The contest is now closed!

Congratulations to the winner:

Jay Goodman, Ontario 

Have fun answering the questions and seeing the correct answers!

Attachez vot’ tuque! This March, 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

Click on each of the language-related questions, answer it and submit an entry form. Each correct answer gives you a chance to win. You can enter the contest twice a day—once in English and once in French.

If you find the questions too challenging, lâchez pas la patate! Click on the hints that lead to the Language Portal of Canada website to double your chances to win!

calouetter

The French verb calouetter, which is used in Acadia, is related to the eyes.

What does calouetter mean?

  • a)to have blurry vision
  • b)to roll your eyes
  • c)to blink
Hint
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barguigner

The French verb barguigner is still used in Canada, even though it’s no longer common in the rest of the Francophonie.

What does this verb mean in Canada?

  • a)to bargain or negotiate
  • b)to mumble or slur your words
  • c)to shake or stir something
Hint
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paqueter ses petits

In Canada, the French verb paqueter is used in a number of idioms, including se paqueter la fraise and paqueter ses petits.

What does the idiom paqueter ses petits mean?

  • a)to pack your bags
  • b)to swoon over poetry
  • c)to make your money grow
Hint
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comprenure

The French noun comprenure is used in Canada and Belgium, whereas comprenette is more common in the rest of the Francophonie.

What does the expression être dur de comprenure mean in the following sentence? Tant que je n’ai pas bu mon café du matin, je suis assez dur de comprenure!

  • a)to have trouble waking up
  • b)to be slow to understand something
  • c)to ignore the people around you
Hint
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se bailler l’erre

The French expressions se bailler l’erre and se bailler l’air are Acadianisms; that is, they come from Acadian French.

What do these expressions mean?

  • a)to give yourself a gift
  • b)to go to sleep
  • c)to start doing something in a hurry
Hint
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ENTRY FORM

To submit an entry form, you must answer all of the contest questions. And as the saying goes, rev’nez donc faire un p’tit tour demain!

The contest questions were prepared by the Language Portal of Canada, an initiative of Public Services and Procurement Canada’s Translation Bureau.