mint Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 Said to mean an unwanted extra third when 2 people are getting to know each other rather well.So, is there something in French that you say to give the same meaning?Nothing rude, mind, just something light-hearted and preferably amusing!C'est pas grande chose, I only want to tease a friend and to use it as an excuse for not turning up on occasion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loiseau Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 Never come across it, mint, but I googled the phrase out of curiosity and came up with"tenir la chandelle à qn"Angela Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted July 31, 2016 Author Share Posted July 31, 2016 Hold a candle to someone sounds like YOU are the one who wants to get friendly and not the one who doesn't want to intrude?[:D]So what do you say when you want to be alone with the banane and someone turns up uninvited?[:P] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted July 31, 2016 Author Share Posted July 31, 2016 Apologies, Angela, it is as you say: etre seul au milieu d'un couple...............I presume you hold the candle when perhaps the other two would rather be in the dark?[:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loiseau Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 Exactement, chère menthe !And if someone wanted to shed light on me and the banana, I would blow them a raspberry! (Reminds me of that wonderful Ronnie Corbett sketch!)https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kAG39jKi0lIAngela Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre ZFP Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 This is a well timed thread.I will be explaining to a friend why I will not be using my own place in the upcoming long weekend as my son and his girlfriend have bagged it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loiseau Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 MDR, Pierre! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted August 1, 2016 Author Share Posted August 1, 2016 Better still, Pierre, you could always say je veux pas etre la groseille?[:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre ZFP Posted August 1, 2016 Share Posted August 1, 2016 I think I'll stick with something they are likely to know rather than get into long and involved explanations.I still remember the 'Raining cats and dogs' incident [:-))] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted August 1, 2016 Author Share Posted August 1, 2016 [quote user="Loiseau"]MDR, Pierre![/quote]Sorry, Pierre, it's that Loiseau's fault, she incites me to naughtiness! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted August 2, 2016 Author Share Posted August 2, 2016 Angela, the phrase is "good" as my friend understood it.We go nordic walking together sometimes, just the 2 of us and we act like a pair of children, seeing who could go quicker for longer, running, laughing our heads off.Recently, she has been going off on her own with a chap who is indeed very good-looking and has very good legs now it's warm and he wears shorts so we could surreptitiously admire them.This morning she rang me and asked me to go for a walk. I wasn't sure if M. Belles Jambs was coming as well so I said je ne veux pas tenir la chandelle and Pascale, my friend, laughed her head off so the meaning must indeed be evident.Nice little phrase really when you think about it and easy to remember. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loiseau Posted August 3, 2016 Share Posted August 3, 2016 Ooooh, good, mint!Now I shall have to find a pretext to use it myself and see if it enjoys the same success!??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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