Final French translations for Giovanni’s Room

Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin

Eh bien, t’embrasse pas ta femme?: Well, don’t you kiss your wife?

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tout de suite, “That’s French for pronto.”: at once

“‘Tiens’, he cried. ‘Here you are!’”: = “Here’s” shorthand/slang

“Je suis ravi, mademoiselle”—Jacques v. “Enchanté, mademoiselle”—Giovanni p. 128 and p. 129:

Interestingly, Giovanni’s response was appropriate—he said “Nice to meet you, ma’am”, appropriately and politely. Jacques said “I am delighted, ma’am”, but in the way you would say you are delighted by a present or a good meal; it‘s a rude greeting to a person, especially a new person.

Tu n’est pas chic du tout.: You aren’t chic at all. (stylish, cool, etc.)

À tout à l’heure: see you later

À la prochaine: see you next time

Qui est là?: Who is there?

Chéri. Mon très cher.: Darling. My dear.

Bon: in context p. 142–slang (usu. means “good/well”) here is a sarcastic “well” or “well, then”

Un séparation de corps v. divorce: p. 143: literally translated as a separation of bodies; a formal marital separation

Conversation with policeman, p. 145:

• Ça va?: You okay?
• Toujours.: Always.
• C’est ça.: That’s it.

Carte d’identité: basically, one’s passport/identification that allows one to move freely

Les goûts particulars: referring to people, means the special tastes—in this context, it’s used pejoratively, at the very least like that scene in St. Elmo’s Fire where every scary word is whispered. Like those people.

Débrouillard: resourceful

Le jeune Américain: the young American guy

You can find the two previous installments of French for James Baldwin’s novel Giovanni’s Room here in my Substack posts. I hope I have helped with the play on words, slurs, and such subtleties. It’s been fun!

There Might Be Cupcakes Podcast is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.