Et patati et patata

Et patati et patata
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Informal French Expression

Meaning and so on, blah blah blah, yada yada
Register informal
Pronunciation French sound files [ay pah tah tee ay pah tah tah]
IPA   [e pa ta ti e pa ta ta]

Usage notes: Et patati et patata is an informal – and kind of fun – way to say that someone is running off at the mouth (talking a lot). It’s more of an interjection than an idiom, as it comes from patatin, patata, an onomatopoeia of patte (the leg of an animal), imitating the sound of a horse galloping.

Par exemple…

Selon Marc, je suis censé faire les achats, aller à la poste, laver la voiture, et patati et patata.   According to Marc, I’m supposed to go shopping, go to the post office, wash the car, and so on and so forth.
– Où est-il ? Qu’est-ce qu’il fait ? Pourquoi n’a-t-il pas téléphoné ?
– Et patati et patata ! Calme-toi, je suis sûr qu’il va bientôt arriver.
  – Where is he? What’s he doing? Why hasn’t he called?
– Blah blah blah! Calm down, I’m sure he’ll arrive soon.

Variations

  • patati, patata
  • et patati ! et patata !

Somewhat synonymous

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Et patati et patata

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