La nuit porte conseil

La nuit porte conseil
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French Proverb

Meaning (Let’s) sleep on it
Literally The night bears advice
Register normal
Pronunciation [lah nwee puhrt(eu) ko(n) sehy]
IPA   [la nwi pɔʁtə kɔ̃ sej]

Usage notes: In English, we recommend "sleeping on" seemingly insurmountable problems in the hopes of getting some new perspective upon waking, and the French equivalent suggests a similar result from a slightly different point of view.

La nuit porte conseil is a proverbial suggestion that the night (that you spend asleep) will bring much-needed advice the next morning.

Par exemple…

– J’hésite entre ces deux possibilités.
– La nuit porte conseil.
  – I can’t decide between these two possibilities.
– Sleep on it.
Le choix n’est pas évident, mais la nuit porte conseil : prendrons une décision demain.   The choice isn’t clear, so let’s sleep on it and make a decision tomorrow.

Synonymous expressions

  • attendre le lendemain pour (décider / prendre une décision)
  • Il faut que j’attende / nous attendions demain pour …
  • On verra / Nous verrons demain.

Related expressions

  • demander conseil (à quelqu’un) – to ask (someone) for advice
  • être de bon conseil – to give good advice (be a person who gives good advice)
  • faire quelque chose sur le conseil de quelqu’un – to do something on someone’s advice
  • prendre conseil de quelqu’un – to take someone’s advice
  • suivre les conseil de quelqu’un – to follow someone’s advice

 Related lessons

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French proverb - la nuit porte conseil

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