Congratulations to Geneviève Gnahoue who won the draw!
Click on each of the language-related questions. If you find the questions too challenging, lâchez pas la patate! Click on the hints that lead to the Language Portal of Canada website.
The contest is now closed! Have fun answering the questions and discovering the correct answers!
Attachez vot’ tuque! This March is the time to test your linguistic knowledge and explore some expressions from Canada’s Francophonie!
The Prize
You could win a trip for two to a Canadian destination of your choice. The prize includes transportation provided by Air Canada and $2000 spending money.
How to Enter
The French expression pelleter des nuages is common in Canada, but it isn’t used elsewhere in the Francophonie.
What does the expression pelleter des nuages mean?
- a)to shovel light snow
- b)to waste your time coming up with unrealistic ideas
- c)to find your way in fog
The French word fraise doesn’t just mean “strawberry.” In a figurative sense, if can refer to someone’s head or face.
What does the expression se bourrer la fraise mean?
- a)to show up somewhere
- b)to eat a large amount
- c)to make fun of someone
The French verb garrocher, which is used all over Canada’s Francophonie, means “to throw.”
Conjugate the verb garrocher in the following sentence. En ce beau jour d’été, les enfants ______ des cailloux dans le lac.
- a)garrochèrent
- b)garrochèrrent
- c)garrocherèrent
The French verb ambitionner is frequently used in Canada, but it has different meanings in Canada than in other parts of the Francophonie.
What does the expression n’ambitionne pas mean in the following sentence?
J’en fais déjà beaucoup pour toi, alors n’ambitionne pas!
- a)don’t twist my words
- b)don’t push it
- c)don’t try to outdo me
In Canadian French, the reflexive verb s’épivarder has several meanings, including “to get some air, to have fun outdoors, to stretch your legs.”
Conjugate the verb s’épivarder in the following sentence. Nous nous ______ sur les pistes de ski avant qu’il se mette à faire trop froid.
- a)serons épivardé
- b)serons épivardés
- c)seront épivardé
The contest questions were prepared by the Language Portal of Canada, an initiative of Public Services and Procurement Canada’s Translation Bureau.
