School is life french vocab

une amende

fine - A monetary penalty for breaking a law or rule.

les banlieues (f)

suburbs, especially lower socio-demographic suburbs on the outskirts of Paris

le bonheur

happiness - The state of being happy.

une bousculade

jostling - Pushing or bumping against someone roughly, typically in a crowd.

un bouc émissaire (s)

scapegoat - A person or group made to bear the blame for others.

les congés payés

paid vacation - Holiday time off from work for which an employee is paid.

le comportement

behaviour - The way in which one acts or conducts oneself, especially towards others.

les cours du soir

night school - Educational courses taken by adults in the evening.

un/e CPE (conseiller/conseillère principal/e d’éducation)

counsellor - A person trained to give guidance on personal or psychological problems.

la cruauté

cruelty - Behaviour that causes pain or suffering to others.

un délit

offense - A breach of a law or rule; an illegal act.

un écart

gap - A space or interval between two things or points.

un échec scolaire

academic failure - Lack of success in educational studies.

une école mixte

co-educational school - A school where students of both sexes are taught together.

une émeute

riot - A violent disturbance of the peace by a crowd.

l’ennui

boredom - The state of being weary and restless through lack of interest.

un établissement

institution - A society or organization founded for a religious, educational, social, or similar purpose.

un fauteuil roulant

wheelchair - A chair with wheels used by a person who has difficulty walking.

la gestion

management - The process of dealing with or controlling things or people.

un graffiti

tag - A symbol or other design that is marked in a public place

une grève

strike - A refusal to work organized by a body of employees as a form of protest.

la haine

hatred - Intense dislike or ill will.

le harcèlement

bullying - The use of threats or violence to intimidate someone.

un internat

boarding school - A school where students live during the term.

la liberté des mœurs

freedom of mores - The freedom to follow or break social norms.

la lutte

fight - A violent confrontation or struggle.

une manifestation

demonstration - A public expression of opinion on a political issue.

la mixité

co-educational policy - The policy of educating students of both sexes together.

l’ordre établi

the establishment - The dominant group in society that holds power or authority.

une peine de prison

prison sentence - A period of time a person is confined to prison as a punishment.

une pénurie

shortage - A state or situation in which something needed cannot be obtained in sufficient amounts.

un pneu crevé

flat tyre - A tyre that has lost air pressure and become flat.

le pouvoir

power - The ability to influence or control people or events.

une prestation

performance - An act of staging or presenting a play, concert, or other form of entertainment.

des représailles (fpl)

retaliation - Action taken in return for an injury or wrong.

un revirement

change - An act or instance of becoming different.

le salaire minimum

minimum wage - The lowest wage permitted by law or special agreement.

une voie

pathway - A way or course laid down or followed.

Adjectives

avide

eager for - Having or showing keen interest in or enthusiasm for something.

anodin/e

harmless - Not able or likely to cause harm.

analphabète

illiterate - Unable to read or write.

coincé/e

stuck - Unable to move or be moved.

condescendant/e

patronizing - Treating with an apparent kindness that betrays a feeling of superiority.

démodé/e

old-fashioned - No longer fashionable.

élargi/e

broadened, widened - Having become wider.

emblématique

iconic - Widely recognized and representative of something.

médiocre

poor, low - Of only moderate quality; not very good.

effarant/e

unbelievable - Difficult to believe; unlikely to be true.

Verbs

accueillir

to welcome - Greet someone in a polite or friendly way.

apparaitre (apparaître)

to appear - Become visible or noticeable.

avouer

to confess - Admit that one has committed a crime or done something wrong.

bouleverser

to disrupt - Interrupt the normal course of something.

confier

confide - Tell someone about a secret or private matter while trusting them not to repeat it to others.

embêter

to annoy - Cause someone to feel irritated or impatient.

épauler

to support (to shoulder) - Give assistance to.

faire part de

to share - Have a portion of something with another or others.

redoubler

to retake a school year - When a student has to repeat a year

rendre public/publique

publicize, publish, communicate - Make something known to the public.

résoudre

to solve, to resolve - Find a solution to a problem.

retenir

to catch, to draw - Succeed in holding someone's attention

subir

to endure - Suffer something patiently.

taquiner

to tease - Make fun of someone in a playful way.

veiller (sur)

supervise; watch over - Be responsible for overseeing

Other words & expressions

à cet égard

in this regard - With respect to this.

à la hâte

hastily - With excessive speed or urgency; hurriedly.

à un degré moindre

to a lesser extent - To a smaller degree.

au bout du fil

at the other end of the phone line - Speaking to someone over the phone

c’est tout vu

it is all figured out - Easily understood or obvious.

dans le cadre de

as part of - As a component of.

dire des méchancetés à quelqu’un

to say nasty/horrible things to somebody - Saying mean things

en vigueur

in effect - In operation; currently being used.

idem

same (thing) - Used to indicate that something just mentioned applies also to the subject that is about to be mentioned.

il faut que - subjunctive

it is necessary to … - Indicates necessity or obligation.

je m’en charge

I’ll take care of it/I’ve got this - Indicates that one will assume responsibility for something.

je veux que - subjunctive

I wish that … - Expressing a wish or desire.

justement

exactly - Used to emphasize the accuracy of a statement or description.

par terre

on the ground - On the surface of the earth.

remettre quelque chose en question (t)

to question something - To express doubts about something.

sans relâche

relentlessly - In an incessant and determined manner.

s’en ficher (fam)

to not care - To be indifferent or unconcerned about something.

tant pis

too bad - Expressing regret about something that cannot be helped.

voire

even - Used to emphasize something surprising or extreme.

vu que

seeing that - Since or because.

Expressions idiomatiques

aussi moche qu'un pou

ugly as sin - Extremely unattractive.

avoir le cafard

to feel blue - To feel sad or depressed.

un bouc émissaire

a scapegoat - A person or group made to bear the blame for others.

ça va de soi

it goes without saying - It is obvious or self-evident.

J’en ai marre !

I have had enough! - Expressing extreme frustration or dissatisfaction.

jouer les caïds

to act tough - Behaving in a domineering or aggressive way.

Quelle prise de tête !

How annoying! (literally – it makes my head hurt!) - Expressing frustration or annoyance.

ramer (fam.)

to struggle - To make strenuous efforts against difficulties.

remettre quelque chose en question

to question something - To express doubts or uncertainties about something.

voler de ses propres ailes

to stand on your own two feet - To be independent and self-reliant.