foutu

foutu(e) (foo-tew) adjective

    1.  damned, ruined, done for

    2. kaput, worn out, shot (exhausted)

    3. capable (elle est foutue de le faire = she's very capable of doing it)

Warning! today's word is slang and not appropriate for all social situations (!!!)

Expressions:

être mal foutu(e) = to be unattractive
être bien foutu(e) = to have a good body

Have another foutu(e) expression or definition or example? There are many (some unpublishable, here...) Please share it with us here, in the comments box!

Audio File: Listen to Jean-Marc: Download MP3 or Wav file

Notre réservoir d'eau est foutu! Our water reservoir is shot!

 

A Day in a French Life... by Kristin Espinasse

My 16-year-old is acting odd again. The other night he appeared in the kitchen... avec un bouquet de fleurs sauvage!

Max's floral apparition stopped me in my scattered tracks. I stared at the bunch of wildflowers—make that "the bunch with THE wildflower". Turns out Max had uprooted a large green bush which sported a single orange souci. I recognised the bush, which grows—or grew—beside the kids' trampoline. (I quite liked it there, the flower bush; it had served as a modest camouflage to the unsightly jumping apparatus!) 

As clumps of earth fell to the kitchen floor, bursting on contact, I tried to maintain a look of enthusiasm. "Oh... wow... Thank you, Max..." I couldn't help but wonder, to what did I owe this honor? Why, all of a sudden, was my teenager rewarding me? Could he sense the pressure his parents have been under?...

(By the way last time he offered me flowers, he was a toothless 8-year-old, as seen here:)

 

I forced myself to focus on the crumbling cadeau, though I was distracted with concern. It wasn't the uprooting of the buisson camoufleur that upset me. No, my inner turmoil was the result of a recent household calamity: our water tank had just burst, leaving us sans eau. Max's offering came at a comically inconvenient time! Accepting my son's gift meant I would have to give up some of the precious water we had collected, in buckets and containers strewn about our house. I looked over to the comptoir, where 5 bottles of water (a lifesaver from Dirt Diva Malou) came into view. How much would it take to nourish this little fleur and its family of feuilles affamées? And what about our thirsty family? 

In the end I did what any mother would do, and shot from the heart: I shot right over to the dwindling water supply and began to pour out enough eau précieuse to sustain that flower bush. Well, that was my noble plan, anyway. The survivalist in me had other ideas, and I watched, avec tristesse, as she snapped off a portion of the flower bush and tucked it into a small vase—a shot glass, actually—with just enough water to hydrate the little souci flower. Voilà, one less souci...

Max did not appear vexé. I watched as he trotted off, taking the stairs two by two. Before he disappeared into the cage d'escalier, I caught a glimpse of the ear-to-ear smile. He looked satisfied, downright high on that feeling that comes from spontaneous giving.  

My eyes returned to the countertop, over which a sinkful of dishes had stretched.... I looked over to the empty and dry casserole, on the stovetop. Nearby, a box of pasta rested unopened. Now if only our water tank would be as giving as our generous teenager.

Le Coin Commentaires
Did you enjoy today's story? Corrections are always welcome. Do you want to share a household calamity that you survived? Click here to leave a comment.

Word Study: one of the words in today's story has two meanings, both of which were exercised in the essay. This word was also featured in two different posts:

le souci = worry (read the worry story here)

le souci = flower (read the flower story here)

French Vocabulary

le souci = marigold flower

la cage d'escalier = stairwell

... Help! I didn't have time to finish the vocab section, as I had to hurry off to pick-up the kids from school. Would some of you like to find and define the French vocabulary in this story? Please share the words and definitions in the comments box only (no need to send them to me, better to post them for all to see!). Click here to add a word and definition to the comments box.

 

 Time Machine. Chief Grape and I, a handful of years ago (Paris, 2005... at Willy's Wine Bar).

Comments

[Robyn France]

Kristin, your picture above is a great abstract painting--love it. Been in your shoes with no water and it is stressful. I truly hope it can be repaired in a hurry.

[Jens from Copenhagen]

This story about the water tank explains why Jean-Marc was so annoyed the other day (on Facebook) that he wouldn't even have a glass of wine!

[Karen Whitcome (Towson, MD. USA)]

Thank God for our wonderful sons.

I love the opening photo today (as well as the sweet one of Max). It reminds me of another you took in Brignoles (not sure of the spelling) which I have as a screen saver.

