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  3. Cooking / Culinary

s'envoyer une bouillabaisse

English translation: treat himself/herself to a bouillabaise

15:04 Apr 16, 2009
French to English translations [PRO]
Cooking / Culinary
French term or phrase: s'envoyer une bouillabaisse
"X décida d'aller s'envoyer une Bouillabaisse chez Y pour se consoler de ne pas avoir eu la Palme d'Or." Il s'agit d'un article sur le festival de Cannes.
Merci pour vos suggestions pour "s'envoyer" !
chrisnkls
Local time: 01:22
English translation:treat himself/herself to a bouillabaise
Explanation:
Nothing wrong with the other suggestions. This particular expression emphasizes the pleasurable aspect of eating the bouillabaise, so it might work in your context.
Selected response from:

roneill
United States
Local time: 15:22
Grading comment
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +11treat himself/herself to a bouillabaise
roneill
4 +5tuck into a
Glen McCulley
4 +3throw back a bouillabaisse
French Foodie
5to eat a bouillabaisse
jmleger
5eat
Emma Colette
4 +1knock back a bouillabaisse
Colin Morley (X)
4scoff a bouillabaisse
Estelle Demontrond-Box
4to down a bouillabaisse
Bourth (X)
4to gulp down a....
jean-jacques alexandre
4wolf down a bouillabaise
MatthewLaSon
3knock himself out with a bouillabaisse
Arusha Topazzini (X)
3toss down a bouillabaisse
Yolanda Broad
3put away a bouillabaisse
Emma Paulay


  

Answers


2 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
to eat a bouillabaisse


Explanation:
Argot

jmleger
Local time: 17:22
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench
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4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
s\'envoyer une bouillabaisse
eat


Explanation:
"s'envoyer" in that sense is just slang for "consommer". It usually means you are looking forward to it. You will be doing it with pleasure.

Example sentence(s):
  • \
Emma Colette
Netherlands
Local time: 00:22
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks for your suggestion, however I'd like to keep the "slang spirit" of the original article if possible...

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5 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
throw back a bouillabaisse


Explanation:
"He decided to throw back a bouillabaisse" would be the more straight-up version, or even "chuck back" (perhaps that is a Canadianism tho', not sure...) but in this context you might even say something like "he decided to go drown his sorrows in bouillabaisse" ;-)

French Foodie
Local time: 00:22
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 131
Notes to answerer
Asker: i like "he decided to go drown his sorrows in Bouillabaisse" very much ! Thanks for your help !


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Tony M: 'throw / chuck back' sounds wrong for a soup (though fine for a few jars, etc.)
17 mins
  -> Hi Tony, it's something we definitely say in Canada for liquids, but as I said, it might to be too regional :-)
agree  Colin Rowe: I like the "drowning" option
19 mins
  -> thanks Colin
agree  mimi 254: like Colin
36 mins
  -> thanks Mimi
agree  Arusha Topazzini (X): like the 'drowning' too
1 hr
  -> thanks arusha
agree  Mollie Milesi: the drowning idea is great
2 hrs
  -> thanks Mollie
disagree  kashew: There's lots of solid fish in a b'baisse - I was a Marseille inhabitant
4 hrs
  -> I live there now, have lived in the area for over ten years and am very familiar with the stuff! Of course there is solid fish in it, but it's definitely a soup (and technically you can drown in a small puddle, so you don't much liquid anyway ;-)
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5 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
scoff a bouillabaisse


Explanation:
IMO

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 7 mins (2009-04-16 15:11:19 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

It is stronger than "manger" definitely. "Eat" does not convey the slang side of "s'envoyer" which would be "knock back" if it were a drink.

Estelle Demontrond-Box
Australia
Local time: 08:22
Native speaker of: French
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Tony M: Yes, but 'scoff' sounds really odd followed by 'a bouillabaisse'
20 mins
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10 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +11
treat himself/herself to a bouillabaise


Explanation:
Nothing wrong with the other suggestions. This particular expression emphasizes the pleasurable aspect of eating the bouillabaise, so it might work in your context.

roneill
United States
Local time: 15:22
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 24
Notes to answerer
Asker: thanks !


