year old niece)

Jean-Paul, what's wrong with "c'est pas evident"? It's not obvious, if you'll pardon the expression.

I hate to tell you, but I rather like 'c'est super pas bon'. On dirait "that's *so* not good".

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