This site uses cookies. Some of these cookies are essential to the operation of the site, while others help to improve your experience by providing insights into how the site is being used. For more information, please see the ProZ.com privacy policy.
Cookie settings
  1. KudoZ™ Top
  2. English to French
  3. Business/Commerce (general)

letting ourselves off the hook

French translation: cela n'est qu'une excuse

13:18 Nov 9, 2013
English to French translations [PRO]
Marketing - Business/Commerce (general)
English term or phrase: letting ourselves off the hook
DON’T SAY:
“We’re not a boutique”
Because that’s just us letting ourselves off
the hook; customers aren’t comparing us to boutiques but they are comparing us to High St Fashion retailers

I don't think I understand
Nathalie Reis
Local time: 01:06
French translation:cela n'est qu'une excuse
Explanation:
pas génial, mais je chercherai plutôt dans ce sens-ci
Selected response from:

EvaVer (X)
Local time: 02:06
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +5cela n'est qu'une excuse
EvaVer (X)
4 +1nous défiler trop aisément
Dalphina
4se tromper de problématique
jmleger
4cela nous permet de nous tirer d'affaire
Marcombes (X)
4ça revient à nous leurrer nous-même
Daryo
3ce n'est qu'une pirouette
polyglot45


  

Answers


28 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
se tromper de problématique


Explanation:
par ex.

jmleger
Local time: 19:06
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 37
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

40 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
cela nous permet de nous tirer d'affaire


Explanation:
'

Marcombes (X)
France
Local time: 02:06
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 28

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Renate Radziwill-Rall
1 hr
  ->  Thanks Renate!
disagree  Daryo: au contraire: cela semble seulement nous tirer d'affaire//the difference between day and night is splitting hair? Sure, when you get to a sufficient level of abstraction everything becomes the same, but that's no longer translating...
11 hrs
  ->  you're just splitting hairs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
ce n'est qu'une pirouette


Explanation:
et on peut toujours essayer de se tirer d'affaire grâce à des pirouettes mais cela ne règle pas le problème

polyglot45
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 280
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +5
cela n'est qu'une excuse


Explanation:
pas génial, mais je chercherai plutôt dans ce sens-ci

EvaVer (X)
Local time: 02:06
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in CzechCzech, Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 8
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Jocelyne Cuenin: ce n'est qu'une excuse, une manière de se défausser
1 hr
agree  Jerome Carrette (X)
2 hrs
agree  Emmanuella
3 hrs
agree  C. Tougas
4 hrs
agree  Daryo: may not be the most elegant, but the right meaning for sure
10 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

12 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
ça revient à nous leurrer nous-même


Explanation:

à refuser de voir les faits

à nous débiner
...

Daryo
United Kingdom
Local time: 01:07
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in SerbianSerbian, Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 169
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 day 1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
nous défiler trop aisément


Explanation:
trouver un échappatoire, refuser de voir la vérité en face

Dalphina
France
Local time: 02:07
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Daryo
4 days
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.

Return to KudoZ list

KudoZ™ translation help

The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.

See also:
ProZ.com term search
Search millions of term translations
Close search
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search