Wish I could help with vocabulary but seeing as I thought LE SOUCI meant THE MOUSE .......

[Herm in Phoenix, AZ]

Salut Kristin,

In English, I’ve always used staircase rather than stairwell so I looked it up. Here’s what I found: “Stairs” are the individual steps, “Staircase is the structure that the stairs are built into and “Stairwell is the vertical shaft or opening that the staircase is built into. Adding to the confusion. . . . a “stairway” equals a staircase

I had to stare at that definition awhile before it made sense!

À bientôt

[Lisa @ Tarte du Jour]

What a heart warming little slice of life you shared today! I can relate because my precious little boy is almost 15 now! Where does the time go?! They are always "the little boys avec un bouquet de fleurs sauvage" in our hearts!

[mhwebb in NM, USA]

Is it any wonder that parenthood increases our ability to make rapid decisions?

[Michelle]

cadeau = gift
buisson camoufleur = camouflaging bush
sans eau = without water
comptoir = counter
feuilles affamées = famished (sheets?)
eau précieuse = precious water
avec tristesse = with unhappiness
cage d'escalier = stair well

[Eileen deCamp]

Great post today Kristin! I love the picture of little 8 year old Max, so cute!

[Julie F in St. Louis, MO]

Salut. I would love to know how "marigold" and "concern" are etymologically connected. And I agree with your reaction. A child with flowers in hand trumps practically every crisis. He probably thought this would help make the crisis more bearable, but didn't think ahead to the next step (what teen does?) that his gift requires you to use some of that eau précieuse.

[Bruce in northwest Connecticut]

bouquet de fleurs sauvage = bouquet of wild flowers
souci = marigold flower
cadeau = gift
buisson = bush
buisson camoufleur = camouflaging bush; bush that hides something (in this case, the trampoline)
sans eau = without water
comptoir = counter
feuilles affamées = starving leaves
avec tristesse = with sadness
Voilà = There!
souci = care
cage d'escalier = staircase (unless the Espinasses actually have a stairwell in their house)

[Bruce in northwest Connecticut]

Kristin -

Sorry to hear about the busted cistern. A hurricane and then a blizzard left us without water (or electricity) on two separate occasions in recent months, so I know how rough it is.

You and your family are always welcome over here at our house to fill up your water bottles and take showers or whatever you need to do.

[Karen Brown]

Kristin -

I love the picture of a "little" Max - adorable!!

I love your new book, and I cannot wait for your next book (hopefully there will be a next book) to come out.

[Pamela pamela]

beautiful vignette Kristin..we were w/o water for almost 6 weeks with a burst pipe, washing dishes in the garden ect...gotta have humor or one goes bonkers..

the flowers, since my boy is now 23, i can suggest maybe yours has a
love interest and this i s the offering of your worth and love he has for you. Our boy offered up a rose bush around the same apex..

you are a wonderful instinctive mother and friend..the world glows when you smile I am certain...hope you have water for that pasta now....pamela

[JULES GREER - PUERTO VALLARTA, MEXICO]

HI HONEY,

I HAVE SO MANY BEAUTIFUL MEMORIES OF MAX WHEN HE WAS EIGHT YEARS OLD....WHEN MAX WAS EIGHT I WAS LUCKY TO SPEND ALMOST TWO YEARS IN HIS PRESENCE WHILE I LIVED IN FRANCE.

I REMEMBER WHEN HE USED TO SIT ON MY WINDOWSILL LATE AT NIGHT AND POUR HIS HEART OUT TO ME AS I LAY IN MY BED...

I ALSO REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME HE SLIPPED AWAY FROM HIS HOUSE TO VISIT ME ON HIS BICYCLE WHEN I HAD MOVED INTO MY STUDIO IN THE VILLAGE OF LES ARCS. HE WAS NOT ALLOWED TO RIDE TO THE VILLAGE - BUT HIS HEART TOLD HIM HE NEEDED TO CHECK ON GRANDMA JULES. I COULD HEAR HIS LITTLE VOICE SHOUTING UP TO MY WINDOW, 'GRANDMA ARE YOU O.K. - DO YOU NEED ANYTHING.'

BEFORE I MOVED TO THE VILLAGE I WAS VERY ILL - MAX WOULD SNEAK INTO MY ROOM, BRING A YARD MATTRESS, AND SLEEP BY MY BED AT NIGHT.

WHEN I REMEMBER ALL OF THESE BEAUTIFUL MEMORIES OF MAX - I CRY.

