jeter le échec
to jeter the failure
Wörtlich: to throw the failure
Use this only if you want to sound poetic about leaving a mistake behind you forever.
In 15 Sekunden
- A literal way to say you are discarding a mistake.
- Not a standard idiom; use 'jeter l'éponge' for natural speech.
- Conveys a sense of moving on and starting fresh.
Bedeutung
This phrase isn't actually a standard French expression; it seems to be a literal translation of 'throwing the failure' or 'admitting defeat'. In real French, you would likely say 'avouer l'échec' or 'jeter l'éponge' to mean giving up.
Wichtige Beispiele
3 von 6Talking about a failed relationship
Après trois mois, j'ai décidé de jeter l'échec.
After three months, I decided to throw the failure away.
Discussing a bad grade with a classmate
Allez, on jette l'échec et on va prendre un café !
Come on, let's toss this failure and go get a coffee!
Reflecting on a failed business venture
Il est temps de jeter l'échec pour mieux recommencer.
It is time to throw the failure away to start over better.
Kultureller Hintergrund
The concept of 'throwing' a failure is not native to French idiom, which usually prefers 'swallowing' or 'admitting' it. It likely stems from a literal translation of English sports metaphors. In France, the more iconic 'jeter l'éponge' comes from the world of boxing.
Not a Native Idiom
Be careful! A French person will understand you, but they will likely correct you to `jeter l'éponge`.
The Sponge Factor
In France, 'throwing the sponge' (`jeter l'éponge`) is the standard way to say you give up. It comes from boxing!
In 15 Sekunden
- A literal way to say you are discarding a mistake.
- Not a standard idiom; use 'jeter l'éponge' for natural speech.
- Conveys a sense of moving on and starting fresh.
What It Means
Imagine you are playing a game and things go wrong. You want to toss the whole mess away. While jeter means to throw and échec means failure, this specific combination is rare. It sounds like you are literally discarding a mistake. Most French speakers would use jeter l'éponge (throw in the towel) instead. It implies a moment of surrender or finality.
How To Use It
You would use it as a verb phrase. You conjugate jeter based on who is doing the 'throwing'. For example, Je jette l'échec (I am throwing away the failure). It functions like a standard -er verb in the present tense. Just remember that it sounds a bit poetic or translated. It is not something you will hear in every café.
When To Use It
Use it when you want to be dramatic about moving on. Maybe you failed a test and want to forget it. It works when you are talking about a clean slate. It feels very final and decisive. You are essentially saying 'I am done with this losing streak'.
When NOT To Use It
Do not use this in a professional business meeting. Your boss might look at you very confused. Avoid it if you want to sound like a native speaker. Instead, use échouer (to fail) or abandonner (to give up). It is too clunky for a quick text to a friend. Stick to simpler terms for daily chores.
Cultural Background
In France, failure is often seen as something to be analyzed. The French school system is quite rigorous about mistakes. Using a phrase like this suggests a very modern, almost 'American' attitude. It is the idea of 'failing fast' and moving on quickly. It reflects a shift toward a more resilient, startup-style mindset.
Common Variations
The most common real-world variation is jeter l'éponge. Another one is admettre son échec (to admit one's failure). You might also hear tourner la page (to turn the page). These are much more natural in conversation. If you say jeter l'échec, people will understand you, but they will know you are still learning!
Nutzungshinweise
This phrase is a non-standard collocation. Use it only in very casual settings where you are experimenting with the language. Always remember to elide the article to `l'échec`.
Not a Native Idiom
Be careful! A French person will understand you, but they will likely correct you to `jeter l'éponge`.
The Sponge Factor
In France, 'throwing the sponge' (`jeter l'éponge`) is the standard way to say you give up. It comes from boxing!
Pronunciation Trick
Remember that in `jeter`, the 't' doubles in some forms like `je jette`, making it sound punchier.
Beispiele
6Après trois mois, j'ai décidé de jeter l'échec.
After three months, I decided to throw the failure away.
Used here to mean moving on from a bad romance.
Allez, on jette l'échec et on va prendre un café !
Come on, let's toss this failure and go get a coffee!
A friendly way to encourage a friend to stop worrying.
Il est temps de jeter l'échec pour mieux recommencer.
It is time to throw the failure away to start over better.
Used in a motivational, self-help context.
J'ai brûlé le poulet... je jette l'échec et je commande une pizza.
I burnt the chicken... I'm tossing the failure and ordering pizza.
A lighthearted way to handle a small domestic disaster.
Je ne veux plus y penser, je jette l'échec.
I don't want to think about it anymore, I'm throwing the failure away.
Reflects a personal decision to stop ruminating.
Ne garde pas ça en toi, jette l'échec !
Don't keep that inside, throw the failure away!
A command to let go of a loss and focus on the next game.
Teste dich selbst
Choose the correct verb form to complete the sentence.
Nous ___ l'échec et nous essayons encore.
Since the subject is 'Nous', you must use the 'ons' ending for the verb 'jeter'.
Which noun completes the phrase to mean 'throwing the failure'?
Je vais jeter l'___.
'Échec' means failure, which completes the specific (though non-standard) phrase.
🎉 Ergebnis: /2
Visuelle Lernhilfen
Formality of 'Jeter l'échec'
Too wordy for street slang.
N/A
Used among friends to be dramatic.
Je jette l'échec !
Avoid this; use 'admettre l'échec'.
Nous admettons l'échec.
Where to use 'Jeter l'échec'
After a bad date
Forget him!
Burnt cooking
Order pizza instead.
Lost a game
Ready for round 2.
Failed exam
Study harder next time.
Häufig gestellte Fragen
10 FragenNot quite. Because échec starts with a vowel, it should be l'échec. You would say jeter l'échec.
Rarely. It sounds like a direct translation from English. Most would say oublier l'échec (forget the failure).
No, it is too informal and sounds like incorrect French. Use tirer les leçons d'un échec (to learn from a failure) instead.
Échec is a failure or lack of success, while faute is a mistake or an error you made.
It's an -er verb, but the 't' doubles: je jette, tu jettes, il jette, nous jetons, vous jetez, ils jettent.
The most common idiom is jeter l'éponge, which literally means 'to throw the sponge'.
No, it's more of a 'translation error' or a poetic attempt at expression rather than established slang.
Yes, if you lost a match, you could say it to mean you are moving on, but digérer la défaite (digesting the defeat) is more common.
Yes! Les échecs is the game of chess. An échec is also a 'check' in the game.
It is always l'échec because of the vowel 'é'. Saying le échec is a common beginner mistake.
Verwandte Redewendungen
jeter l'éponge
admettre la défaite
tourner la page
repartir à zéro
faire table rase
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