Vivre au jour le jour

Vivre au jour le jour
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French Expression

Meaning to live hand to mouth; to live from day to day
Literally to live on the day the day
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Pronunciation French sound files [veev roh zhour l(e) zhour]
IPA   [viv ʁo ʒuʁ lə ʒuɾ]

Usage notes: The French expression vivre au jour le jour refers to having only enough money to satisfy one’s immediate needs: to live (from) hand to mouth, to not know where one’s next meal is coming from.

Par exemple…

Depuis que j’ai perdu mon emploi, je vis au jour le jour.   Since I lost my job, I’ve been living hand to mouth.
Il y a trop de gens dans le monde qui vivent au jour le jour.   There are too many people in the world who don’t know where their next meal is coming from.

Synonymous expressions

  • vivre dans la précarité

    informal

  • être à sec
  • être déplumé
  • être désargenté
  • être fauché
  • être sans un sou
     
    familiar
  • être raide
  • être rétamé

 Vivre au jour le jour can also be used to talk about someone who lives for the moment and doesn’t set anything aside for the future (whether or not they can afford to).

Somewhat synonymous

  • vivre l’instant
  • vivre le présent

 Related lessons

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Il vit au jour le jour

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