This site uses cookies. Some of these cookies are essential to the operation of the site, while others help to improve your experience by providing insights into how the site is being used. For more information, please see the ProZ.com privacy policy.
Cookie settings
  1. KudoZ™ Top
  2. French to English
  3. General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters

crever

English translation: till you die from it / till it kills you

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
French term or phrase:jusqu'à en crever
English translation:till you die from it / till it kills you
Entered by: Tony M

22:52 Aug 6, 2018
French to English translations [Non-PRO]
Art/Literary - General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
French term or phrase: crever
Tu vas l'aimer à en crever et tu ne pourras plus jamais t'en passer.
Je serai ton inconnu.
Je suis ton inconnu
Raj Sethi
India
Local time: 19:49
till it kills you
Explanation:
The sense here is not 'until you die', but rather 'until it kills' you — you are going to 'crever de...' [cet amour]

However, I wouldn't actually translate it like this, as I don't think it would be idiomatic in EN — though do note other similar epressions such as "I'll climb that mountain if it kills me" or "...if it's the last thing I do"

I think David's suggestion is the most natural and idiomatic way it would normally be expressed in EN.

I suspect this may be some kind of cultural thing — perhaps your customer comes from a culture where 'death' is regarded with greater fear and taken less lightly; perhaps it feels uncomfortable to them speaking about 'love' and 'death' in the same breath?

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 23 hrs (2018-08-07 21:52:52 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

While this is one idiomatic way of expressing the idea, as I said I think David's suggestion is better in this particular case.

Of course, the strict literal translation would be "until you die from it" — but that wouldn't be very idiomatic in most contexts in EN.
Selected response from:

Tony M
France
Local time: 16:19
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +2till it kills you
Tony M
4 +1to death/to the end
David Hollywood
4 +1like crazy (or like hell)
Kevin Oheix


Discussion entries: 4





  

Answers


3 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
to death/to the end


Explanation:
I would say

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 5 mins (2018-08-06 22:57:39 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

https://lyricstranslate.com/.../vivre-en-crever-lets-live-ou...

17 abr. 2010 - Translation of 'Vivre à en crever' by Mozart l'Opéra Rock (Musical) from French to English (Version #3) ... Better let's live ourselves to death.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 8 mins (2018-08-06 23:00:43 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

context.reverso.net/traduction/francais-anglais/à+en+crever
Ça sert à ce que tant qu'ils nous reluquent à en crever mon projet de le saigner à blanc est sur pause. The point is long as they're eyeballing us to death, my ...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 9 mins (2018-08-06 23:01:53 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

point being that "to death" is ok

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 11 mins (2018-08-06 23:04:02 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

in your context you could also say "until you die"

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 24 mins (2018-08-06 23:16:18 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

ok so how about "to bits"?

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 24 mins (2018-08-06 23:16:50 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

short, idiomatic and fits

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 25 mins (2018-08-06 23:17:54 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

typical English way of putting it

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 27 mins (2018-08-06 23:19:18 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

expresses deep-felt love

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 27 mins (2018-08-06 23:20:04 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

hope it helps

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 29 mins (2018-08-06 23:21:57 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Is your client a native English-speaker?

David Hollywood
Local time: 11:19
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 28
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thanks David, Actually this is a very short translation I am doing for a new client. He just wants me to say it differently. I was thinking something idiomatic.

Asker: Hahah, David, This is the first time I am dealing with someone like this who is not saying anything, however I really want him to be happy with my translation. I am confused about him. He just doesn't say anything. This is my draft yet: "you will love him to bits, and never be able to do without him" I am stranger and i will be a stranger" what do you think, David?


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Barbara Cochran, MFA: "To the very end", is actually how I would express it.
49 mins
  -> thanks Barbara and the "very" is good
agree  Tony M: I don't think 'to death' has the sense of 'till the end' (as in 'til death do us part'), but rather 'until it kills you' — note it is 'en crever' = 'to die from it', and not 'jusqu'à la mort'
6 hrs
  -> thanks Tony
agree  Jane F: "to the bitter end" could perhaps work?
10 hrs
  -> thanks Jane
disagree  Daryo: I thing you went in the wrong direction - it's not about dying / fidelity "till death do us part" or anything of the sort, it's simply about intensity of feeling ...
1 day 4 hrs
  -> and that's why I suggested "to bits" .... helps to read full posts Daryo
disagree  Kevin Oheix: I agree with Daryo here.
1 day 11 hrs
  -> and my comment to Daryo applies here too
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

6 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +2
à en crever
till it kills you


Explanation:
The sense here is not 'until you die', but rather 'until it kills' you — you are going to 'crever de...' [cet amour]

However, I wouldn't actually translate it like this, as I don't think it would be idiomatic in EN — though do note other similar epressions such as "I'll climb that mountain if it kills me" or "...if it's the last thing I do"

I think David's suggestion is the most natural and idiomatic way it would normally be expressed in EN.

I suspect this may be some kind of cultural thing — perhaps your customer comes from a culture where 'death' is regarded with greater fear and taken less lightly; perhaps it feels uncomfortable to them speaking about 'love' and 'death' in the same breath?

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 23 hrs (2018-08-07 21:52:52 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

While this is one idiomatic way of expressing the idea, as I said I think David's suggestion is better in this particular case.

Of course, the strict literal translation would be "until you die from it" — but that wouldn't be very idiomatic in most contexts in EN.

Tony M
France
Local time: 16:19
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 348
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  writeaway: 100% is bit much considering we have 000 context. With 00 context, it's anyone's guess. This is a possibility (backed by any Fr-En dico) but not a certainty.
1 hr
  -> I'm 100% sure this is one possible correct solution — which does not prelude other possibilities too! But I do think the context is amply clear enough for what is after all a common expression.
agree  Elisabeth Gootjes
4 hrs
  -> Thanks, E. Gootjes!
agree  Daryo: first thing first: it's "à en crever" NOT "crever" [all too often wrongly asked questions are left "as is" - very professional!] - more general meaning: "it's so intense it will / could kill me/you"
15 hrs
  -> Merci, Daryo ! Quite!
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

10 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
like crazy (or like hell)


Explanation:
Emphasis ; so much that I could die, heart and soul, utterly, fiercely, tremendously, madly in love

"Love you like mad" is a U2 song ;)

http://dictionnaire.sensagent.leparisien.fr/AIMER A EN MOURI...

aimer à en mourir : "d'un amour passionné, à en perdre la raison, kiffer à mort"

"crever" means "die", it's an informal term, hence my suggestion.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 11 heures (2018-08-07 10:46:27 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Another expression used for emphasis:

"I'll see him in hell first!" = "Il peut bien crever !"

https://books.google.fr/books?id=vCOV2x4d7hkC&pg=PA336&lpg=P...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 12 heures (2018-08-07 11:27:27 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Another possibility: "Dead in love with"

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 jour 12 heures (2018-08-08 11:03:20 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Desperately

J'en [crève] de dépit = I'm [full] of resentment

Kevin Oheix
France
Local time: 16:19
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  writeaway: only if it fits in with the register of the mysterious context. it's not a great way to go as a 'general' translation
13 mins
neutral  Tony M: « ... à la folie »
36 mins
  -> To me, "à en crever" is just a way of emphasizing things and "like hell" = very much.
agree  GILLES MEUNIER: parfait
2 days 7 hrs
  -> Merci.
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.

Return to KudoZ list

KudoZ™ translation help

The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.

See also:
ProZ.com term search
Search millions of term translations
Close search
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search