l' frais inconvénient
a frais disadvantage
بهطور تحتاللفظی: the true disadvantage
Use it to point out the one significant 'but' in an otherwise good situation.
در ۱۵ ثانیه
- The 'real catch' or main downside of a situation.
- Used to pivot from positive points to a specific negative.
- Essential for balanced, honest evaluations in French conversation.
معنی
This phrase refers to the 'real catch' or the main downside of a situation. It’s that one specific negative point that makes you hesitate, even if everything else seems perfect.
مثالهای کلیدی
3 از 7Discussing a potential apartment
L'appartement est magnifique, mais le vrai inconvénient, c'est le bruit de la rue.
The apartment is beautiful, but the real disadvantage is the street noise.
Evaluating a new job offer
Le salaire est bon, mais le vrai inconvénient est le temps de trajet.
The salary is good, but the real drawback is the commute time.
Texting a friend about a party
La fête est top ! Le vrai inconvénient ? Il n'y a plus de pizza.
The party is great! The real downside? There's no more pizza.
زمینه فرهنگی
The French often use 'inconvénient' as a softer way to criticize something without being overly aggressive. It stems from a cultural preference for analytical thinking and 'le juste milieu' (the happy medium). In the 17th century, French salons popularized the art of conversation where weighing pros and cons was a social skill, a tradition that survives today in everyday debates over coffee.
The 'Oui, mais' trick
In France, starting a sentence with 'Oui, mais...' followed by 'le vrai inconvénient' makes you sound like a local expert. It shows you aren't easily fooled by appearances.
Spelling Trap
Be careful with the spelling of `inconvénient`. It ends in '-ent' but the related adjective is `incommode`. Don't let the 't' at the end trip you up!
در ۱۵ ثانیه
- The 'real catch' or main downside of a situation.
- Used to pivot from positive points to a specific negative.
- Essential for balanced, honest evaluations in French conversation.
What It Means
Think of le vrai inconvénient as the "but" in every sentence. You know when you find a perfect apartment, but it’s on the sixth floor without an elevator? That elevator situation is the vrai inconvénient. It’s not just any small problem; it’s the one that actually matters. In English, we might call it the "real drawback," the "main snag," or simply "the catch." It’s the fly in the ointment that keeps a good deal from being a great one.
How To Use It
You’ll almost always see this phrase following a list of positive attributes. You start by praising something, then you drop the hammer with mais le vrai inconvénient, c'est.... It acts as a pivot point in a conversation. It’s grammatically simple: use it as a noun phrase. You can say c'est le vrai inconvénient (it is the real disadvantage) or le vrai inconvénient de [quelque chose] (the real disadvantage of [something]). It’s a very versatile tool for being honest without being entirely negative.
When To Use It
This is your go-to phrase for balanced critiques. Use it when you're giving a friend advice on a purchase, like a new phone or a car. It’s perfect for professional settings too, like when you’re evaluating a business proposal but need to point out a logistical flaw. You’ll hear it at restaurants (the food is great, but the wait is the vrai inconvénient), in real estate, and even in dating. It’s for those moments when you need to be the voice of reason.
When NOT To Use It
Don't use this for total disasters. If a situation is 100% bad, calling it an inconvénient sounds like a massive understatement. If your house is on fire, that's not a vrai inconvénient; that's a catastrophe. Also, avoid using it for very trivial things that don't actually affect the outcome. If your coffee is 2 degrees too cold, calling it the vrai inconvénient of your morning might make you sound a bit dramatic—unless you’re leaning into the humor of it!
Cultural Background
French culture places a high value on the "esprit critique" (critical spirit). It’s rarely seen as rude to point out a flaw; in fact, it’s often seen as a sign of intelligence and honesty. The French love the "Oui, mais..." (Yes, but...) structure of debate. By using le vrai inconvénient, you’re participating in this cultural tradition of nuanced evaluation. It shows you’ve thought deeply about the subject rather than just accepting it at face value. It’s the linguistic equivalent of a shrug and a thoughtful pout.
Common Variations
You might hear le gros inconvénient (the big disadvantage) if the problem is particularly annoying. If there is only one problem, people say le seul inconvénient (the only disadvantage). In more casual slang, a younger person might say le seul bémol, which literally refers to a flat note in music but means the same thing—the one part that’s slightly off. For something more formal, you might see l'inconvénient majeur (the major disadvantage) in a report or newspaper article.
