passer par profits et pertes
To be busy
Literalmente: To pass by profits and losses
Use this to show you're moving on from a negative event by 'writing it off' like an accountant.
En 15 segundos
- To write something off as a loss.
- Deciding to move on from a mistake or debt.
- Closing the book on a negative situation or conflict.
Significado
This phrase actually means to write something off or move on from a loss. It is about deciding that a mistake or a debt isn't worth the trouble anymore.
Ejemplos clave
3 de 6Forgiving a small debt from a friend
Oublie les 20 euros que je t'ai prêtés, je les ai passés par profits et pertes.
Forget the 20 euros I lent you, I've written them off.
Moving on from a failed business pitch
Le client a refusé l'offre, passons cela par profits et pertes et avançons.
The client refused the offer; let's write it off and move forward.
Ending a long-standing argument
On ne sera jamais d'accord, alors passons cette dispute par profits et pertes.
We'll never agree, so let's just write this argument off.
Contexto cultural
Originating from double-entry bookkeeping in the 1800s, this phrase reflects the French penchant for using administrative or legal metaphors in daily life. It highlights a cultural value of pragmatism over lingering sentimentality in business and social disputes.
The Stoic Secret
Using this phrase makes you sound very emotionally intelligent. It shows you don't sweat the small stuff.
Not for 'Busy'
Don't confuse this with being busy! If you say this to mean you have a lot of work, people will think you are losing money.
En 15 segundos
- To write something off as a loss.
- Deciding to move on from a mistake or debt.
- Closing the book on a negative situation or conflict.
What It Means
Imagine you are an accountant. You have a column for money coming in and one for money lost. When you use passer par profits et pertes, you are literally moving a bad situation into the 'loss' column. You are deciding to stop worrying about it. It is about letting go of a grudge, a debt, or a failure. You recognize the damage but choose to move forward anyway. It is the ultimate 'it is what it is' for French speakers.
How To Use It
You use this phrase when you want to signal an end to a conflict. It functions like a verb phrase in your sentence. You can apply it to a business deal gone wrong. You can also use it for a friendship that hit a rocky patch. Just conjugate passer to match your subject. For example, J'ai passé cette dispute par profits et pertes. It sounds sophisticated and decisive. It shows you are in control of your emotions and your business.
When To Use It
Use it when a friend owes you ten euros but you know they are broke. Use it after a project at work fails and you need to pivot. It is perfect for those 'clean slate' moments. It works well in professional meetings to sound pragmatic. It also works in deep conversations with friends about past mistakes. It implies a certain level of maturity. You aren't forgetting, but you are definitely moving on.
When NOT To Use It
Do not use this for something you are still actively angry about. If you are still shouting, you haven't passed it anywhere yet! Avoid using it for very tragic personal losses, like a death. That would sound cold and robotic. It is also not a synonym for 'I am busy' (that is a common mistranslation). It is about the act of writing something off. Don't use it for small, happy things either. It needs a 'loss' to make sense.
Cultural Background
This expression comes straight from the world of 19th-century accounting. French culture values intellectual rigor and clear bookkeeping. By using a financial metaphor for life, you sound like a rational person. It reflects a French stoicism. Life has its 'profits' and its 'losses.' A wise person knows how to balance the books. It became popular as the middle class grew in France. It turned a cold business practice into a philosophical life lesson.
Common Variations
You might hear passer quelque chose au compte des profits et pertes. This is a bit more formal and wordy. Some people might simply say C'est passé en profits et pertes. This version focuses on the event rather than the person doing the writing off. Both versions carry the same weight. They both suggest that the chapter is officially closed. No more talking, no more complaining, just a clean ledger.
Notas de uso
This phrase sits in the 'neutral' register. It is sophisticated enough for business but common enough for home. Avoid using it for major life tragedies as it can sound dismissive.
The Stoic Secret
Using this phrase makes you sound very emotionally intelligent. It shows you don't sweat the small stuff.
Not for 'Busy'
Don't confuse this with being busy! If you say this to mean you have a lot of work, people will think you are losing money.
The Accountant's Soul
French people love using 'comptable' (accounting) terms for life. It's a way to make messy emotions feel organized.
Ejemplos
6Oublie les 20 euros que je t'ai prêtés, je les ai passés par profits et pertes.
Forget the 20 euros I lent you, I've written them off.
Shows the speaker cares more about the friendship than the money.
Le client a refusé l'offre, passons cela par profits et pertes et avançons.
The client refused the offer; let's write it off and move forward.
Professional way to tell a team to stop dwelling on failure.
On ne sera jamais d'accord, alors passons cette dispute par profits et pertes.
We'll never agree, so let's just write this argument off.
A mature way to agree to disagree.
La SNCF refuse de me rembourser... Allez, je le passe par profits et pertes.
The train company won't refund me... Oh well, I'm writing it off.
Expresses a sense of 'it's not worth the fight'.
Le rôti est carbonisé ! On va passer ce repas par profits et pertes et commander une pizza.
The roast is charred! Let's write this meal off and order a pizza.
Uses a formal accounting term for a silly domestic fail.
Cette année a été difficile, mais il faut savoir passer ses échecs par profits et pertes.
This year was hard, but you have to know how to write off your failures.
Deeply reflective and resilient tone.
Ponte a prueba
Choose the correct verb to complete the expression.
Il a décidé de ___ ses vieilles rancunes par profits et pertes.
The idiom is always used with the verb 'passer' (to pass).
Which situation best fits this phrase?
Si j'ai perdu mes clés et que je ne peux plus les retrouver, je peux dire que je les ai ___.
When you accept a loss you cannot recover, you 'pass it through profits and losses'.
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Formality of 'Passer par profits et pertes'
Used with friends about small favors.
Laisse tomber les 5 euros.
Standard usage for life hurdles.
Je passe cet incident par profits et pertes.
Professional setting for failed projects.
Nous passerons ce déficit par profits et pertes.
When to Write it Off
Unpaid Debt
A friend forgets a loan.
Bad Date
A night out that went poorly.
Work Error
A typo in a printed brochure.
Lost Item
Dropping a coin in the sewer.
Preguntas frecuentes
10 preguntasNo, that is a common error. It means to write something off as a loss, like J'ai passé ce projet par profits et pertes.
Yes, but it's harsh. It implies you are cutting them out of your life entirely, like J'ai passé notre amitié par profits et pertes.
Not at all! You can use it for time, energy, arguments, or even a bad vacation.
Just like the regular verb passer. In the past, it's J'ai passé or C'est passé.
It's a bit classic, but still very common in offices and among adults. It's not 'slang' but it's not 'ancient' either.
The closest matches are 'to write it off,' 'to chalk it up to experience,' or 'to kiss it goodbye'.
Absolutely. If a friend cancels on you, you could reply: Pas grave, je le passe par profits et pertes !
It is neutral to slightly formal. It's safe for a boss but sounds natural with a spouse too.
It sounds pragmatic. It acknowledges a negative event but focuses on the positive action of moving on.
Forgetting the 'par'. You must say passer PAR profits et pertes for it to make sense.
Frases relacionadas
Faire une croix sur
Tourner la page
Laisser tomber
Passer l'éponge
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