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The French expression "Je ne suis pas dans mon assiette"

Get prepared to learn all the things you want to know about the basic expression "Je ne suis pas dans mon assiette". To be more specific, it includes a full explanation of what it mean and how you can use it in a casual conversation with an audio example. Not to mention the useful stuff we sprinkled like synonym, dialogue example, slow pronunciation audio and more!


French to English

  • Translation : I don't feel good

  • Literal meaning : I'm not in my plate

  • Register : Informal - Basic

How to pronounce it?

Slow

Normal

  • IPA : / ʒə nə sɥi pa dɑ̃ mɔ̃n- asjɛt /

aesthetic french quote pas dans assiette

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What does it mean exactly?

Definition

What's the link between not feeling well and a plate?

"Assiette" (Plate) comes from the word "Asseoir" (To sit) then "Ne pas être dans son assiette" (To not be in one's plate) in an image for being unable to "sit comfortably". 

When it happens it's causing pain and fatigue, making you "not feeling well".

So if we extended what this expression really means, it would be: "I'm not in my normal disposition and that makes me feel bad."

How to use

You can use it to talk about how you feel: "Je m'en vais, je ne suis pas dans mon assiette aujourd'hui." (I'm leaving, I don't feel well today.)

Or to ask someone about how he/she feels: "Tu vas bien ? Tu n'as pas l'air dans ton assiette." (Are you ok? You don't seem to be in your plate.)

Synonyms / Related

↓ Example in a story with English translation ↓

Finally, let's see an example in a parallel story with slow audio.

Un régime extrême

Extreme diet

Théo et Olivia marchent dans la rue.
Théo and Olivia are walking down the street.
OliviaJe ne sais pas ce qu'il m'arrive...
je ne suis pas dans mon assietteLiterally: I'm not in my plate
.
I don't know what's happening to me... I don't feel good
ThéoOù as-tu mal ?
Where does it hurt?
OliviaMa tête me fait vraiment mal et mon estomac aussi.
My head really hurts and so does my stomach.
ThéoC'est bizarre. Assieds-toi sur ce banc.
This is weird. Sit on this bench.
Ils s'assoient...
They sit down...
ThéoPeut-être que c'est une intoxication alimentaire ou quelque chose comme ça ?
Maybe it's food poisoning or something?
OliviaNon, ça ne peut pas être ça. Je n'ai rien mangé de nouveau...
No, it can't be that. I didn't eat anything new...

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