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Mark Nathan
12 mins
  -> Thanks
agree  Tony M: Seems ideal to me
16 mins
  -> Thanks
agree  Brigith Guimarães: Who wouldn't treat him/herself to a bouillabaise !?
41 mins
  -> Thanks
agree  sporran
1 hr
  -> Thanks
agree  emiledgar: Definitely, "treat" since it's a compensation for a loss.
1 hr
  -> Thanks
agree  Claire Cox
2 hrs
  -> Thanks
agree  NancyLynn: agree with emiledgar and Brigith too! :-)
2 hrs
  -> Thanks
agree  Ethele Salem Sperling
2 hrs
  -> Thanks
agree  kashew: Classy - most of the others are not!
4 hrs
  -> Thanks
agree  Sandra Mouton
5 hrs
  -> Thanks
neutral  Emma Paulay: I think this solution is too refined. I don't think this is about real enjoyment. It's comfort eating.// I see what you mean, but the Fr for that would be "s'offrir". There's a slight difference.
17 hrs
  -> I think of it as being a kind of compensation or consolation prize.
agree  Linda Sansome (X): I like this too, it implies a positive action as well - if he's going to 'treat himself' he is actively seeking a meal he knows will cheer him up.
22 hrs
  -> Thanks, that's how I see it too.
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
knock back a bouillabaisse


Explanation:
To "knock back" would be about the right tone in British English. I see the Canadian version would be "throw back" - similar kind of connotation. To eat with gusto.

Colin Morley (X)
France
Local time: 00:22
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 23

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Sandra Petch
15 hrs
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40 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +5
tuck into a


Explanation:
another option - "s'envoyer" means scoff, eat quickly and heartily, etc., so I like "tuck into" as it relates more to the start of the meal - closer to where the (verb) action is...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2009-04-16 16:29:38 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

...and to cover the 'consoling' bit ('drowning in' isn't bad at all), how about:
Instead of *choking* on the dissappointment of losing the Palme d'Or at Cannes, X decided to tuck into a bouillabaisse" (probably on the Vieux Port)

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2009-04-16 16:30:58 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

should be spelled "disappointment" (sorry, had my mouth full...)

Glen McCulley
Local time: 00:22
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in FrenchFrench

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  French Foodie: I like this too
16 mins
  -> too kind!
agree  B D Finch
23 mins
agree  Arusha Topazzini (X)
57 mins
agree  Martin Cassell
1 hr
agree  NancyLynn: I like this too, it seems to go with the bistro nestled between Y and Z...
1 hr
  -> too kind!
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12 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
knock himself out with a bouillabaisse


Explanation:
an idea...it's slang...and I think contains the idea of someone trying to compensate for disappointment by really going for something he likes or fantasizes about- an exuberant gesture...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 13 mins (2009-04-16 15:17:47 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

although I do like French Foodie's suggestion very much too!

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2009-04-16 16:43:03 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

This was certainly not one of my most inspired suggestions, but at least it ellicited some humorous remarks...

Arusha Topazzini (X)
France
Local time: 00:22
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in FrenchFrench
Notes to answerer
Asker: thanks !


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Tony M: Again, sounds perfect with an alcoholic drink, but odd with fish soup!
15 mins
  -> yes i agree...but 's'envoyer' has that connotation...but Foodie's suggestion of 'drowning his sorrow' is also reminiscent of alcohol...in any case I do agree it sounds odd...
neutral  B D Finch: Perhaps you have a recipe for 40° proof bouillabaisse?
53 mins
  -> haha...
neutral  Glen McCulley: ooooo-hh: "40°-proof bouillabaisse", just thinking about it gets me salivating... ><
1 hr
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
to down a bouillabaisse


Explanation:
Surprised no one came up with this sooner!

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2009-04-16 16:47:35 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

No ghits for downing (a) bouillabaisse, or even fish soup, but 252 for downing "some soup".

Bourth (X)
Local time: 00:22
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 88
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
to gulp down a....


Explanation:
yummy yum

jean-jacques alexandre
France
Local time: 00:22
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 16
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
toss down a bouillabaisse


Explanation:
In case you're interested in a US version...

Yolanda Broad
United States
Local time: 18:22
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
Notes to answerer
Asker: Yes ! Thanks !

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17 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
put away a bouillabaisse


Explanation:
To me "s'envoyer" has the sense of consuming (usually large amounts) fairly quickly. Bouillabaisse is a pretty copious dish after all. This is about comfort eating.


    Reference: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/put+away
Emma Paulay
France
Local time: 00:22
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 43
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1 day 7 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
wolf down a bouillabaise


Explanation:
Hello.

s'envoyer = to eat fast because you enjoy it (here)

I hope this helps.



MatthewLaSon
Local time: 18:22
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 12
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