Get prepared to discover all the things you want to know about the inspirational proverb "Les grands esprits se rencontrent". More precisely, it includes a full guide of what it mean and how to use it in a normal conversation with an audio example. As well as the useful stuff we sprinkled like synonym, dialogue example, slow pronunciation audio and more!
Translation : Great minds think alike
Literal meaning : Great spirits meet each other
Register : Neutral - Inspirational
Slow
Normal
IPA : / le ɡʁɑ̃z‿ ɛspʁi sə ʁɑ̃kɔ̃tʁ /
It literally means:
This French proverb is taken from a Voltaire's letter in the 18th century. Its authentic formula was "Les beaux esprits se rencontrent" → "Beautiful spirits meet each other".
The word "Esprit" (Spirit) refers to a person and expresses the idea that smart people always find each other, like magnets. It's used often with irony and humor when two people have the same idea simultaneously.
There is a similar proverb in English: "Great minds think alike".
Whenever you have the same thought/idea as someone you are talking with, you can say ironically: "Les grands esprits se rencontrent". It implies that if you are both having this idea, the only explanation is that you are both "great minds".
You can also use it more formally when having a very advanced/philosophical/interesting conversation with someone and want to show how much you enjoy it. In this case, the proverb is a true compliment to your interlocutor for his/her intelligence (and to yourself indirectly, because you are smart enough to be a part of the conversation).
Dialogue
Toi aussi tu as un prix Nobel ?
You won a Nobel prize too?
Oui
Yes
Les grands esprits se rencontrent !
Great spirits meet each other!
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