ALL I CAN SAY IS 'THANK YOU GOD' - MY BROKEN HIP AND CANCER MADE ALL OF THESE MEMORIES POSSIBLE.

XOXO

JULES

[leslie]

I am very nervous about using any form of foutre since, as you allude to, I am aware that sometimes it is considered profanity. I just stay away from it. But I am curious, as to your and other readers' take on which uses are acceptable? I think the French and anglophones have very different attitudes toward profanity. An amusing example was when we were visiting our daughter's French in-laws and they were skyeping with their son and telling him about a domestic mishap, to which he sympathetically murmured "merde" several times. My husband and i chuckled trying to imagine our daughter using the English equivalent with us! Highly unlikely, unless the situation was truly horrendous!

[Missy]

Sorry to hear about the water problem.
It is strange how our children can defuse things so easily, I guess they view life a little diferently than we do at times-Thank Heavens!!

OXOX,
Missy

[Rob]

I too was wondering about appropriate vs. inappropriate uses of the word. It seems to have a wide variety of uses that translated into English seem fairly normal.

[Sandra Vann]

Another touching tale to warm our hearts in January. Merci bien! Loved your comments Jules of the warm memories of Max at eight years and the solace and joy he brought to you during your illnesses and recovery. Ahhh...

Kristin, we unfortunately have also experienced having our water turned off from leaking pipes over the years and certainly feel for you and your family. Never an experience or expense one wishes to endure. Bon chance and bon courage!
We have asked if we might purchase Doamine Rouge-Bleu in Colorado. To date it isn't available to our knowledge. Please let us know if that changes.

Hoping to be in France in 2012 at least renting while we continue our search for our town or village and place to call home! Any tips welcome on the visa situation (checking all options here)...a temporary seems doable per 2009 new laws...le carte de sejour, etc. Merci en advance.
Take care. Cheers.

[Millie]

Bonsoir Kristin: That was so sweet of Max to offer his maman chérie the souci d’eau. C’est un innocent sans-souci, did not think water was si précieuse. His toothless photo is so cute.
Your reference to an old anecdote brought back Newforest. Elle me manque. Ses commentaires m’ont tant appris. And for the word “souci”, I suddenly remember the proverb “L’homme ne vit pas cent ans et se fait du souci pour mille” which means l’homme se fait tout le temps du souci”, always worrying. Ça me revient aussi, l’expression “le cadet de mes soucis”, the least of my concerns. My parents used to say “Enfants petits, petits soucis; enfants grandis, grand soucis” (in our native language) to remind us, children, that having children is forever the parents’ concern. I find some truth in it because I constantly think of le bien-être de mes enfants, hoping they are ok.
As for household calamity, I too have lived thru periods of “sans eau” pendant mon long séjour aux Philippines. Each time the power went off, it shut off the water supply as well. T c'était si fréquent. The unbearable heat and the humid weather make you perspire and feel so sticky. You don't wash yourself because water is so scarce. C’était toujours un cauchemar, a nightmare. C’est pour ça qu’on a déménagé, moved to USA.
Your photo of the old rusty wooden door above is so pretty.

[Karen Stoeckley]

After moving into our rented house in Les Arcs, in the Parage, we noticed water on the floor of the kitchen by the sink, and yes, we had a leak in the pipe. Looking everywhere we could think to look we could not find a shut off valve. My husband went to the next level above the house in the olive garden and could not find anything resembling a shut off. But he did discover Tony , a neighbor who did know where the shut off was located...up another level, down a narrow alley and under the terrace of another house behing an old, rusty metal door! We were sans eau for about two days until the plumber could resolve the leak, but Tony and Jacqui have become fast friends and have visited us here in Missouri and we visit them in Les Arc. It was a great trade off, water for friends.

[GwenEllyn, the Brain Geek]

hav

[GwenEllyn, the Brain Geek]

I have always understood 'foutu' to have a much stronger negative meaning. Can anyone help me here?

The comment before was a computer glitch.

[Christine Dashper]

May the water be flowing soon Kristin! I used to have a water tank and running out was always an issue, yes, very stressful!

[JR]

Love Willy's Wine Bar...ooh lala to go to Paris again...

