diminuer les coûts
to reduce costs
Literalmente: to diminish the costs
Use this phrase whenever you need to talk about spending less money strategically.
Em 15 segundos
- Used for reducing expenses in business or personal life.
- A neutral, versatile phrase for any financial context.
- Focuses on making the total cost smaller through strategy.
Significado
This phrase is all about spending less money. It is the go-to way to say you are cutting expenses, whether you are managing a giant corporation or just trying to save on your grocery bill.
Exemplos-chave
3 de 6Managing household bills
On doit diminuer les coûts d'électricité cet hiver.
We need to reduce electricity costs this winter.
At a grocery store
En achetant en vrac, on peut diminuer les coûts alimentaires.
By buying in bulk, we can reduce food costs.
In a professional meeting
L'objectif de ce trimestre est de diminuer les coûts de production.
This quarter's goal is to reduce production costs.
Contexto cultural
The phrase gained significant traction in French media during the economic shifts of the late 20th century. It reflects a shift toward corporate efficiency that has now permeated daily life. Interestingly, the French often prefer the verb 'réduire' in very formal legal documents, while 'diminuer' remains the king of spoken professional French.
The 'ER' Trick
Remember that `diminuer` is a regular verb. If you can conjugate `parler`, you can use this phrase perfectly!
Price vs. Cost
Don't confuse `coût` (what it costs to make/do) with `prix` (what the customer pays). Use `diminuer les coûts` for internal savings.
Em 15 segundos
- Used for reducing expenses in business or personal life.
- A neutral, versatile phrase for any financial context.
- Focuses on making the total cost smaller through strategy.
What It Means
Diminuer les coûts is a very common way to talk about saving money. It literally means to make the costs smaller. You will hear it in boardrooms, but you will also use it when talking to your partner about the rising price of electricity. It is practical and direct. It implies a conscious effort to be more efficient with your wallet.
How To Use It
You use it just like a regular verb phrase. You can say nous devons diminuer les coûts (we must reduce costs). It pairs well with adverbs like considérablement (considerably) or rapidly (rapidement). If you are feeling fancy, you can use it in the infinitive to start a sentence. For example, Diminuer les coûts est notre priorité (Reducing costs is our priority). Just remember to conjugate diminuer like a regular -er verb.
When To Use It
This is a versatile phrase. Use it at work when discussing the quarterly budget. Use it at home when you realize you are subscribed to five different streaming services. It is perfect for any situation involving financial planning. It sounds smart without being overly academic. If you are planning a wedding and the flowers are too expensive, this is your phrase.
When NOT To Use It
Do not use diminuer for things like weight or physical size in a casual way. If you want to say you lost weight, use perdre du poids. Also, avoid using it for abstract emotions. You would not usually say you are "diminishing your sadness." It is mostly for measurable things, especially money. If you are talking about lowering a physical object, use baisser instead.
Cultural Background
In France, there is a strong culture of being "économe" (thrifty). While the French enjoy luxury, they also take pride in "le système D." This is the art of being resourceful and clever with money. Diminuer les coûts is the formal side of this cultural trait. It reflects the post-crisis mindset where efficiency is highly valued in both public and private life. Even the government uses this phrase constantly in the news.
Common Variations
You might also hear réduire les dépenses (reduce expenses). This is almost identical but feels slightly more formal. Another one is faire des économies (to make savings). Use faire des économies when you are talking about your personal piggy bank. Diminuer les coûts sounds a bit more like a strategic calculation. If you want to sound very business-like, try compresser les coûts (to squeeze costs).
Notas de uso
This phrase is safe for all professional and personal interactions. Be careful with the spelling of `coûts`—the circumflex accent on the 'u' is traditional, though modern spelling sometimes omits it.
The 'ER' Trick
Remember that `diminuer` is a regular verb. If you can conjugate `parler`, you can use this phrase perfectly!
Price vs. Cost
Don't confuse `coût` (what it costs to make/do) with `prix` (what the customer pays). Use `diminuer les coûts` for internal savings.
The 'Radin' Factor
French people love talking about saving money, but they hate being called 'radin' (stingy). Use this phrase to sound smart, not cheap!
Exemplos
6On doit diminuer les coûts d'électricité cet hiver.
We need to reduce electricity costs this winter.
A common domestic use for budgeting.
En achetant en vrac, on peut diminuer les coûts alimentaires.
By buying in bulk, we can reduce food costs.
Shows a practical method for saving.
L'objectif de ce trimestre est de diminuer les coûts de production.
This quarter's goal is to reduce production costs.
Standard business terminology.
On annule Netflix pour diminuer les coûts ?
Should we cancel Netflix to cut costs?
Very common in modern shared living situations.
Ma stratégie pour diminuer les coûts ? Arrêter de manger !
My strategy to reduce costs? Stop eating!
Using hyperbole for a joke about being broke.
C'est difficile de diminuer les coûts sans inviter moins de gens.
It's hard to reduce costs without inviting fewer people.
Expressing a difficult financial trade-off.
Teste-se
Choose the correct verb to complete the phrase about saving money.
Pour voyager plus souvent, je dois ___ mes coûts fixes.
`Diminuer` is the only verb here that means to reduce or make smaller.
Complete the sentence in a business context.
L'entreprise cherche des solutions pour diminuer les ___.
While `prix` (prices) works, `coûts` (costs) is the standard collocation with `diminuer` in business.
🎉 Pontuação: /2
Recursos visuais
Formality of 'Diminuer les coûts'
Faire des économies (Saving pennies)
Je fais des économies.
Diminuer les coûts (Standard use)
On diminue les coûts.
Réduire les charges (Cutting overhead)
Il faut réduire les charges.
Where to use 'Diminuer les coûts'
Office Meeting
Reducing project expenses.
Kitchen Table
Cutting the grocery budget.
Travel Planning
Finding cheaper flights.
News Report
Discussing national debt.
Perguntas frequentes
10 perguntasIt is neutral to slightly formal. You can use it with your boss or your best friend without sounding weird.
Yes, réduire les coûts is a perfect synonym. It is actually used just as often in professional settings.
You would say faire gaffe aux dépenses or simply faire des économies.
Usually, yes. While diminuer can apply to volume or intensity, les coûts specifically refers to financial expenses.
The opposite is augmenter les coûts (to increase costs). Hopefully, you won't have to use that one too often!
No, for calories, you would say réduire les calories. Coûts is strictly for the wallet.
In this expression, yes, it is almost always plural because you are usually cutting multiple types of expenses.
Not exactly for the whole phrase, but you might hear serrer la ceinture (tighten the belt) which implies the same goal.
It is better to say gagner du temps (save time) or réduire les délais (reduce delays) rather than using 'coûts'.
The 's' and 't' are silent. It sounds exactly like the word 'cou' (neck). Just a short 'koo' sound!
Frases relacionadas
faire des économies
réduire les dépenses
serrer la ceinture
optimiser le budget
couper dans le budget
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