نکات کاربردی
The phrase is neutral and fits almost any context. Just remember that 'inconvénient' is masculine, so it's always 'le' or 'un'.
The 'Oui, mais' trick
In France, starting a sentence with 'Oui, mais...' followed by 'le vrai inconvénient' makes you sound like a local expert. It shows you aren't easily fooled by appearances.
Spelling Trap
Be careful with the spelling of `inconvénient`. It ends in '-ent' but the related adjective is `incommode`. Don't let the 't' at the end trip you up!
The Art of the Shrug
When saying this phrase, a slight 'Gallic Shrug' (shoulders up, palms out) adds 50% more authenticity to your French persona.
مثالها
7L'appartement est magnifique, mais le vrai inconvénient, c'est le bruit de la rue.
The apartment is beautiful, but the real disadvantage is the street noise.
A classic use case where a major flaw is identified after praise.
Le salaire est bon, mais le vrai inconvénient est le temps de trajet.
The salary is good, but the real drawback is the commute time.
Used here to weigh professional pros and cons.
La fête est top ! Le vrai inconvénient ? Il n'y a plus de pizza.
The party is great! The real downside? There's no more pizza.
Using the phrase for a lighthearted, relatable 'tragedy'.
C'est un super téléphone, le vrai inconvénient est que la batterie ne tient pas.
It's a great phone; the real catch is that the battery doesn't last.
Focusing on a technical flaw.
Cette stratégie est innovante, cependant, le vrai inconvénient reste son coût élevé.
This strategy is innovative; however, the real disadvantage remains its high cost.
Using 'cependant' (however) to make the sentence feel more formal.
Il est parfait, mais le vrai inconvénient, c'est qu'il déteste les chiens !
He's perfect, but the real deal-breaker is that he hates dogs!
Using the phrase to describe a personal preference as a major flaw.
Vivre à Paris est un rêve, mais le vrai inconvénient est d'être loin de ma famille.
Living in Paris is a dream, but the real downside is being far from my family.
Expressing a heartfelt trade-off.
خودت رو بسنج
Complete the sentence to express the main downside of a cheap hotel.
L'hôtel n'est pas cher, mais le ___ inconvénient est qu'il n'y a pas de douche.
`Vrai` (true/real) is the correct adjective to pair with `inconvénient` to mean 'the real drawback'.
Choose the correct article for the phrase.
___ vrai inconvénient de ce projet est le manque de temps.
`Inconvénient` is a masculine noun, so it takes the article `Le`.
🎉 امتیاز: /2
ابزارهای بصری یادگیری
Ways to say 'The Downside'
Le petit bémol
The little flat note/snag
Le vrai inconvénient
The real drawback
L'inconvénient majeur
The major disadvantage
Le préjudice
The detriment/harm
When to use 'Le Vrai Inconvénient'
Buying a used car
It runs well but has high mileage.
Choosing a restaurant
The food is 5-star but it's very expensive.
Planning a vacation
The beach is empty but it's hard to get to.
Job hunting
The role is great but the office is far.
سوالات متداول
10 سوالYes, they are very similar. However, inconvénient is much more common in daily French conversation than 'disadvantage' is in English. It often translates better as 'drawback' or 'downside'.
Yes! Use le when there is one specific main problem, and un when you are just listing one of many. For example: C'est un vrai inconvénient (It is a real disadvantage).
Absolutely. It is neutral and professional. It shows you are thinking critically about a situation, which is usually valued in French workplaces.
It's a bit of a mouthful! Break it down: in-con-vé-ni-ent. The 'en' at the end is a nasal vowel, similar to the 'an' in 'pendant'.
The opposite would be le vrai avantage (the real advantage) or le point fort (the strong point).
You can, but be careful. Saying son vrai inconvénient est... sounds a bit like you're reviewing a product. It's better to say son seul défaut (his/her only flaw).
Most likely! Frais means 'fresh' or 'costs'. While les frais (the costs) can be an inconvénient, the phrase le vrai inconvénient is the standard expression for 'the real drawback'.
Yes, it's very common in texts. You can even shorten it to 'L'inconvénient c'est...' to save time.
No, you can use other adjectives like gros (big), majeur (major), or seul (only). Vrai just adds emphasis that you've found the 'actual' problem.
It's used equally in both. You'll find it in newspaper reviews and hear it in casual chats at the market.
عبارات مرتبط
le seul bémol
le point noir
l'envers du décor
un mal pour un bien
le revers de la médaille
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