[nadine goodban]

Like all profanities, or non polite vocabulary, the more we use them the less offensive they become. So, for "merde", merdeux, or merdique, they have been used for so long and on so many occasions by so many, that they do not offend the least. "Nous avions un chauffage d'eau merdique". "Nous n'avons pas d'eau", merde alors!
Which would translate by "shook" or "darn" rather than the literal sense...
"Foutu" has almost followed the same pattern. So one would say: j'ai ma foutue pompe à eau qui coule. Or: "le garagiste n'est pas foutu de trouver la pièce qui manque".
"Il est mal foutu": he's not feeling well.
This being said, we just do not use these in polite society and we do not write them either.
Happy to have read your book and distributed several copies to my students!
Hoping to hearing that all's swell and you have regained your sanity, you all !
Bonne chance et oubliez ces petites misères.
nadine, Napa, California

[Marianne Rankin]

I think "bouquet de fleurs sauvage" should be "bouquet de fleurs sauvageS." (More than one flower is wild.)

Yes, we've been without water on occasion, although not for the long periods some above have mentioned. Even with water, we've had restrictions, such as last summer with very high heat and no rain for weeks. I actually bought some gallon jugs of water to try to save a few plants, as watering them with a hose, using the regular water supply, was forbidden; water was to be saved for essentials; we were even urged not to take daily showers.

I treasure everything my son has given me, most recently a beautiful Christmas card with special comments in it. I've saved all his drawings since his first scribbles at age 2, and must eventually go through all his school papers (don't need to save all the math homework, etc.) Things "from people" mean more to me than items I bought myself, though in a few cases I've passed them on to charities, often after taking a picture of them first. It was good that you snapped the photo of Max at 8 years old.

[Sarah LaBelle]

For Midwestern American readers -- what we usually call marigolds, 'true' marigolds, or French marigolds, are a native variety with Latin name tagetes, or tagetes patula.

This is not the 'le souci' of this post, calendula, Latin name, pot marigold, common name in the US.

Odd how we call the flower native to North and South America a "French" marigold! Apparently the hybrids were developed in France.

I am not positive, but what I know as marigold in the US (tagetes patula) may have common name l'œillet d'Inde in France. That is oe together at the start of the word, in case it does not show correctly on all screens. Maybe the Dirt Divas can clear this up.

This wikipedia post explains it a little bit
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tagetes

Images (on google) for tagetes and then for calendula officinalis show the difference in the flowers and the plants.

The marigold tagetes grows easily where I live near Chicago, but calendula is difficult to grow. Seems like calendula /le souci is easy to grow chez Espinasse.

Gardener dreams in January! No plants in bloom here, where temperatures are now below freezing.

[mhwebb in NM, USA]

I know that it is late to post on this particular subject, but I am still wondering if your water returned. Still praying for you.

Blessings,

Mary

[leslie]

Thanks for seconding my question, GwenEllyn and Rob, and for weighing in on foutu, Nadine. I think as non-native speakers, the thing to do is take it in stride when we hear it, but not presume to use it ourselves.

[polarbear]

Bonjour at tous. J'avais toujours crus que la "marigold" etait un "sans-souci". ?? Polarbear.

[gail bingenheimer]

le couloir du temps - "time machine"

[Alice Zaharian]

Hi Kristin,
My name is Alice and I just wanted to let you know that I had come across your book at a library in the Thomas Crane Library and I am enjoying it very much you make learning French very easy. I admire your courage in moving so far from home and making a family for yourself. The experience you are writing about your life is very sweet and humbling. I cant wait to take the time to read thru your website and maybe even send for a bottle of wine of of these days. I love the books you have posted on your site also. I am an avid reader about travel experiences and journeys. Good luck to you and your loving French family.
I love this French saying C'est La Vie is my favorite.

[Marc]

Hi Kristin, parfois I miss not caring about missing teeth! Max's pic so reminds.

Hi Max, my mom kept a picture of the time when I had missing teeth but I was nowhere near as totally cool with it as you! There was no pic of me giving her flowers when she got sick one time--(and they weren't fleures sauvage either, just roses, a fistful of small ones, sold by old ladies in the church plaza when I was waiting for the school jeep to get me back home-- ever heard of l'eternite?)--anyway we put the little roses in the big blue glass that my dad liked to drink his carbonated drink with (I wouldn't say "in").

Were the pipes coppery? It ages differently in comparison to iron (sometimes they look like water-stains, which is like watercolor on acrylic). Maybe you shouldn't be reading yet, as there are really cool things to do with paint in a French cottage!

[janerowena]

Hi! I know I'm way too late with this, but I spent several years in France as a young teenager. I was always told that to use 'foutu' was the equivalent of saying 'It's 'f**ked'! Only to be used in the company of our peers.