Tu ne manques pas d’air !

Ne pas manquer d'air
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Informal French Expression

MeaningYou’ve got some nerve/cheek
LiterallyYou don’t lack air
Registerinformal
PronunciationFrench sound files [tu neu ma(n)k pa dehr]
IPA  [ty nə mãk pa dɛʁ]

Usage notes: The French expression manquer d’air literally means “to lack air":

On manque d’air – il faut ouvrir la fenêtre. It’s stuffy / There’s no air in here – we need to open a window.

Informally, this expression is typically used in the negative, ne pas manquer d’air, to mean "to have nerve/cheek."

Par exemple…

Tu oses revenir après ce que tu as fait ? Tu ne manques pas d’air ! You dare come back after what you did? You’ve got some nerve!
Il ne manque pas d’air, lui ! He’s got some nerve, that guy!

Variation: ne pas manquer de souffle

Synonyms

  • avoir du culot
  • être gonflé
  • ne pas être un dégonflé
  • ne pas manquer d’audace
  • ne pas manquer de culot
  • ne pas manquer de toupet

 Related lessons

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Tu ne manques par d'air

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